Diabolique

Play trailer

Diabolique

1955

1h 56m

Mystery & Thriller

Drama

Horror

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

95%

Tomatometer

88 Reviews

93%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

In this classic of French suspense, the cruel and abusive headmaster of a boarding school, Michel Delassalle, becomes the target of a murder plot hatched by an unlikely duo — his meek wife and the mistress he brazenly flaunts. The women, brought together by their mutual hatred for the man, pull off the crime but become increasingly unhinged by a series of odd occurrences after Delassalle's corpse mysteriously disappears.

Watch on Fandango at Home

Stream Now

Critics Consensus

Cruel, dark, but undeniably effective, Diabolique is a suspense thriller as effective as Hitchcock's best work and with a brilliant twist ending.

Read Critics Reviews

Ann Jones

Fort Worth Star-Telegram/DFW.com

01/31/2023

Hitchcock, even in his earlier and rougher days, never turned out a movie of such diabolical proportions.

Go to Full Review

Helen Bower

Detroit Free Press

01/31/2023

Diabolique is a devilishly good movie, real cool for hot weather.

Go to Full Review

Marjory Adams

Boston Globe

01/31/2023

Don't sell Diabolique short, because it has the most shocking sequences you've ever seen on the screen.

Go to Full Review

Diana Tuova

Spotlight on Film

08/04/2024

4.5/5

A true classic in the suspenseful thriller/horror genre, with a twist “to die for”.

Go to Full Review

Raquel Stecher

The Movie Palace Podcast

02/26/2024

Diabolique is a work of art... the personification of anxiety.

Go to Full Review

Howard Waldstein

CBR

06/27/2023

The story is simple, but executed perfectly...

Go to Full Review

Read all reviews

Rich C.

@RichieNoir Jan 27

Plenty of plot twists.

See more

Timothy W

@Studster Jan 25

Hitchcockian at times with excellent acting. Could have used some more editing with some scenes going too long. The retired detective was too unbelievably engaged.

See more

Ted B.

@Movieaddicted Nov 17

3.5 stars: Well, as they say, I guess you just had to be there to appreciate what happened. This movie was a very good mystery, but I certainly wouldn't call it great. The acting, by 1950s French standards, was very good. It was probably very original in its time, but I guess I've seen too many spinoffs of that plot. I guess I would have prefred dubbing to subtitles. The French dialogue was very fast, and it took a lot of concentration to keep up.

See more

Tim M

@tgmacman Sep 28

Steeped in mood and atmosphere, Diabolique methodically peels back the curtain of a treacherous mystery.

See more

Stephen C

@bob25009 Jun 9

A success in 1 hour and 56 minutes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Dubbed and subtitled in worldwide studios!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! All ages admitted!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

See more

William B

01/15/2025

Great movie, with a great director. Plot is amazing. I cannot go further than that.

See more

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

Henri-Georges Clouzot

Director

Simone Signoret

Nicole Horner

Véra Clouzot

Christina Delassalle

Paul Meurisse

Michel Delasalle

Charles Vanel

Alfred Fichet, private detective

Jean Brochard

Plantiveau, the groundsman

What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?

91%

91%

What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?

Watchlist

The Birds

95%

83%

The Birds

Watchlist

Ghost Story

28%

46%

Ghost Story

Watchlist

Images

71%

69%

Images

Watchlist

Eyes Without a Face

97%

87%

Eyes Without a Face

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

View more photos

Synopsis

In this classic of French suspense, the cruel and abusive headmaster of a boarding school, Michel Delassalle, becomes the target of a murder plot hatched by an unlikely duo — his meek wife and the mistress he brazenly flaunts. The women, brought together by their mutual hatred for the man, pull off the crime but become increasingly unhinged by a series of odd occurrences after Delassalle's corpse mysteriously disappears.

Director: Henri-Georges Clouzot
Producer: Henri-Georges Clouzot
Screenwriter: Pierre Boileau, Henri-Georges Clouzot, Jérôme Géronimi, Frédéric Grendel, Rene Masson, Thomas Narcejac
Distributor: Something Weird Video, Criterion Collection, Criterion Pictures
Production Co: Filmsonor, Vera Films
Genre: Mystery & Thriller, Drama, Horror
Original Language: French (France)
Release Date (Theaters): Jan 29, 1955, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 19, 2017
Runtime: 1h 56m
Sound Mix: Mono
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.37:1), 35mm

Most Popular at Home Now