The Devil and the Ten Commandments (1962) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

The visiting bishop saves Jérôme because he discovers they are old school friends from years ago. This personal connection compels the bishop to intervene and spare Jérôme from losing his job, despite the convent's warnings about his habit of taking the Lord's name in vain.

Foreshadowing: Earlier, Jérôme's job seemed doomed, but the bishop's arrival creates an unexpected turn of events.

• bishop
• jerome
• blasphemy
• convent
• old friend

After discovering the hidden necklace that his wife Françoise obtained through an affair with Philip (Micheline's husband), Georges chooses to give it to Micheline. This act occurs after Georges spends a carefree afternoon with Micheline, effectively reshaping the loyalties and trust within their circle of friends by exposing the infidelity while redirecting the expensive gift back to its rightful owner.

• georges
• micheline
• necklace
• francoise
• affair

Denis, a Jesuit novice, leaves the religious order because his sister committed suicide after Garigny lured her into prostitution and drug use. Believing that filing a formal complaint would be insufficient, Denis decides to confront Garigny personally to avenge his sister's death and prevent him from harming others, viewing direct action as more effective than bureaucratic channels.

Foreshadowing: Denis's departure from the seminary signals his transformation from a religious life to one driven by personal vengeance.

• denis
• garigny
• sister
• suicide
• revenge
• jesuit

Although Denis goes to confront Garigny unarmed and is shot dead during the encounter, Denis had already alerted the authorities about Garigny's criminal activities beforehand. This prior notification means the police were already pursuing Garigny, and when Denis is killed, Garigny is arrested for murder rather than merely pimping and trafficking, which would have resulted in a much lighter sentence.

• garigny
• murder
• arrest
• police
• denis

The stranger who arrives at the isolated farm and claims to be God is portrayed by Fernandel (credited as Dieu). He performs what appears to be miraculous acts, helping the paralyzed grandfather walk and easing the dying grandmother's final moments, but psychiatric nurses arrive searching for him, suggesting he may be a mentally unwell man who believes he is divine rather than an actual deity.

• stranger
• fernandel
• god
• farm
• miracle
• psychiatric

After Pierre learns that Clarisse Ardan is his biological mother, he visits her after a rehearsal. Clarisse attempts to seduce him and remains evasive about their true relationship, refusing to confirm or deny her maternity. Seeing through her manipulation and unreliability, Pierre decides to honor and support the parents who raised him, choosing loyalty to his adoptive family over the confusing connection with his biological mother.

• pierre
• clarisse
• adoptive parents
• mother
• stage actress

When a gunman targets Didier's counter at the bank, Didier improvises by filling the robber's suitcase with both notes and coins rather than simply handing over money. This strategic act creates a bargaining chip and buys time, allowing Didier to later track down the thief and attempt to recover the loot, demonstrating resourcefulness under pressure despite his impending job loss.

• didier
• bank
• robber
• suitcase
• money
• loot

After Didier and the thief agree to share the stolen loot, they discover the case contains bread, wine, and a sausage instead of cash. A tramp had previously swapped the food for the money, likely mistaking the suitcase for someone else's lunch. The tramp is ultimately arrested for theft, revealing a comic twist where the elaborate robbery ends with food instead of fortune.

• bread
• wine
• sausage
• case
• tramp
• robbery

During the extended, well-lubricated lunch shared between Jérôme and the bishop (a continuation of their earlier meeting), the bishop's memory fails him when trying to recall the Ten Commandments. This moment underscores the film's theme of human fallibility, showing how even a religious figure struggles with the basics of faith after physical indulgence, adding humor while highlighting the gap between spiritual authority and practical remembrance.

• bishop
• commandments
• lunch
• forget
• memory
• humor

Françoise Beaufort succumbs to the advances of Philip Allan, the wealthy husband of her friend Micheline, specifically to obtain a beautiful necklace. Her pursuit of luxury and material desire leads her to commit infidelity, setting in motion a chain of events that strains relationships and exposes the moral compromises she makes for vanity and wealth.

• francoise
• philip
• necklace
• affair
• luxury

When the stranger claiming to be God arrives at the isolated farm, he performs what appears to be a miraculous healing on the paralyzed grandfather, enabling the elderly man to stand for the first time in years. This remarkable intervention provides a hopeful moment, though it is complicated by the arrival of psychiatric nurses searching for the stranger, leaving ambiguity about whether the healing was supernatural or psychological.

• grandfather
• paralyzed
• stranger
• healing
• farm