Chinese Version

O Convento (Portugal/France)

The Convent

Evil and temptation

Director: Manoel de Oliveira

Cast: Catherine Deneuve    John Malkovich   Luis Miguel Cintra   Leonor Silveira

Footage: 90min

Year: 1995

The story centers on the unconventional American professor, Michael Padovic, and his stunningly beautiful wife, Helene, who journey to an eerie Portuguese convent to prove that Shakespeare was in reality, a Jewish Spaniard. They are housed by the sophisticated, but rather creepy guardian of the monastery, Baltar, who immediately seems attracted to the cool Helene. In order to spend more time with her, Baltar arranges for Michael to spend all his time in the convent's great library. It is the wicked Baltar who tries to tempt Michael (in the way that Mephistopheles tempted Faust) into becoming immortal through his research and writing.