Clouzots death from an apparent heart attack was made much of in the french press, because it eerily resembled her characters demise in les diaboliques. The story blends elements of thriller and horror, with the plot focusing on a woman and her husbands mistress who conspire to murder the man. Ironically, les diaboliques would prove to be a major influence on hitchcock, especially on his most famous film, psycho. This is the same one that appeared on arrows 2007 dvd release, and before i start griping i should state that hayward certainly knows her clouzot and has clearly spent a good deal of time studying this film, and i would imagine that her written work on it is. Les diaboliques 1955 is a tale of coldblooded, calculated murder and suspense. Cruel, dark, but undeniably effective, diabolique is a suspense thriller as effective as hitchcocks best work and with a brilliant twist ending. Oscars best picture winners best picture winners golden globes emmys san diego comiccon new york comiccon sundance film festival toronto intl film festival awards central festival central all events. See more ideas about world war two, french films and french resistance. Les diaboliques henri georges clouzot, 1955 by rdl. Les diaboliques 1954 opening credits typography fin ne soyez pas diaboliques. Welcome rerelease for henrigeorges clouzot french suspense classic of 1955, with a powerful performance by simone signoret. The greatest film that alfred hitchcock never made, henrigeorges clouzots diabolique is set in a provincial boarding school run by headmaster michel delasalle paul meurisse. She settled in france after world war ii and married clouzot in 1950.
This is the same one that appeared on arrows 2007 dvd release, and before i start griping i should state that hayward certainly knows her clouzot and has clearly spent a good deal of time studying this film, and i would imagine that her written work on it is an interesting read. The wife and mistress of a loathed school principal murder him with the perfect alibi, but then his body disappears. Henrigeorges clouzots 1955 thriller, now rereleased in a restored print, however, accomplishes much more, creating a diabolical doublereverse plot that keeps the. Par contre, mon demipoint est retire, entre autres, pour le twist ending beaucoup trop previsible. Before psycho, peeping tom, and repulsion, there was diabolique. With simone signoret, vera clouzot, paul meurisse, charles vanel. For most critics, however, the contrivance of the ending renders a second viewing meaningless, since it underlines the film s remoteness from a livid reality and even makes clouzots deeply felt black vision. In the classic formation, two men compete for the attention of the same beautiful temptress gilda, the killers, out of the past and a number of. Les diaboliques is a 1955 black and white french suspense film directed by henrigeorges clouzot, starring simone signoret, vera clouzot and paul meurisse. Feb 01, 2014 les diaboliques translated as either the devils or the fiends is a film based on the novel celle qui netait plus she who was no more by pierre boileau and thomas narcejac.
The wife of french director henrigeorges clouzot, she appeared in three of his films, memorably as the wouldbe murderess with a heart condition in les diaboliques 1955. Les diaboliques is exhilarating at first viewing, and proved to be both commercially successful and controversial on its first release. Audio commentary by susan hayward, author of les diaboliques cinefile french film guides ah, expert commentaries. A ruthless lothario, he becomes the target of a murder plot concocted by his longsuffering invalid wife christina vera clouzot, the directors own spouse and his. It is, perhaps, best to say little else bar, walk, dont run. Indeed, it is the films visual attention to detail which, alongside its macabre plot of course, calls to my mind the comparator frequently cited for les diaboliques namely the films of the master of this genre, alfred hitchcock.
I agree les diaboliques contains many ambiguities including character motivation as well as what happens. Mar 18, 2011 les diaboliques is not only a black comedy about the limits of sisterhood. The devilish ones french suspense film, released in 1955, that is considered a classic of the genre. Henrigeorges clouzot 19071977 find a grave memorial.
For most critics, however, the contrivance of the ending renders a second viewing meaningless, since it underlines the films remoteness from a livid reality and even makes clouzots deeply felt black vision. It was based on the novel celle qui netait plus 1952. The ending of les diaboliques is ambiguous, and people have interpreted it in different ways. During her brief film career she worked with no one but her husband.
