Diabolique (1955) Les diaboliques (original title)

Director:

Henri-Georges Clouzot

Writers:

Pierre Boileau (novel) and
Thomas Narcejac (novel) ...
(more)

Release Date:

21 November 1955 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

See it, be amazed at it, but... BE QUIET ABOUT IT! (original Finnish poster tagline)

Plot:

The wife of a cruel headmaster and his mistress conspire to kill him, but after the murder is committed, his body disappears, and strange events begin to plague the two women.

Plot Keywords:

Headmaster | Mistress | Swimming Pool | Boarding School | Murder

Awards:

4 wins

Cast

Simone Signoret	...	Nicole Horner
Véra Clouzot	...	Christina Delassalle (as Vera Clouzot)
Paul Meurisse	...	Michel Delassalle
Charles Vanel	...	Alfred Fichet, le commissaire
Jean Brochard	...	Plantiveau, le concierge
Thérèse Dorny	...	Mme. Herboux
Michel Serrault	...	M. Raymond, le surveillant
Georges Chamarat	...	Dr. Loisy
Robert Dalban	...	Le garagiste
Camille Guérini	...	Le photographe (as Camille Guerini)
Jacques Hilling	...	L'employé de la morgue
Jean Lefebvre	...	Le soldat
Aminda Montserrat	...	Madame Plantiveau
Jean Témerson	...	Le garçon d'hôtel (as Jean Temerson)
Jacques Varennes	...	M. Bridoux, professeur
Georges Poujouly	...	Soudieu, un élève
Yves-Marie Maurin	...	Moinet, une jeune Moynet
Noël Roquevert	...	M. Herboux
Pierre Larquey	...	M.Drain, professeur
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jean-Pierre Bonnefous	...	Le jeune De Gascuel (uncredited)
Christian Brocard	...	Un homme à la morgue (uncredited)
Jean Clarieux	...	Le chauffeur (uncredited)
Henri Coutet	...	L'employé de la morgue (uncredited)
Michel Dumur	...	Le jeune Ritberger (uncredited)
Johnny Hallyday	...	Un élève (uncredited)
Henri Humbert	...	Patard, le jeune Patard (uncredited)
Roberto Rodrigo	...	Le petit Jose (uncredited)
Madeleine Suffel	...	La dégraisseuse (uncredited)
Jimmy Urbain	...	Un élève (uncredited)

Directed by
Henri-Georges Clouzot		(as H.G. Clouzot)

Writing credits
Pierre Boileau		(novel "Celle qui n'était plus") (as Boileau) and
Thomas Narcejac		(novel "Celle qui n'était plus") (as Narcejac)
Henri-Georges Clouzot		(scenario and dialogue) (as H.G. Clouzot) and
Jérôme Géronimi		(scenario and dialogue) (as Jérôme Geronimi)
René Masson		(collaboration) &
Frédéric Grendel		(collaboration)

Produced by
Henri-Georges Clouzot	....	producer (as H.G. Clouzot)
Georges Lourau	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Georges Van Parys

Cinematography by
Armand Thirard		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Madeleine Gug

Art Direction by
Léon Barsacq

Costume Design by
Carven		(uncredited)

Makeup Department
Anatole Paris	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Jeanne Witta	....	hair stylist (uncredited)

Production Management
Louis de Masure	....	production manager
Georges Testard	....	unit manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Michel Romanoff	....	assistant director

Sound Department
William Robert Sivel	....	sound (as William-Robert Sivel)

Camera and Electrical Department
Jean Dicop	....	assistant camera
Daniel Diot	....	assistant camera
Robert Juillard	....	camera operator
Jean Lallier	....	camera operator
Louis Née	....	camera operator (as Louis Nee)
Jacques Robin	....	camera operator
Robert Joffres	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Léo Mirkine	....	still photographer (uncredited)

Other crew
Richard Heinz	....	English version
Jeanne Witta-Montrobert	....	script supervisor

Production Companies

• Filmsonor
• Vera Films (associate)

