Old Dude, Old Movies - "Diabolique"

I stumbled across this movie Sunday night. It draws you in, and by the end it blows you away. It was originally titled "Les Diaboliques" for its' French release.

First released in 1955, some called it a "horror" movie, but to me it's not. There isn't much gore, nor are there scenes that would haunt your dreams. It grinds away at your imagination.

Vera Clouzot ("Christina") and Paul Meurisse ("Michel") are the Delassalles, a married couple who run a boarding school. Christina, who possesses wealth and beauty, funds the school. Michel, through force of will, is the abrasive boss. Michel is abusive to nearly all around him, including his wife. He has an ally in "Nicole Horner", portrayed by the acclaimed Simone Signoret. Nicole is also Michel's mistress, common knowledge to everyone on campus (including Christina). Michel flaunts his power constantly.

Christina is of poor health, and Michel keeps Nicole on a leash with the promise of Christina's impending demise. Once Christina passes away, Michel and Nicole would sell the school, pocket the proceeds and run off to a life of carefree passion.

Due to Michel's continuous abuse, both his wife and his mistress tire of the conditions around the school. The two women find themselves coming to the same conclusion: Michel must be eliminated. The ladies conspire to murder him, and take over the school themselves.

At first, the plan works. The ladies lure Michel to another town, kill him, then take the body back to the school for disposal. The school's swimming pool hadn't been used for a while, and the murky water would be perfect for hiding the body for several days. 

After dumping the body in the water, Christina starts to have second thoughts about her part in this heinous act. Her nervousness a) draws attention to the two ladies, and b) worsens her delicate health. Finally, to ease Christina's mind, Nicole has the pool drained to have the corpse discovered. Once the water is drained, there is no body to be found. Where is Michel's corpse?

Now, the fun really begins. Christina begins to fall apart emotionally. Nicole falls prey to the tension and frustration. Each woman threatens to go to the police, to blame the other as the mastermind of this murder. Strange occurrences begin to happen around the school that lead both women to think someone knows of their "perfect" murder. There are twists in the plot that keep you thinking until the end. The suspense ratchets up from moment to moment.

More a mystery than a pure horror film, it does a good job placing you in this world. The director Henri-Georges Clouzot (Vera's husband) does a great job constructing this thriller. If you like mystery pictures, you have to check this one out.