The Canterbury Tales (film)
Encyclopedia
The Canterbury Tales is a 1972 Italian film directed by Pier Paolo Pasolini
and based on the medieval narrative poem The Canterbury Tales
by Geoffrey Chaucer
. It is the second film in Pasolini's 'Trilogy of Life'. It won the Golden Bear
at the 22nd Berlin International Film Festival
.
The adaptation covers eight of the 24 tales and contains abundant nudity
, sex
, and slapstick
humor. Many of these scenes are present or at least alluded to in the original as well, but some are Pasolini's own additions.
The film sometimes diverges from Chaucer. For example, The Friar's Tale is significantly expanded upon: where the Friar leads in with a general account of the archdeacon's severity and the summoner's corruption, Pasolini illustrates this with a specific incident which has no parallel in Chaucer. Two men are caught in an inn bedroom committing buggery
. One is able to bribe his way out of trouble, but the other, poorer man is less fortunate: he is tried and convicted of sodomy
—it doesn't occur to the judge that such an act cannot be committed by one person alone—and is sentenced to death. As a foretaste of Hell, he is burned alive inside an iron cage ("roasted on a griddle" in the words of one spectator) while vendors sell beer and various baked and roasted foods to the spectators.
In Pasolini's version of the fragmentary Cook's Tale, Ninetto Davoli
plays the role of Perkyn in manner clearly inspired by Charlie Chaplin
.
This film featured Tom Baker
in a small role, as one of the husbands of the Wife of Bath.
Pier Paolo Pasolini
Pier Paolo Pasolini was an Italian film director, poet, writer, and intellectual. Pasolini distinguished himself as a poet, journalist, philosopher, linguist, novelist, playwright, filmmaker, newspaper and magazine columnist, actor, painter and political figure...
and based on the medieval narrative poem The Canterbury Tales
The Canterbury Tales
The Canterbury Tales is a collection of stories written in Middle English by Geoffrey Chaucer at the end of the 14th century. The tales are told as part of a story-telling contest by a group of pilgrims as they travel together on a journey from Southwark to the shrine of Saint Thomas Becket at...
by Geoffrey Chaucer
Geoffrey Chaucer
Geoffrey Chaucer , known as the Father of English literature, is widely considered the greatest English poet of the Middle Ages and was the first poet to have been buried in Poet's Corner of Westminster Abbey...
. It is the second film in Pasolini's 'Trilogy of Life'. It won the Golden Bear
Golden Bear
According to legend, the Golden Bear was a large golden Ursus arctos. Members of the Ursus arctos species can reach masses of . The Grizzly Bear and the Kodiak Bear are North American subspecies of the Brown Bear....
at the 22nd Berlin International Film Festival
22nd Berlin International Film Festival
The 22nd annual Berlin International Film Festival was held from 23 June to 4 July 1972.-Jury:* Eleanor Perry * Fritz Drobilitsch-Walden* Francis Cosne* Rita Tushingham* Tinto Brass* Yukichi Shinada* Julio Coll* Hans Hellmut Kirst...
.
The adaptation covers eight of the 24 tales and contains abundant nudity
Nudity
Nudity is the state of wearing no clothing. The wearing of clothing is exclusively a human characteristic. The amount of clothing worn depends on functional considerations and social considerations...
, sex
Sex
In biology, sex is a process of combining and mixing genetic traits, often resulting in the specialization of organisms into a male or female variety . Sexual reproduction involves combining specialized cells to form offspring that inherit traits from both parents...
, and slapstick
Slapstick
Slapstick is a type of comedy involving exaggerated violence and activities which may exceed the boundaries of common sense.- Origins :The phrase comes from the batacchio or bataccio — called the 'slap stick' in English — a club-like object composed of two wooden slats used in Commedia dell'arte...
humor. Many of these scenes are present or at least alluded to in the original as well, but some are Pasolini's own additions.
The film sometimes diverges from Chaucer. For example, The Friar's Tale is significantly expanded upon: where the Friar leads in with a general account of the archdeacon's severity and the summoner's corruption, Pasolini illustrates this with a specific incident which has no parallel in Chaucer. Two men are caught in an inn bedroom committing buggery
Buggery
The British English term buggery is very close in meaning to the term sodomy, and is often used interchangeably in law and popular speech. It may be, also, a specific common law offence, encompassing both sodomy and bestiality.-In law:...
