{"id":18717,"date":"2011-07-21T13:18:23","date_gmt":"2011-07-21T20:18:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=18717"},"modified":"2022-11-25T12:13:23","modified_gmt":"2022-11-25T19:13:23","slug":"diabolique-diaboliques-les-fiends-the-1955","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=18717","title":{"rendered":"Diabolique \/ Diaboliques, Les \/ Fiends, The (1955)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>&#8220;Each time I close my eyes, it seems I&#8217;m going to see him.&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<table>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/07\/Diaboliques-Poster.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/07\/Diaboliques-Poster-215x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"215\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-18718\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/07\/Diaboliques-Poster-215x300.jpg 215w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/07\/Diaboliques-Poster-92x128.jpg 92w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/07\/Diaboliques-Poster.jpg 415w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 215px) 100vw, 215px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Synopsis:<\/strong><br \/>\nThe unhappy wife (Vera Clouzot) and abused mistress (Simone Signoret) of a sadistic headmaster (Paul Meurisse) plot to murder him, but are shocked when his corpse suddenly disappears. Soon a detective (Charles Vanel) arrives on the scene, and begins to uncover clues to Meurisse&#8217;s whereabouts.\n<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>\n<strong>Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Detectives and Private Eyes<\/li>\n<li>Domestic Abuse<\/li>\n<li>French Films<\/li>\n<li>Henri-Georges Clouzot Films<\/li>\n<li>Horror<\/li>\n<li>Plot to Murder<\/li>\n<li>Simone Signoret Films<\/li>\n<li>Teachers<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Response to Peary\u2019s Review: <\/strong><br \/>\nAs Peary notes, &#8220;Before <a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=5177\"><em>Psycho<\/em><\/a> raised the <em>psychological thriller<\/em> to a new, horrific level, this French classic by Henri-Georges Clouzot was considered the most frightening and artistic picture that the genre could ever produce&#8221;. However, he argues that, &#8220;like <em>Psycho<\/em>, it has been copied so many times that its <em>twist<\/em> ending [likely] won&#8217;t surprise first-time viewers, much less terrify them&#8221;. He points out that &#8220;it&#8217;s hard not to be impressed by the cinematic virtuosity of Clouzot&#8221;, given that &#8220;his work&#8230; is stunningly acted, beautiful paced for tension and suspense, and cleverly structured&#8221;; indeed, from the film&#8217;s provocative opening scene &#8212; in which an observer notes about Clouzot and Signoret, &#8220;I may be reactionary, but this is absolutely astounding: the legal wife consoling the mistress!&#8221; &#8212; we&#8217;re hooked, desperately curious to know how and why this unlikely duo is consorting together, and what the ultimate result of their &#8220;diabolical&#8221; actions will be. <\/p>\n<p>In the rest of his review, Peary discusses the film&#8217;s &#8220;sinister vision&#8221;, arguing that it &#8220;conveys a nastiness of character and environment that is both oppressive and unsettling&#8221;, given that &#8220;the heroine, the nicest person in the story, plans cold-blooded murder&#8221; &#8212; yet this isn&#8217;t quite accurate. As in Hitchcock&#8217;s <a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=18528\"><em>Rope<\/em> (1948)<\/a>, one <em>weaker<\/em> (same-sex) character is convinced by another that murder is an appropriate course of action in a particular situation &#8212; therefore, it&#8217;s not really Clouzot&#8217;s character who <em>plans<\/em> the murder, per se. Plus, Clouzot is so clearly guilt-ridden and panic-stricken about what she&#8217;s doing that she remains a sympathetic protagonist throughout. Regardless, this is most definitely a bleak and &#8220;unsettling&#8221; film, one which works <em>almost<\/em> (though not quite) as well even if you already know (or can predict) the infamous plot twist. (And here&#8217;s where I&#8217;ll admit that years ago, as a first-time viewer, I <em>was<\/em> both terrified and shocked by the twist &#8212; thus disproving Peary&#8217;s assertion above).  <\/p>\n<p><strong>Redeeming Qualities and Moments: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Vera Clouzot as Christina<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/07\/Diabolique-Clouzot.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/07\/Diabolique-Clouzot-1024x599.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"374\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-18766\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/07\/Diabolique-Clouzot-1024x599.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/07\/Diabolique-Clouzot-128x74.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/07\/Diabolique-Clouzot-300x175.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/07\/Diabolique-Clouzot.png 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Simone Signoret as Nicole<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/07\/Diabolique-Signoret.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/07\/Diabolique-Signoret-1024x599.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"374\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-18767\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/07\/Diabolique-Signoret-1024x599.