Diabolique

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Diabolique

1955

1h 56m

Mystery & Thriller

Drama

Horror

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

95%

Tomatometer

88 Reviews

93%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

In this classic of French suspense, the cruel and abusive headmaster of a boarding school, Michel Delassalle, becomes the target of a murder plot hatched by an unlikely duo — his meek wife and the mistress he brazenly flaunts. The women, brought together by their mutual hatred for the man, pull off the crime but become increasingly unhinged by a series of odd occurrences after Delassalle's corpse mysteriously disappears.

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Critics Consensus

Cruel, dark, but undeniably effective, Diabolique is a suspense thriller as effective as Hitchcock's best work and with a brilliant twist ending.

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Ann Jones

Fort Worth Star-Telegram/DFW.com

01/31/2023

Hitchcock, even in his earlier and rougher days, never turned out a movie of such diabolical proportions.

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Helen Bower

Detroit Free Press

01/31/2023

Diabolique is a devilishly good movie, real cool for hot weather.

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Marjory Adams

Boston Globe

01/31/2023

Don't sell Diabolique short, because it has the most shocking sequences you've ever seen on the screen.

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Diana Tuova

Spotlight on Film

08/04/2024

4.5/5

A true classic in the suspenseful thriller/horror genre, with a twist “to die for”.

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Raquel Stecher

The Movie Palace Podcast

02/26/2024

Diabolique is a work of art... the personification of anxiety.

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Howard Waldstein

CBR

06/27/2023

The story is simple, but executed perfectly...

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Rich C.

@RichieNoir 1d

Plenty of plot twists.

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Timothy W

@Studster 2d

Hitchcockian at times with excellent acting. Could have used some more editing with some scenes going too long. The retired detective was too unbelievably engaged.

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Ted B.

@Movieaddicted Nov 17

3.5 stars: Well, as they say, I guess you just had to be there to appreciate what happened. This movie was a very good mystery, but I certainly wouldn't call it great. The acting, by 1950s French standards, was very good. It was probably very original in its time, but I guess I've seen too many spinoffs of that plot. I guess I would have prefred dubbing to subtitles. The French dialogue was very fast, and it took a lot of concentration to keep up.

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Tim M

@tgmacman Sep 28

Steeped in mood and atmosphere, Diabolique methodically peels back the curtain of a treacherous mystery.

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Stephen C

@bob25009 Jun 9

A success in 1 hour and 56 minutes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Dubbed and subtitled in worldwide studios!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! All ages admitted!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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William B

01/15/2025

Great movie, with a great director. Plot is amazing. I cannot go further than that.

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Henri-Georges Clouzot

Director

Simone Signoret

Nicole Horner

Véra Clouzot

Christina Delassalle

Paul Meurisse

Michel Delasalle

Charles Vanel

Alfred Fichet, private detective

Jean Brochard

Plantiveau, the groundsman

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Synopsis

In this classic of French suspense, the cruel and abusive headmaster of a boarding school, Michel Delassalle, becomes the target of a murder plot hatched by an unlikely duo — his meek wife and the mistress he brazenly flaunts. The women, brought together by their mutual hatred for the man, pull off the crime but become increasingly unhinged by a series of odd occurrences after Delassalle's corpse mysteriously disappears.

Director: Henri-Georges Clouzot
Producer: Henri-Georges Clouzot
Screenwriter: Pierre Boileau, Henri-Georges Clouzot, Jérôme Géronimi, Frédéric Grendel, Rene Masson, Thomas Narcejac
Distributor: Something Weird Video, Criterion Collection, Criterion Pictures
Production Co: Filmsonor, Vera Films
Genre: Mystery & Thriller, Drama, Horror
Original Language: French (France)
Release Date (Theaters): Jan 29, 1955, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 19, 2017
Runtime: 1h 56m
Sound Mix: Mono
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.37:1), 35mm

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