Diabolique (1955): The Road to Vertigo

The Criterion Diabolique

Diabolique, the French thriller highlighted today by NY Times AO Scott, was the film that influenced Hitchcock's decision to make Vertigo and Psycho.  At the very least, the film brought the writers Thomas Narcejac and Pierre Bouileau to Hitch's attention--it was because of the film's success in 1955 that Hitchcock had their novel From Amongst the Dead covered by Paramount and eventually optioned by his production company.  It would be a three year gestation, involving three screenwriters, before From Amongst the Dead became Vertigo, premiering May 9th, 1958 in San Francisco.  From Steven DeRosa's Writing with Hitchcock youtube channel, this bit from an interview with Samuel Taylor, who penned the final version of the screenplay for Hitchcock.  If you haven't read Steven's excellent book, Writing with Hitchcock, then you haven't read one of the best books on Hitchcock and his craft.