. One is able to bribe his way out of trouble, but the other, poorer man is less fortunate: he is tried and convicted of sodomy
Sodomy
Sodomy is an anal or other copulation-like act, especially between male persons or between a man and animal, and one who practices sodomy is a "sodomite"...
—it doesn't occur to the judge that such an act cannot be committed by one person alone—and is sentenced to death. As a foretaste of Hell, he is burned alive inside an iron cage ("roasted on a griddle" in the words of one spectator) while vendors sell beer and various baked and roasted foods to the spectators.
In Pasolini's version of the fragmentary Cook's Tale, Ninetto Davoli
Ninetto Davoli
Ninetto Davoli is an Italian actor who became known through his roles in several of Pier Paolo Pasolini's films.-Biography:Davoli was born in San Pietro a Maida, Calabria...
plays the role of Perkyn in manner clearly inspired by Charlie Chaplin
Charlie Chaplin
Sir Charles Spencer "Charlie" Chaplin, KBE was an English comic actor, film director and composer best known for his work during the silent film era. He became the most famous film star in the world before the end of World War I...
.
This film featured Tom Baker
Tom Baker
Thomas Stewart "Tom" Baker is a British actor. He is best known for playing the fourth incarnation of the Doctor in the science fiction television series Doctor Who, a role he played from 1974 to 1981.-Early life:...
in a small role, as one of the husbands of the Wife of Bath.
Cast
- Hugh GriffithHugh GriffithHugh Emrys Griffith was a Welsh film, stage and television actor.-Early life:Griffith was born in Marianglas, Anglesey, Wales, the son of Mary and William Griffith. He was educated at Llangefni County School and attempted to gain entrance to university, but failed the English examination...
- Sir January - Laura BettiLaura BettiLaura Betti was an Italian actress.Born Laura Trombetti in Bologna, this blonde and flamboyant actress started her career as jazz singer. Betti made her film debut in Federico Fellini's La dolce vita. In 1963 she became a close friend of the poet and movie director Pier Paolo Pasolini, for whom...
- The Wife from Bath - Ninetto DavoliNinetto DavoliNinetto Davoli is an Italian actor who became known through his roles in several of Pier Paolo Pasolini's films.-Biography:Davoli was born in San Pietro a Maida, Calabria...
- Perkin - Franco CittiFranco CittiFranco Citti is an Italian actor. He came to fame at the age of 26, playing the title role in Pier Paolo Pasolini's film Accattone...
- The Devil - Josephine ChaplinJosephine ChaplinJosephine Hannah Chaplin is an actress and the daughter of actor/comedian/director Charlie Chaplin and his last wife, Oona O'Neill. Her siblings include Geraldine Chaplin, Christopher Chaplin and Michael Chaplin. She was also half-sister to Sydney Chaplin, Charles Chaplin, Jr...
- May - Alan WebbAlan Webb (actor)-Biography and Career:Educated at Bramcote School, Scarborough, and RN Colleges Osborne and Dartmouth. He served in the Royal Navy.Webb's early days were spent performing with the Lena Ashwell Players , J. B. Fagan's Oxford Players , The Croydon Repertory Company , and the Old Vic-Sadler's Wells...
- Old Man - Pier Paolo PasoliniPier Paolo PasoliniPier Paolo Pasolini was an Italian film director, poet, writer, and intellectual. Pasolini distinguished himself as a poet, journalist, philosopher, linguist, novelist, playwright, filmmaker, newspaper and magazine columnist, actor, painter and political figure...
- Geoffrey Chaucer - J. P. Van Dyne - The Cook
- Vernon DobtcheffVernon DobtcheffVernon Dobtcheff is a French and British actor.Dobtcheff was born in Nîmes, France, to a family of Russian descent. He attended Ascham Preparatory School in Eastbourne, Sussex, England, in the 1940s, where he won the Acting Cup...
- The Franklin - Adrian StreetAdrian StreetAdrian Street is a Welsh professional wrestler known for his flamboyant, androgynous wrestling persona, brought to prominence in the 1970s and 1980s. Street was often accompanied to the ring by his long-time manager Miss Linda, and the two worked primarily as villains...
- Fighter - Derek DeadmanDerek DeadmanDerek Deadman is a British actor. He appeared as Rankin in two episodes of the RAF sitcom Get Some In! in 1975 and 1978. He played Ringo in 39 of the 66 episodes of the TV series Never the Twain between 1981 and 1991, and appeared as the barman of The Leaky Cauldron, Tom, in Harry Potter and the...
- The Pardoner (as Derek Deadmin)