Distributors

• Cinédis (1955) (France) (theatrical)
• United Motion Pictures Organization (UMPO) (1955) (USA) (theatrical) (English subtitles)
• Ariane Distribution (1993) (France) (theatrical) (re-release)
• British Film Institute (BFI) (2011) (UK) (theatrical)
• Ciné Vog Films (1955) (Belgium) (theatrical)
• Dear Film (1955) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Gala Film Distributors (1955) (UK) (theatrical)
• Kino International (????) (USA) (theatrical)
• Les Acacias (1996) (France) (theatrical) (re-release)
• TF1 International (????) (USA) (theatrical)
• Tamasa Distribution (????) (France) (theatrical)
• Union Film Wien (1955) (Austria) (theatrical)
• Arrow Film Distributors (2007) (UK) (video)
• Atlantic Film (2009) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Concorde Home Entertainment (2005) (Germany) (DVD)
• Criterion Collection, The (1999) (USA) (video)
• Criterion Collection, The (2011) (USA) (DVD)
• Criterion Pictures Corp. (1988) (USA) (TV) (new English subtitles)
• Crown Video (video)
• Dolmen Home Video (????) (Italy) (DVD)
• Foothill Video (video)
• Home Vision Cinema (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Homescreen (2012) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Madacy Entertainment (1998) (USA) (VHS)
• Nostalgia Video (video)
• Public Media (????) (USA) (VHS)
• René Chateau Video (2000) (France) (DVD)
• Something Weird Video (SWV) (199?) (USA) (VHS)
• Umbrella Entertainment (2004) (Australia) (DVD)
• Umbrella Entertainment (2004) (Australia) (video) (VOD)

Special Effects

• LAX Lab.

Other Companies

• Éditions Denoël  novel publisher
• Son Artec  sound recording system (as A.R.T.E.C.)
• Éditions Choudens  music edition
• Franstudio  studios (as Franstudio-Saint-Maurice)

Also Known As:

"Les diaboliques" - France (original title)
"The Devils" - USA (TV title)

Runtime:

114 min | UK:92 min | USA:116 min

Country:

France

Language:

French | English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (A.R.T.E.C.)

Certification:

Australia:PG | Sweden:15 | USA:Unrated | Norway:16 | Italy:VM14 | UK:X (original rating) (1955) | UK:15 (re-rating) (1985) | Finland:(Banned) (1966) | Finland:K-18 (1956) | Finland:K-18 (1968) | South Korea:15 | France:U (Visa #14131) | UK:12A | Singapore:PG | Netherlands:16 (2012) (DVD) | West Germany:18 (nf) | France:-16 (original rating) | Italy:16+ (original rating) | Netherlands:18 (orginal rating)

Filming Locations:

Rue Jean Mermoz, L'Étang-la-Ville, Yvelines, France.

Company:

Filmsonor

Trivia:

The school car is the "Fourgonnette" (small delivery van) variant of the iconic Citroen 2CV.

Goofs:

Continuity: After MIchel has drunk the sedative and lies on the bed, Christina pulls his shoes off and drops them on the floor. When Nicole is filling the bathtub, she tells Christina to "take his shoes off." When the two women carry Michel from the bed to the bathroom, he is wearing his shoes.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Plantiveau, le concierge:Headmaster!
Michel Delassalle:Yes.
Plantiveau, le concierge:Isn't it time I rang the bell?
Michel Delassalle:It's okay. I'll unload the car myself.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Familia (1996)

Watch this film alone......and be afraid.

Are you alone? good. Have you turned off the lights? good.Is there a storm brewing in that dark foreboding sky?Excellent. Do you like brilliant black and white movies? Wonderful.Now, sit back and enjoy the best of the best. This is quite simply the best psychological thriller ever made.Often imitated but never bettered. If you have a problem with subtitled films then don't worry because you will understand this film without reading them. If you want slash and gore, go elsewhere.If you want sophisticated entertainment,you've come to the right place.Georges Cluzot's finest work is a thing of beauty as is his wife Vera, who stars opposite Simone Signoret as the schoolmaster's wife.From the very start it is very clear that all is not as it seems. But why? and who? What is the terrible secret of the swimming pool and later on, the bathtub? As the tension builds to an unbearable climax, we sit and hide behind our hands, peering through the gaps in our fingers.Oh my God!! it can't be!.....it is! Do not confuse this movie with the disgraceful remake starring Sharon Stone. All copies of that disaster should be burned. Watch this movie if you are a serious film buff. Rent something else if you have the attention span of a goldfish.Brilliant. 10/10