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HorrorThrillerMystery

Diabolique

- See it, be amazed at it, but... BE QUIET ABOUT IT!

The cruel and abusive headmaster of a boarding school, Michel Delassalle, is murdered by an unlikely duo -- his meek wife and the mistress he brazenly flaunts. The women become increasingly unhinged by a series of odd occurrences after Delassalle's corpse mysteriously disappears.

Release Date : 1955-01-29

Language :EnglishFrench

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Véra FilmsFilmsonor

Production Country : France

Alternative Titles : The Devils

Cast

Véra Clouzot

Character Name : Christina Delassalle

Original Name : Véra Clouzot

Gender : Female

Simone Signoret

Character Name : Nicole Horner

Original Name : Simone Signoret

Gender : Female

Paul Meurisse

Character Name : Michel Delassalle

Original Name : Paul Meurisse

Gender : Male

Charles Vanel

Character Name : Police Inspector Alfred Fichet

Original Name : Charles Vanel

Gender : Male

Jean Brochard

Character Name : Plantiveau

Original Name : Jean Brochard

Gender : Male

Pierre Larquey

Character Name : Mr. Drain

Original Name : Pierre Larquey

Gender : Male

Michel Serrault

Character Name : Mr. Raymond

Original Name : Michel Serrault

Gender : Male

Yves-Marie Maurin

Character Name : Moinet

Original Name : Yves-Marie Maurin

Gender : Male

Georges Poujouly

Character Name : Soudieu

Original Name : Georges Poujouly

Gender : Male

Thérèse Dorny

Character Name : Mrs. Herboux

Original Name : Thérèse Dorny

Gender : Female

Noël Roquevert

Character Name : Mr. Herboux

Original Name : Noël Roquevert

Gender : Male

Jean Lefebvre

Character Name : Robert

Original Name : Jean Lefebvre

Gender : Male

Robert Dalban

Character Name : Garage Owner

Original Name : Robert Dalban

Gender : Male

Georges Chamarat

Character Name : Dr. Loisy

Original Name : Georges Chamarat

Gender : Male

Madeleine Suffel

Character Name : Counter Clerk

Original Name : Madeleine Suffel

Gender : Female

Jean Témerson

Character Name : Hotel Janitor

Original Name : Jean Témerson

Gender : Male

Jacques Hilling

Character Name : Morgue Receptionist

Original Name : Jacques Hilling

Gender : Male

Camille Guérini

Character Name : Photographer

Original Name : Camille Guérini

Gender : Male

Jacques Varennes

Character Name : Dr. Bridoux

Original Name : Jacques Varennes

Gender : Male

Henri Humbert

Character Name : Patard (uncredited)

Original Name : Henri Humbert

Gender : Male

Michel Dumur

Character Name : Ritberger (uncredited)

Original Name : Michel Dumur

Gender : Male

Jean-Pierre Bonnefous

Character Name : Gascuel (uncredited)

Original Name : Jean-Pierre Bonnefous

Gender : Male

Johnny Hallyday

Character Name : Student (uncredited)

Original Name : Johnny Hallyday

Gender : Male

Jimmy Urbain

Character Name : Student (uncredited)

Original Name : Jimmy Urbain

Gender : Male

Henri Coutet

Character Name : Employee of the Morgue (uncredited)

Original Name : Henri Coutet

Gender : Male

Christian Brocard

Character Name : Man in the Morgue (uncredited)

Original Name : Christian Brocard

Gender : Male

Jean Clarieux

Character Name : Taxi Driver (uncredited)

Original Name : Jean Clarieux

Gender : Male

Zappy Max

Character Name : Radio Game-show Host (voice) (uncredited)

Original Name : Zappy Max

Gender : Male

Reviews

T

talisencrw

@talisencrw

2021-06-23

I have only seen but two of Clouzot's films (this and the equally brilliant 'The Wages of Fear'), but I understand immediately what connoisseurs mean when they say he's the French Alfred Hitchcock. He has an innate and unbelievably vivid and accurate take on human nature. I can't wait to check out the rest of his oeuvre.

J

John Chard

@John Chard

2024-05-16

The keys in the pool, the husband in the morgue! You dream too much about water in this house! Headmaster of a boarding school, Michel Delaselle (Paul Meurisse) is a brooding bully of a man, one day his wife and mistress decide enough is enough and plot to kill him, trouble is that once they murder him, his body disappears and reported sightings of him are adding to the ladies' paranoia. Thus is the setting for director Henri-Georges Clouzot's brilliant suspenser. The pace is stiflingly perfect, he gently racks up the tension, neatly toying with audience expectation, the sense of dread that hangs in the air is palpable. How refreshing it is to see a suspense film actually build its plot for a good hour? In this day and age the MTV generation would be walking out of this after 30 minutes. Armand Thirard's atmospheric photography accentuates the creeping menace like mood, to the point that when we get to the last 15 minutes, nerves are already frayed and we then of course get what is arguably the greatest bath scene ever, and "that" ending... When I first watched it back in 2008 it was on a poor quality DVD, but revisiting it on Blu-ray it still worked me over as the great suspense movie it is, forcing me to seek the solace of daylight ASAP. Great writing, great directing, great acting, the latter thriving due to Simone Signoret's dangerously simmering sexuality and Véra Clouzot's heartfelt vulnerability. It's one of the classic chillers of European cinema. And if you haven't seen it yet? Do what I did last night, get the Blu-ray, turn off the lights and just have a couple of candles flickering away in your peripheral vision. Maybe indulge in some stiff drinks like I did, and most of all, watch it on your own... 9/10