Synopsis

The story of Die sieben Todsünden

A journey through the seven deadly sins

Wed, Nov 15, 2023

PROLOG (PROLOGUE)

Anna I (a singer) and her sister Anna II (a dancer) are from Louisiana. Sent off to earn money for their family, their dream is a house on the banks of the Mississippi. The sisters intend to amass the necessary capital in seven years – and preferably one year faster. They send all their income to their family, which consists of Mother, Father, Brother I and Brother II. Since only Anna I sings, the viewer is forced to take her story about Anna II at face value. Anna I is, as she herself proclaims, the practical and sensible of the two. Her sister, on the other hand, is ‘pretty, but just a little mad’. And yet the two sisters are actually one and the same person, they share everything and unfailingly serve each other's interests.

1 Faulheit (SLOTH)

The family gives a frenetic running commentary from the background. Anna is a strange and lazy child and laziness is the root of all evil, that's their mantra. On the other hand, Anna is also docile and devoted to her parents, so the family hopes that she will not lack dedication on the bumpy road to capital.

2 Stolz (PRIDE)

The first stop on Anna's journey is Memphis. There, Anna II gets a job as a dancer in a cabaret of a questionable nature. She is not exactly a hit there, because she wants to be an artist and thus dances too artistically. Anna I manages to convince her that the audience in this cabaret has very different expectations.

3 Zorn (WRATH)

The family is dissatisfied because there is not enough money coming in. Meanwhile, Anna II cannot contain her anger at all the injustice she sees in the Los Angeles film industry. Once again, Anna I is forced to intervene with a moral lesson: Anna must restrain herself, because condemning injustice so openly is not appreciated in Hollywood.

4 Völlerei (GLUTTONY)

Anna informs her family by letter that Anna II has made it as a solo dancer in Philadelphia. She had to sign a contract that stipulated that she was not allowed to gain an ounce of weight. While she grows desperate from hunger, her relatives soothingly remind her of all the goodies she will be able to eat when she returns home to Louisiana.

5 Unzucht (LUST)

In Boston, Anna discovers love. Anna II has found a rich man, Edward, who truly loves her. In turn, Anna II loves the penniless Fernando and she supports him with the money she receives from Edward. Anna I warns here that she cannot have it both ways.

6 Habsucht (GREED)

The family learns through the newspaper that Anna is in Baltimore. She has become an idol and all kinds of desperate men are shooting themselves over her. This news pleases the family: with such a reputation Anna will earn a lot of money.

7 Neid (ENVY)

In San Francisco, Anna sees people everywhere who are allowed to do what she is not and she becomes terribly jealous. Anna I concludes her moral teaching as follows: those who are able to control themselves will ultimately triumph.