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/07\/Diabolique-Signoret-128x74.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/07\/Diabolique-Signoret-300x175.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/07\/Diabolique-Signoret.png 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Paul Meurisse as Michel<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/07\/Diabolique-Meurille.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/07\/Diabolique-Meurille-1024x599.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"374\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-18768\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/07\/Diabolique-Meurille-1024x599.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/07\/Diabolique-Meurille-128x74.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/07\/Diabolique-Meurille-300x175.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/07\/Diabolique-Meurille.png 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Effectively noir-ish cinematography<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/07\/Diabolique-Cinematography.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/07\/Diabolique-Cinematography-1024x599.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"374\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-18763\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/07\/Diabolique-Cinematography-1024x599.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/07\/Diabolique-Cinematography-128x74.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/07\/Diabolique-Cinematography-300x175.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/07\/Diabolique-Cinematography.png 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>A truly memorable and frightening screenplay<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/07\/Diabolique-Still2.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/07\/Diabolique-Still2-1024x599.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"374\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-18769\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/07\/Diabolique-Still2-1024x599.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/07\/Diabolique-Still2-128x74.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/07\/Diabolique-Still2-300x175.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/07\/Diabolique-Still2.png 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/07\/Diabolique-Still.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/07\/Diabolique-Still-1024x599.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"374\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-18764\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/07\/Diabolique-Still-1024x599.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/07\/Diabolique-Still-128x74.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/07\/Diabolique-Still-300x175.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/07\/Diabolique-Still.png 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Must See? <\/strong><br \/>\nYes, as a classic French thriller. <\/p>\n<p> (<span style=\"color:red;font-weight:bold;\">Listed in <a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-static\/1001Movies.htm\"><em>1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die<\/em><\/a><\/span>) <\/p>\n<p><strong>Links: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0046911\/\">IMDb entry<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/1955\/11\/22\/archives\/the-screen-a-chiller-of-a-thriller-diabolique-a-french-film-at-fine.html\">NY Times Original Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.reelviews.net\/php_review_template.php?identifier=833\">James Berardinelli&#8217;s Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.moriareviews.com\/horror\/diaboliques-1955-les-diaboliques.htm\">Moria Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tcm.com\/tcmdb\/title\/73044\/diabolique#articles-reviews\">TCM Article<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.timeout.com\/movies\/les-diaboliques\">Time Out Capsule Review<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;Each time I close my eyes, it seems I&#8217;m going to see him.&#8221; Synopsis: The unhappy wife (Vera Clouzot) and abused mistress (Simone Signoret) of a sadistic headmaster (Paul Meurisse) plot to murder him, but are shocked when his corpse suddenly disappears. Soon a detective (Charles Vanel) arrives on the scene, and begins to uncover clues to Meurisse&#8217;s whereabouts. Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors: Detectives and Private Eyes Domestic Abuse French Films Henri-Georges Clouzot Films Horror Plot to Murder Simone&#8230;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"><a class=\"btn btn-default\" href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=18717\"> Read More<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  Read More<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-18717","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-responses-to-peary"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18717","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=18717"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18717\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":88445,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18717\/revisions\/88445"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=18717"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=18717"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=18717"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}