Diabolique (1955)

Diabolique (1955) is a tense, slow-burning psychological thriller set at a gloomy provincial boys’ boarding school. Christina Delassalle, a frail, devout woman with a weak heart, and Nicole Horner, a tough, long-suffering teacher and Michel Delassalle’s mistress, form an uneasy alliance to rid themselves of the school’s brutish, sadistic headmaster. They drug and drown Michel, dump his body in the grimy school swimming pool and believe they’ve created the perfect alibi — until the drained pool reveals no corpse. From that moment ordinary life unravels: unexplained sightings, eerie notes, and creeping suspicion drive the two women to the edge of hysteria. Watching Diabolique is an experience of mounting dread and moral claustrophobia rather than overt shocks. The film builds almost unbearable suspense through stark black‑and‑white imagery, oppressive schoolrooms and poolside gloom, simmering performances, and a deliberate pace that draws you into the characters’ guilt and paranoia. Expect a classic puzzle of cruelty, alliance and mistrust that keeps you guessing about what’s real, who’s manipulating whom, and what price will be paid for their crime.

Actors: Simone Signoret, Véra Clouzot, Paul Meurisse

Director: Henri-Georges Clouzot

Runtime: 117 min

Genres: Crime, Drama, Horror

8.0 /10 8.1 /10 8.1 /10