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Diabolique (1955)
French director Henri-Georges Clouzot famously snatched up the movie rights to Diabolique’s source novel (Celle qui n’était plus by Boileau-Narcejac) mere hours before Alfred Hitchcock could. Hitch, in turn, was transfixed by the movie; Clouzot’s film inspired both the marketing of Psycho and the source material for Vertigo. Today, Diabolique stands as a masterwork of noir storytelling and a forebear of psychological thrillers.
Students at the Institution Delassalle suffer under the cruel tutelage of headmaster Michel Delassalle (Paul Meurisse). None has it worse than the headmaster’s wife, Christina (Véra Clouzot, the director’s wife), or his mistress, Nicole (Simone Signoret)—both of whom also teach at the school. Tired of Michel’s mistreatment, the two women plot an elaborate scheme to murder their tormentor, only to find their plans in jeopardy when the body goes missing.
Diabolique is a slow burn of a film. Christina and Nicole must grapple with the guilt of their actions and the uncertainty of their predicament, until the dread is fit to kill you. All the while, Clouzot keeps the tension taut, using Expressionist shadows to trap the heroines in a prison of literal darkness on top of the figurative. It’s no wonder the film looms large over not only Hitchcock, but also successors like Stanley Kubrick, the Coen brothers, and Guillermo del Toro. Diabolique remains a classic for a reason: a heart-stopping thrill ride bound to leave you terrified, shocked and amazed. Cinema 21, Sept. 26.
Also Playing:
Academy: The Cable Guy (1996), Sept. 23 and 24. Times Square (1980), Sept. 25, 26 and 28–30. My Neighbor Totoro (1988), Sept. 25-28 and 30. The Battle of Algiers (1966), Sept. 25-30. Cinema 21: The Room (2003), Sept. 25. Diabolique (1955), Sept. 26. Lilly (2024), Sept. 27. Clinton: Arcana (1972), Sept. 23. Puss in Boots (2011), Sept. 24. Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (2022) and The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975), Sept. 26. Cult Classics: Commando (1985), Sept. 27. Hollywood: Ghost in the Shell (1995), Sept. 23 and 24. Blonde Crazy (1931), Sept. 24. Akira (1988), Sept. 24-30. Kwaidan (1964), Sept. 25-30. Drive Angry (2011), Sept. 25. Sunrise (1927), Sept. 26. Batman (1989), Sept. 26-28. Misturia (2024), Sept. 27. The Blair Witch Project (1999), Sept. 29. The Condor Daughter (2025), Sept. 30. Moreland: Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982), Sept. 25. Tomorrow: Suspiria (1977), Sept. 24. The Bride! (2026), Sept. 26. 10 Things I Hate About You (1999), Sept. 27. NT Live: The Misanthrope (2026), Sept. 27.
