Les diaboliques (1955)

Directed by: Henri-Georges Clouzot | 112 minutes | drama, horror, thriller, crime | Actors: Simone Signoret, Véra Clouzot, Paul Meurisse, Charles Vanel, Jean Brochard, Pierre Larquey, Michel Serrault

Henri-Georges Clouzot’s ‘Les diaboliques’ – not to be confused with the mediocre 1996 Hollywood remake starring Sharon Stone – is a masterful thriller that rivals Hitchcock’s best work. The similarities with the work of the master of suspense are not coincidental, as the authors of the source material were also responsible for Hitchcock’s ‘Vertigo’ and the director himself was also behind the story of ‘Les diaboliques’. While it would be interesting to see what Hitchcock would have made of the story, you won’t be homesick for a moment while watching this superbly realized Clouzot film. Drama, humor, suspense, and even a chilling moment of horror, make for a wonderful viewing experience, always captivated by what is happening on screen.

What is of great importance for the unconditional interest of the viewer is the bond that is created between the two main characters, namely Christina Delassalle (Véra Clouzot), and the viewer. We feel immediate sympathy for Christina, and hatred for her husband Michel (Paul Meurisse), who treats her like a glove. He belittles her—for example, calling her his little ruin, a remark that will later strengthen her conviction to poison him—and forces her to eat a tough, tasteless piece of fish, tears streaming down her cheeks. But she herself is actually too good-natured, or has too little courage, to take drastic measures against this. The decision to kill her hubby therefore does not come from her, but from Michel’s mistress Nicole (Simone Signoret), who also claims to be mistreated by him. Like a femme fatale in a film noir, she manages to convince Christina to kill Michel. Incidentally, it is interesting that for a long time the murder is not even explicitly named, but that we as spectators do understand what is being talked about. We see the two women having some suggestive conversations with each other and quickly tuck a bottle away at a medicine cabinet when Michel arrives.

But Christina is only really convinced just before the moment that she has to kill him. She repeatedly hints that she cannot do it, and that she believes, for example, that she will end up in hell for this. Because of this hesitation and lack of murderousness, we remain on her side throughout the film, even when she finally does what she says and poisons Michel. Although, in part, we just want the perpetrators to succeed in committing the perfect murder. The cinematic tension created at moments when they are almost discovered, through montage and facial expressions, almost instinctively make us side with the perpetrators. Hitchcock – there it is again – was also able to achieve these kinds of alliances with the villain through cinematic means.

Humor, drama, and unpredictability go hand in hand from the moment the corpse is finally dumped, due to a clever strategy, in the school’s own swimming pool. It is supposed to be discovered, and Christina wants this to happen as soon as possible before her nerves give out, but nothing happens. She is standing in the classroom teaching her English, peering out the window when she suddenly sees the cleaning man walking towards the swimming pool. Her breath catches; would he see the body? But no, he simply removes some dirt from the bath. Christina can’t take it anymore, so Nicole has the bath pumped out in a detour. But… it turns out to be empty!

As if the tension we felt, together with Christina, wasn’t enough; now we feel complete amazement at this strange disappearance. You are now in the situation where absolutely anything could happen. Christina’s personal drama intensifies as she has a heart problem and is in danger of a slow collapse. In addition, the story suddenly takes on a whole new impulse, with inexplicable, possible ghostly apparitions, and the introduction of a figure that undoubtedly served as an inspiration for Peter Falk’s Inspector Columbo, namely Police Commissioner Alfred Fichet (Charles Vanel).

‘Les diaboliques’ hardly has a dull moment and succeeds on many levels. From the surprising, versatile script to the efficient direction. From the beautiful black and white photography to the great actors. Clouzot’s film is one to cherish.