Les Diaboliques (re-issue)

Running time: 114 minutes

Director: Henri-Georges Clouzot

Starring: Simone Signoret, Paul Meurisse

The abused wife and mistress of the tyrannical headmaster of a seedy boys' boarding school conspire to put an end to his callous brutality.

Taut as a mantrap, the meticulous script provides plenty of tension, surprises and shocks, but what really distinguishes the film is Clouzot's beady eye for details, both atmospheric and telling: a swimming pool clogged with debris, rancid school meals, and the dismal efforts of the staff to curry favour.

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