The Devil's Playground
Director: Fred Schepisi
Year Released: 1976
Rating: 2.5
Priests and their students in a private school become tempted by sins of the flesh and the restraints of their religion - Catholicism is guilt, this picture seems to suggest, and having been raised Catholic (and drifted away, naturally), I can only say: "I agree completely." My original fear that this would lead to a 'modern day' scenario of the priests sexually abusing the boys was mercifully waylaid (most of the adults here are more obsessed with sluts in bars and nude women in swimming pools - sins of the flesh are the best kind of sins, in my humble opinion), leaving me to my only major reservation: that it's just so damn obvious and all the characters can do is think about - and talk about - their own lust (surely there are other things to chat about). I've always said priests need to be able to get married or have life partners ... hell, even the Apostles did....
