The film begins with three nuns living in a secluded convent in Italy during the Middle Ages. The nuns are Alessandra, Fernanda, and Ginevra. Alessandra is frustrated with her life and dreams of leaving the convent, but her father keeps promising her dowry money that never arrives. Fernanda is rebellious and often lashes out at the convent’s handyman. Ginevra is a novice who seems sweet but has a secretive and mischievous side.
One day, the convent’s handyman catches Ginevra bathing, and she accuses him of spying on her. Fernanda and Alessandra join in, and together they verbally and physically abuse the handyman, who eventually runs away. This leaves the convent in need of a new handyman.
Meanwhile, Massetto, a young servant, is caught having an affair with his master’s wife. He escapes to avoid punishment and stumbles upon Father Tommasso, a local priest who is drunk and lamenting his inability to recruit a handyman for the convent. Seeing an opportunity, Massetto pretends to be a deaf-mute, hoping this will prevent the nuns from abusing him as they did the previous handyman. Father Tommasso agrees to bring him to the convent.
At the convent, Massetto’s arrival stirs up the nuns’ suppressed desires. Alessandra is initially suspicious but soon becomes attracted to Massetto. Fernanda continues her rebellious behavior and tries to seduce him, while Ginevra, who has been secretly harboring feelings for women, also becomes intrigued by him.
Massetto struggles to maintain his cover as a deaf-mute while dealing with the advances from the nuns. Despite his attempts to remain neutral, he finds himself involved in various comedic and chaotic situations. He forms a romantic connection with Alessandra, who confides in him about her frustrations and dreams.
Fernanda, on the other hand, is involved in a secret pagan cult and brings Massetto into one of their rituals, hoping to seduce him further. The situation escalates when Ginevra discovers the affair between Alessandra and Massetto and misinterprets it as an act of witchcraft.
The film reaches its climax when the convent descends into chaos. Ginevra, in a drunken stupor, reveals her true feelings and identity, confessing her attraction to women and her desire for Massetto. The other nuns are shocked, and Father Tommasso is called in to sort out the mess.
Father Tommasso is initially overwhelmed but eventually helps the nuns come to terms with their desires and frustrations. He also forgives Massetto for his deception, recognizing the situation’s absurdity and the need for compassion and understanding.
In the end, Alessandra decides to leave the convent to pursue her dreams, while Fernanda, Ginevra, and Massetto find a way to coexist peacefully within the convent’s walls. The film concludes on a lighthearted note, with the characters having grown and learned to accept themselves and each other.
“The Little Hours” is a humorous and irreverent take on medieval life, exploring themes of desire, freedom, and self-discovery. The film uses comedy to highlight the absurdities of strict religious life and the universal human need for connection and fulfillment.