The Little Hours (2017) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

The sisters attack the groundskeeper because he continuously greets them cheerfully and makes conversation, despite their repeated orders for him to stay silent and avert his gaze. Their frustration with the monotony of convent life erupts into a comical vegetable and tool assault on the innocent groundskeeper.

Foreshadowing: Earlier, the sisters' argument about the donkey's escape hints at their mounting irritation with mundane convent life.

• groundskeeper attack
• fernanda
• genevra
• convent frustration

Massetto pretends to be deaf and mute to hide from Lord Bruno, who is furious after discovering his wife Francesca's affair with Massetto. Bruno ordered his guards to punish Massetto, so Father Tommasso suggests the convent as a safe hiding spot where a mute groundskeeper would raise no suspicion.

Foreshadowing: Bruno's threat to identify Massetto by cutting a lock of his hair creates the immediate danger that drives Massetto to flee.

• massetto disguise
• deaf mute
• lord bruno
• escape

Massetto ends up at the convent after literally running into Father Tommasso, who is drunk and has lost his fabrics in the river. Tommasso, sympathetic to Massetto's plight, devises the plan for him to pose as the new mute and deaf groundskeeper, providing him a safe refuge from Bruno's vengeance.

• massetto convent
• father tommasso
• groundskeeper job

The wild party is triggered by a belladonna potion that Massetto's friend brings to the convent. The potion leads to a night of intoxication and revelry, where the sisters' repressed sexual desires surface and they drunkenly experiment with seduction, blurring the lines between friendship and desire.

• belladonna potion
• wild party
• intoxication
• sisters desire

The sisters become attracted to Massetto because they have been living in a repressive convent environment with completely suppressed sexual desires. His presence as a mysterious, handsome young man who cannot speak sparks their curiosity and lust, leading them to pursue him despite their religious vows.

Foreshadowing: The opening scenes establish their extreme boredom and frustration with convent life, setting up their desperate desire for any excitement.

• sisters attraction
• massetto
• seduction
• desire suppression

The Bishop's arrival triggers chaos at the convent as his inspection forces the sisters to confront their scandalous behavior. Horrifying truths surface, leading to drastic confessions from the sisters about their affairs with Massetto and other transgressions, escalating tensions and confrontations.

Foreshadowing: The sisters' increasingly reckless behavior throughout the film builds toward this inevitable moment of reckoning.

• bishop visit
• convent inspection
• confessions
• chaos

After Massetto is imprisoned in Lord Bruno's castle, the sisters band together to devise and execute a rescue plan. Their unified effort to save Massetto, despite their earlier rivalry for his affection, demonstrates their transformed relationship and determination to break free from their restrictive lives.

Foreshadowing: The sisters' growing alliance throughout the film culminates in this joint rescue mission.

• massetto rescue
• prison break
• sisters unite
• lord bruno

The ending shows the characters seeking solace in the woods, where they reaffirm their bonds with each other. This represents their escape from the restrictive confines of the convent and societal expectations, embracing a sense of freedom and mystery while leaving their old lives behind.

• woods ending
• freedom
• characters united
• mystery conclusion

Francesca, Lord Bruno's wife, has an affair with Massetto because she is deeply dissatisfied with her tedious husband, whom she describes as boring and constantly complaining about finances. Massetto provides her with the excitement and intimacy that Bruno fails to offer.

Foreshadowing: Francesca's sarcastic responses to Bruno's monologues and her glances toward Massetto during dinner hint at her growing dissatisfaction.

• francesca affair
• lord bruno wife
• massetto romance

Fernanda and Genevra are jealous of Alessandra because her father financially supports the convent, giving her unfair advantages. While Alessandra enjoys privileges like better duties and resources, Fernanda and Genevra resent her elevated status within the religious community.

• sisters jealousy
• alessandra advantages
• convent finances

Lord Bruno wants to punish Massetto because he discovers his wife Francesca's infidelity with the servant. Bruno's possessive and furious nature drives him to order his guards to punish Massetto as revenge for the dishonor done to his marriage.

Foreshadowing: Bruno's suspicious nature is established when he tries to identify Massetto by cutting a lock of his hair.

• lord bruno revenge
• punish massetto
• infidelity discovery