Les Diaboliques (The Devils) was almost a Hitchcock film. Director Henri-Georges Clouzot beat Hitchcock to the screen rights by just a few hours. The film is based on the novel Celle qui n'etait plus (She Who Was No More) by Pierre Boileau and Thomas Narcejac. The pair also wrote the novel D'entre les morts (The Living and the Dead) which Hitchcock adapted into Vertigo.
Les Diaboliques is a story about a school headmaster whose wife and mistress conspire together to murder him. The cruel and sadistic husband, Michel Delassalle (Paul Meurisse) is the mecurial head of a school for boys. He physically and verbally abuses both his wife, Christina Delassalle (Vera Clouzot), who owns the school, and his mistress Nicole Horner (Simone Signoret) who teaches and lives at the school. The two women come together with a seemingly foolproof plan to murder him during a three day school recess.
I will not spoil the film by describing what happens beyond the basic premise. To tell more would create expectations that are better left unanticipated. The film has two distinct halves that masterfully combine elements of the suspense, thriller and horror genres. Hitchcock couldn't have made a better movie, and he liked it so much that he was inspired to use B&W film for his next project "Psycho".
I had never seen Les Diaboliques so this screening was a real treat. The subtitles were not a problem and I was quickly drawn into this dark tale of conspiracy and murder. The film is now considered a classic and it deserves it's reputation. It is also one of the first films to feature an anti-spoiler message during the closing credits. The message implored the viewer not to reveal anything about the plot to their friends.
I suggest you go rent this film, grab a bowl of popcorn, turn out the lights and be prepared to participate in an evening of murder and mayhem that will thrill you to the bones.
At The Movie House rating **** stars
**note** If you have seen the 1996 American remake Diabolique, you owe it to yourself to see the original film. If you have not seen the remake, avoid it!
4 comments:
Wow, this movie sounds real intersting. I'll have ot check it out. I also learned something from this review...I did not know Hitchkocks movies came from books by other people...i thought he made up the stories...I feel a bit cheated, or it seems he may have lost some luster with me. Since you are a sophisticated movie-goer, how do you feel about this? Perhaps your viewpoint will enable me to understand the process of movie making better.
Hitchcock never wrote an original story. All his films are adaptatioons of previously published material.
In an earlier review I stated that Hitchcock viewed teh story or plot the same way an artist views a bowl of fruit. It is something to paint. How it's painted is what makes all the difference.
Hitchcock felt the same way about the story. it was how the story was told, style, method and themes that mattered to him. Not who killed who, or who stole what.
Since I have always been aware that Hitchcock's work was based on material from other sources it has never bothered me.
Thousands of artist paint bowls of fruit, but very few paint masterpieces. Hitchcock was the same way.
Mr. Moviehouse...Thank you for that explanation and the analogy. It begs the question, is there a book called Psycho?....if so, Is it any good?
Psycho by Robert Bloch, published 1959. Have not read it, but had good reviews at the time. Based on real life serial killer Ed gein in Wisconsin.
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