Diabolique
(1954)
"Don't be diabolical yourself. Don't spoil the
ending for your friends by telling them what you've
just seen. On their behalf - Thank you." - end title
card to the American version of "Diabolique"
This film noir classic made by H.G. (Henri-Georges)
Clouzot in the 50's will surely drive you mad. Hitchcockian
and yet drab, the film builds so slowly towards it's
shocking climax, that one seems on the verge of pulling
one's hair out by the root waiting for the climax. Clouzot
is so adept and so patient at building dramatic tension
that one is tempted to fast forward to the ending upon
a second viewing. The film builds, confuses, ebbs and
then pulls back for a bit before drawing us in again.
By the end, we are completely ready to get to the climax.
Clouzot's often copied surprise ending, which I will
not reveal here but I will allude too - so beware, may
seem masterful upon initial viewing but seems unbelievable
upon subsequent runs. The things that must be accomplished
to pull off this plot are simply not believable. I watched
an over-dubbed English version of the film, so I don't
know how much of Clouzot's actual dialogue makes the
cut here, but the English dialogue by Tom Rowe tries
to cover for this fact. Clouzot has a visual image that
also adds to the realism of this plot. Still, upon subsequent
viewings, the film begins to fall apart a bit. And the
monotony one must endure to get to the climax seems
unrelenting at times too. "Diabolique" is such a remarkable
film that the final images will stick with you for a
lifetime. Therefore, luckily, a second viewing shouldn't
be necessary.
The film is set in a boys school near Paris called
the De LaSalle Institute. Run by Vera Clouzot (the director's
wife) and Paul Meurisse, the place is almost bankrupt.
Meurisse seems not only incapable of love or affection
to the boys or his wife, he also seems unable to care
for them either. He feeds them fish that is well past
it's usefulness and disciplines them when they complain.
It comes as no surprise to us that he is having affairs
and one of his conquests is another female teacher played
by Simon Signoret. By the time the film opens, however,
both the wife and the lover are disillusioned and disinterested
in Meurisse. Their relationship seems odd because this
is their only true connection; (The fact that both are
teachers seems incidental). We don't quite know how
to respond to such an unusual alliance. Their distinctly
opposite features, physical and emotional play well
off of each other. with Clouzot frail and Signoret bold,
it comes as no surprise when Signoret suggests killing
her former lover, Clouzot's husband. What does surprise
us is that the sickly, long suffering Clouzot goes along
with it.
Ms. Clouzot is masterful here as the demure and pathetic
mistress of the school. She is so frail and so frightened
throughout the film that we begin to feel more disgust
with her than pity or sympathy. So incapable is she
of disposing of her hateful husband that we are not
surprised when he must beat her to stoke her ire and
make her able to commit this act. Meanwhile Meurisse
is giving her ample reason to just that. As the film
progresses he simply grows more and more hateful. We
are glad when he disappears midway through the film.
Signoret, on the other hand, is the perfect cuckold
turned confidant. Blunt and dominating, Signoret simply
guides the plot of the film. It is she who comes up
with the plans, it is she who carries out most of the
acts and, more importantly, it is she who becomes a
confidant and ally to Clouzot. The relationship between
the two seems so close that one might suspect them of
more than friendship if Mr. Clouzot would only hint
at it. He does not, however.
Filmed with wonderful use of black and white, the
sets of the film become a weary nether-region where
plots like the one we see here are hatched and carried
out. Director Clouzot and Director of Photography Armand
Thirard capture as much darkness and as many shadows
as possible. We never see fully what is going on in
the frame here. In many scenes the two create multiple
layers of shadow and light. While this may seem a bit
contrived at times - like when hallway lights are turned
out as the boys in the school go to bed - creating three
distinct settings, it also reminds us of the many layers
that exist within in the plot. Visually, the film is
consistently interesting to watch.
It's no accident that the boys in the school act as
minor characters in the film. It is their reactions
to, their interest in and their confusion about what
is going on that acts as a thematic backdrop to the
film. Whether they mistake the actions of the principles
or not, they have a child's view of and a child's interest
in the adult world. When one of the boys' confusion
is used to close the film, it is a sad reminder of how
the actions of a few impact the lives of the many. We
come to realize that it is no surprise that the school
is close to ruins. The adults in this film have no interest
in any future but their own. Even the thoughtful Ms.
Clouzot eventually withdraws from the school's instructional
intentions. What is learned here by the boys is an awful
lesson. Clouzot reminds us throughout the film of the
supposed innocent world in which this demoralized plot
is hatched.
Another theme in "Diabolique" that is often discussed
by film scholars is the use of water in the plot. Water,
of course, must be viewed as pure and life giving. Yet
it is water here that acts as an instrument of death.
It is in fact used in a bathtub, a symbol of cleanliness
no less. Even more profound is the use of the water
in the pool at the school. Polluted and foul, the water
eventually acts as a graveyard and a shield. It hides
corruption under the blackness of stagnation. This visual
shots of the filthy pool punctuates the uselessness
of the school as a facility for "fresh" learning. Finally,
when one of the boys strips to his underwear and dives
in the nasty pool, it symbolizes the boys descent into
the amoral world the principles now inhabit. The adults
in the film drag the youths down to their level. If
Clouzot were more daring, he might have elaborated further
upon this theme.
"Diabolique" is a classic. It's a must-see for film
buffs and film noir lovers. The classic surprise ending,
however, makes it a total delight for any viewer as
well. If one becomes frustrated while viewing Clouzot's
slow moving plot, they must simply wait. The pay off
is well worth the time invested.
Notes: Also known as "Les Diaboliques" and "The Fiends."
Also with Charles Vanel, Noel Roquenert, and Pierre
Larquey.
Filmed in French. Available in both over-dubbed and
subtitled versions in the U.S. I have only seen the
over-dubbed version.
Assistant Director is Michael Romanoff. Music by Georges
Van Parys.
Based on the novel "Celle qui n'etait plus" by Pierre
Boileau and Thomas Narcejac, who also wrote "Vertigo."
Script by Clouzot, Jerome Geronimi, Rene Masson and
Frederick Grandel. English (dubbed) version by Richard
Heinz with dialogue by Rowe.
Remade for TV in 1974 by John Badham with Tuesday
Weld and Sam Waterston as "Reflections of Murder" and
as "Diabolique" in 1996 with Sharon Stone (who looks
exactly like Signoret here) and Chazz Palmenteri.
Ms. Clouzot and Vanel also appeared in the director's
1953 success "The Wages of Fear." Meurisse and Vanel
also appeared in Clouzot's 1961 film "The Truth."
Review written in 1996
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