Rotten Tomatoes
Cancel Movies Tv shows Shop News Showtimes

Devil in the Flesh

R Released May 22, 1987 1h 50m Drama List
Reviews 44% Audience Score 100+ Ratings
High-school senior Andrea (Federico Pitzalis) obsesses over an older woman named Giulia (Maruschka Detmers) after noticing her outside his classroom window. Despite her engagement to an imprisoned terrorist, Giulia begins an affair with Andrea, to the disapproval of her future mother-in-law (Anita Laurenzi). Trouble arises when Giulia's fiancé is released from prison, and Giulia's psychiatrist -- who is also Andrea's father -- finds out about the relationship. Read More Read Less

Critics Reviews

View All (2) Critics Reviews
Ben Flanagan Vague Visages “Bellocchio’s 1986 film ‘Devil in the Flesh’ is perfectly representative of the great Italian director’s outlook.” Feb 10, 2024 Full Review Kathy Fennessy Video Librarian Magazine Detmers' performance certainly leaves an impression, though the eroticization of mental illness ends up feeling more exploitative than enlightening. Rated: 2.5/4 Oct 15, 2021 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (10) audience reviews
Audience Member I liked it in 87. Found it kind of boring in 21. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/26/23 Full Review david f A good European film that updates the torrid romance story to contemporary Italy. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member An example of the old school work of Italian Cinema: bold & unconstrained (explicit), good art direction & cinematography, good looking cast (both Maruschk Detmers & Frederic Pitzalis were so appealing in it), full of film languages & metaphors... only with confusing story-telling narrative, characters' reaction & dialogue for most of the time. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 02/04/23 Full Review Audience Member interesting film of the actress Maruschka Detmers, by the director Marco Bellocchio Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/06/23 Full Review Audience Member "Giuseppe Lanci" - the cinematographer of Nostalghia (1983) - made such a clear picture i couldn't believe it was produced in 1987. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 01/14/23 Full Review Audience Member An Italian romance flick where a student falls for an older woman. The woman becomes obsessed with the relationship. Really only memorable because of the on-screen fellatio. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 02/02/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Devil in the Flesh

My Rating

Read More Read Less POST RATING WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW

Cast & Crew

Show Less Cast & Crew Show More Cast & Crew
View All Devil in the Flesh photos

Devil in the Flesh

Devil in the Flesh (1986) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis High-school senior Andrea (Federico Pitzalis) obsesses over an older woman named Giulia (Maruschka Detmers) after noticing her outside his classroom window. Despite her engagement to an imprisoned terrorist, Giulia begins an affair with Andrea, to the disapproval of her future mother-in-law (Anita Laurenzi). Trouble arises when Giulia's fiancé is released from prison, and Giulia's psychiatrist -- who is also Andrea's father -- finds out about the relationship.
Director
Marco Bellocchio
Distributor
Orion Classics
Rating
R
Genre
Drama
Original Language
Italian
Release Date (Theaters)
May 22, 1987, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
May 13, 2021
Runtime
1h 50m