Wrath, Pride, Envy, Greed, Lust, Sloth, Gluttony. Known as the seven deadly sins, they often lead to destruction, but can serve as a great backdrop for a movie’s plot. Most memorable movie characters are sinful in some way, but in this list, they’ve taken it to the next level, with hilarious (or disturbing) results.
ENVY
Amadeus (1984)
Salieri (F. Murray Abraham) was a renowned composer, well-liked and admired…until the arrival of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Tom Hulce). Younger, crazier, and much more talented, Mozart brings his arias to life as Salieri goes from wonderous jealousy (“He was my idol. Mozart, I can’t think of a time when I didn’t know his name.”) to murderous envy (“God was singing through this little man to all the world, unstoppable, making my defeat more bitter with every passing bar.”) Salieri goes on to literally wage war against God, vowing to destroy Mozart in a macabre plan that ends in death and madness.
LUST
Fatal Attraction (1987)
What’s the harm in a little affair? Alex Forrest (Glenn Close) is enough to change anyone’s mind about straying, even for a night. After a night of passion with Dan Gallagher (Michael Douglas), her flirtations become demands, and soon her insanity becomes alarmingly clear. Acid, a homemade cassette tape, and a bunny are used as weapons against a man who has made a horrible mistake, one that ultimately involves his family in a disturbing climax.
WRATH
Kill Bill Vol. 1 (2003), Vol. 2 (2004)
Revenge is a common theme for movies, especially action films, but one that involves a strong-as-nails woman (and other such women) directed by Quentin Tarantino is bound to be the most memorable. Uma Thurman is The Bride, a female assassin who abandoned her violent life in an attempt to lead a normal one. After a violent showdown involving her former co-assassins and her fiance and new friends and family, she vows revenge on the Deadly Viper Assassination Squad and its leader, Bill. One by one she hunts them down as her past (and the pasts of the Vipers) comes to life, and her redemption ends with an unexpected surprise.
GREED
Wall Street (1987)
“Greed is good”. One quote sums up the movie that involves characters that discard ethics as if they were used tissues. In order to succeed as a young stockbroker, Bud Fox (Charlie Sheen) gives up insider information and in effect sells his soul to Gordon Gekko (Michael Douglas Wall Street is a warning for anyone who would do anything to make it big.
SLOTH
Office Space (1999)
What would you do with a million dollars? What’s your dream job? If you would do absolutely nothing all day, you can sympathize with Peter Gibbons (Ron Livingston), who hates his boring office job so much that he sees a therapist to dull his pain. By a freak accident during his session he’s overcured, and is in a blissful daze that causes him to forget his cares and ignore his boss’s demands.
During his dream day he literally does nothing all day, remaining wrapped in his sheets and sleeping while his boss leaves numerous messages on his machine. His lack of cares goes from blatantly playing games in front of his boss while he’s supposed to be working to crime. Anyone who’s ever hated their job or daydreamed about sleeping all day while toiling away at work will appreciate Peter’s slothful behavior…though as his neighbor Lawrence (Diedrich Bader) points out, “You don’t need a million dollars to do nothing, man.”
GLUTTONY
Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971) ; Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005)
Both adaptations of Ronald Dahl’s classic children’s book have something in common; an odd man running a fantastic candy factory, and gluttonous children eager to devour the goods the factory produces. Each child is punished in strange ways for their wicked ways, whether it’s becoming a large blueberry, being nearly drowned in a sea of chocolate, or tossed down a chute.
It’s a whimsical version of Dante’s Inferno. While the story is amusing and fun, the punishments seem severe, but everyone in Willy Wonka’s factory gets their just desserts. An endless appetite for sweets can only lead to doom, as the book includes the story of a prince who demanded a castle built out of chocolate which melted into a pool of sweet goo in the hot desert sun.
PRIDE
Gone with the Wind (1939)
You’d be hard pressed to find a character as proud and self-centered as Scarlett O’Hara. Vivien Leigh brings her to life in the cinematic classic Gone with the Wind as a stubborn woman obsessed with a married man, who enjoys being doted on and ignores the affections of her husband. Rhett Butler (Clark Gable) finally gives up on this impossible woman with the famous line “Frankly my dear…” and the audience can’t blame him one bit. In fact, we wonder why he didn’t get rid of her sooner.
All these movies showcase the seven deadly sins in memorable ways, bringing the evil to life in fascinating characters. They represent the wickedness these sins can bring in their own devious way.
And of course, there’s always Se7en.