Hitchcock would also borrow clouzots very successful ad campaign, which encouraged audiences not to reveal the ending and theatres not to let people in after the film had started. The greatest film hitchcock never made by kat ellinger on august, 20 1 les diaboliques by h g clouzot has often been referred to as the greatest film that hitchcock never made, which more fittingly should be almost made had he not been pipped to the post by this french director for. Caution should be taken when recommending les diaboliquesto anyone unacquainted with the piece. Collection mirkine s upposedly, alfred hitchcock was after the rights to she who was no more, the novel upon which this classic is based. Diaboliques preface to les diaboliques 1874 the crimson curtain don juans finest conquest happiness in crime beneath the cards in a game of whist at a dinner of atheists a womans vengeance appendixes a page from history1606 preface to the last mistress 1865 translators notes. With its unprecedented narrative twists and terrifying. Les diaboliques henrigeorges clouzot, 1955 susan hayward. However, some of these interpretations fit better with the mood of the movie and suggestions it provides than others.
Henrigeorges clouzots 1955 french thriller, les diaboliques also known as diabolique, is famous for its twist ending, which the film s promotional material begged viewers to keep secret in order to preserve the shock value for later audiences. Exclusive 18x24 limited edition poster from dracula a. Be quiet about it les diaboliques is a mystery thriller from french director henrigeorges clouzot about a triangle relationship that leads to murder. With its unprecedented narrative twists and terrifying images, diabolique is a. But there is much more to this captivating novel with its sumptuous, elegant language, wellcrafted metaphors and highly visual and sensual imagery. It contains the original of peter falks tv character columbo, and it inspired one of the funniest stories in screen history. It is based on the novel she who was no more celle qui netait plus by pierre. A ruthless lothario, he becomes the target of a murder plot concocted by his longsuffering invalid wife christina vera clouzot, the directors own spouse and his latest mistress, an icy teacher.
Its reported that when director henrigeorge clouzot bought the film rights to the novel, he beat out alfred hitchcock by just a matter of hours. Some people tend to shy away from subtitled films, claiming that its too difficult to read subtitles and. The wife and mistress of a cruel headmaster conspire to kill him. Les diaboliques, histoire dun tournage electrique le nouvel obs. Murder and suspense are always billed together in this kind of film, however, in the case of les diaboliques, this is equivalent to suggesting that shakespeare was merely a playwright who was born in 1564 or that bengal tigers are colourful quadrupeds in essence, les diaboliques is one of the. Les diaboliques is not only a black comedy about the limits of sisterhood.
Mar 04, 2011 the oppressive atmosphere of the school, the high contrast black and white, the evocative shadows and the basic premise characterise les diaboliques as a film noir, but as noir triangles go, this is a very strange setup. The score of the film was composed by georges van parys, director of photography was armanthirand and the film was distributed by cinedis, umpo, gala film distribution, criterion and arrow films. Le huitieme film dhenrigeorges clouzot sort sur les ecrans francais. In les diaboliques, how does christina feign death. Georges clouzot, which shocked audiences in europe and the u. Les diaboliques was directed by henri georges clouzot, the screenplay was co written george clouzot, jerome gemini, frederic grendel and rene mason. Jul 27, 2014 three years later he would release vertigo 1958, a film based on a novel by boileaunarcejac, the same man who wrote the source material for les diaboliques. Welcome rerelease for henrigeorges clouzot french suspense classic of 1955, with a. His biggest hits were the wages of fear 1953, winner of the golden palm at cannes, about a group of truck drivers perilously transporting a load of nitroglycerine through the south american jungle. Avec les enfants du film, comme avec le reste du monde. Henrigeorges clouzots 1955 thriller, now rereleased in a restored print, however, accomplishes much more, creating a diabolical doublereverse plot that keeps the audience. The oppressive atmosphere of the school, the high contrast black and white, the evocative shadows and the basic premise characterise les diaboliques as a film noir, but as noir triangles go, this is a very strange setup.
She who was no more by pierre boileau and thomas narcejac. I will suggest that the best explanation is that christina does not feign her death. If it had accomplished nothing else, diabolique would deserve our affection for two reasons. I dont see this as being an outstandingly good or bad aspect of the movie, but theres no doubt in my mind that the 1996 remake goes out of its way to address these issues, and deserves more credit than its net imdb rating of 5. Like the best surprise endings, the twist of les diaboliques hides in plain sight.
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