Review: Les diaboliques (1955)

Foreign language is probably my least favourite film genre. I'm not a big reader, so the idea of going to the cinema to see what for all intents and purposes is a glorified book, does not appeal to me. However, the few foreign language movies I have seen I have genuinely enjoyed. Mind you, besides this film, I can only think of two. Anywho, Les diaboliques is a French horror film, and contains one of the best twist ending I have ever seen.

Michel Delasalle is the typically-evil headmaster of a French boarding school for boys. He resides at the school with other members of staff, including his fragile wife, Christina, and his mistress, Nicole. Both treated horribly by Michel, Christina and Nicole forge a friendship. Together, they decide to murder Michel by slipping him a sedative, and drowning him in a bathtub. With the murder going smoothly, the women finish off the job by disposing of Michel's body in the school's swimming pool, hoping that someone will soon find it and believe his death to be an accident. However, when the pool is emptied, and no body is found, Christina and Nicole are left wondering what has happened to it.

"I may be reactionary, but this is absolutely astounding - the legal wife consoling the mistress! No, no, and no!"

The last 10 minutes of this film are full of suspense and shock. Even though you know all is not what it seems, you do not expect the twist. It takes you by surprise, much like the twist in The Sixth Sense (1999). 

A majority of the "bad" things occurring in this movie happen to Michel, yet we feel no sympathy for the character. He is an evil man, who abuses both his wife and mistress, and goes around acting like he owns the world. When the two women murder him, you almost feel like the way they go about doing it is too humane for him; like he deserves worse. And when his body disappears, as a viewer, you're left feeling just as puzzled as Christina and Nicole.

"Midnight baths. The decline of Rome!"

All three main members of cast were very believable in their roles. Paul Meurisse played Michel wickedly. I really despised the character. Véra Clouzot was perfect as Michel's long suffering wife, and Simone Signoret was very good as Nicole, Michel's ballsy mistress (My favourite of the characters).

Within the first 15 minutes of the movie, I had gotten so into the story, I had forgotten that I was reading subtitles. Another good foreign language film. Maybe I should give this genre more of my time. 8/10

Trivia: Les Diaboliques was based on the novel "Celle qui n'était plus", written by Pierre Boileau and Thomas Narcejac. Director Alfred Hitchcock had wanted to purchase the film rights to the novel, but fellow director Henri-Georges Clouzot beat Hitch to it. Boileau and Narcejac would go on to write another novel called "D'Entre les Morts." Hitchcock snapped the novel's rights up fast, resulting in the 1958 film Vertigo.

- Vixtastr43