Diabolique (Criterion Collection Spine #35)

Comment: This classic suspense thriller offers all of the character and drive of Hitchcock's later masterpieces with its own unique look and feel. A woman and her husband's mistress plot to kill the man that has been oppressing each of them, but suspicions mount after the corpse of their drowned lover disappears from the pool where they planted the body. Was Michel really dead, or has someone discovered their deadly secret? Clouzot delivers a visually stunning film with fluid camera movements and inventive tracking shots. The flawed character of Christine is built in such a way that it is impossible to find fault in her actions, especially after she is beaten by her dominating husband while trying to slap a poisoned drink from his hand in a moment of fear and doubt. A recurring mirror motif constantly reflects Christine's guilt, as she is the only character to have her image cast back repeatedly throughout the film. Signoret plays Nicole as an emotionless and robotic femme fatale, however her cold demeanor and actions along with the impossible appearances of M. Delassalle after the disappearance of the body lead to an all too predictable end. The slow and methodical build is expertly handled, and only further strengthened by an excellent cast. Hitchcock fans will find everything to love in DIABOLIQUE, even if it falls just short of a perfect film.

-Carl Manes
I Like Horror Movies

Comment: DIABLIQUE is one of the best suspense films ever made. Well acted, expertly filmed, and suspenseful at every turn, the most hardened English language only viewer will soon forget the actors are speaking French. The story is masterfully told through what transpires on the screen as well as some very well translated English subtitles. The contemporary details of French life in the 50's make it even more worth viewing. And though modern viewers may see the major twist coming from a great distance the film still manages to end with haunting ambiguity.

Comment: This is an icy psych masterpiece, sharply-paced by Henri-George Clousot, and beautifully acted by his wife, Vera, and the always wonderful, Simone Signoret. The camera work is quite edgy for the time as well, but Clousot unleashes the story in such a perfectly devious way, with its serpentine plot twists, stark contrasts, and macabre touches, that it is no wonder that this film has been influencing thrillers for nearly six decades. Exquisitely twisted, and a must for any lover of classic suspense.

Comment: Dear MKIA,

We've been friends for some time here on Ammy (twins we could say) and so I often think of what you may think when watching a certain film, and this film in particular really `spoke' to me. I know that this is totally your territory (horror movie) but it is also a film I am nearly certain you haven't seen (beings that you are not a huge fan of the foreign film). That is why I am writing you this letter.

I saw this film a few years ago and loved it, but it wasn't until some of your recent reviews (and recent comments on my reviews) that I truly understood how deeply your love for this brand of cinema runs, and so I rewatched this film this past weekend (along with another chilling masterpiece I'll get to later) and became convinced that YOU HAVE TO SEE THIS!

The film tells of a cruel headmaster at an all boy's school who is murdered by his wife and lover. Then the body disappears and the two women, especially the frail hearted wife, start to lose it.

It's like Hitchcock only MUCH darker. Some have note that there is a lack of human emotion here, that everyone seems cold and it is apparent that the director had a distain for the characters, but for me that is an elevation of the films darkness. It is sublimely chilling, completely ransacked with this deep-running evil that just breaks the audience apart piece by piece.

I am convinced you will love this.

The acting across the board is breathtaking. Paul Meurisse is marvelous as Michel, the doomed headmaster. He has only a few scenes in the very beginning, but his performance is chilling to say the least. He is strong and empowered and commanding; and his final confrontation with his wife is beautifully controlled (even the flourishes of outrage feel naturally expected). The two lead women are stunning in very different ways. Simone Signoret is a marvel as Nicole, the hardened mistress to the deceased. She has a very chilly humor to her dialog that makes her a memorable force. Vera Clouzot (the director's own wife) displays a very different quality to her scenes. She is far more reserved, humbled and naïve; and her final scene is astonishing.

Hand...over...heart...GASP!

Despite the subtitles (the movie is in French buddy) I really urge you to see this ASAP! It is a stunner and one that you will ADORE. It has been remade in 1990 with Sharon Stone, but it was trashed by critics (and I hear it was a complete mess so avoid it, as I have). This is a goldmine for any fan of the genre, as you are my friend.

Sincerely,
Andy

Comment: My expectations may have been set a little to high. Don't get me wrong... this was a good movie, but I expected a little more from the ending. Honestly, I was thinking throughtout the movie that the mistress was really a man which would have been what I considered a shocking ending. However, the real ending was expected and not a surprise at all. The movie was also way too long and just seemed to drag along. I'm also not a big fan of subtitles since I can't fully watch the acting while reading the titles (and it does seem like French subtitles go really fast). I just was a little let down, but it is worth watching .