"Diabolically Yours" from 1967 is a derivative film with parts of Gaslight, Vertigo, Diabolique, take your pick. Directed by Julian Duvivier, who would die in a car accident shortly after this film was made, the film stars Alain Delon and Senta Berger.
Alain Delon wakes up from a three-week coma after a car accident, and he can't remember anything, not even this gorgeous woman who claims to be his wife Christiane (Berger). Apparently, he is a wealthy businessman named Georges Campo. He is brought to his palatial estate to recover, and he's mighty impressed. There's a doctor there (Sergio Fantoni) and a mysterious servant named Kim (Peter Mosbacher).
It doesn't take Georges long to become suspicious of the whole setup. His wife won't have sex with him which for me is the most ludicrous part of the film, since it's Alain Delon we're talking about. The name Pierre Lagrange keeps going through his head, and he comes to believe he's a prisoner in the house and part of some plot. Voices in the night tell him he's going crazy and to kill himself, and his dreams are disturbing.
The film keeps us in the dark as we wonder about Christiane's weird relationship with the servant, and just what the doctor's role is.
Despite what you might guess as the film continues, it's actually quite intriguing. Both Delon and Berger are at the height of their eye-popping beauty. Delon brings humor to the role, as well as playing a confused but determined man. When Chistiane brings a decorator to the house, Delon playfully follows him around, mimicking the man's gait.
Berger looks very sixties with her hair and fashions, looking like the ultimate '60s fashion model, chosen for her beauty. Today she remains not only a beautiful woman, but an incredibly accomplished actress and producer.
The end of the movie won't be to everyone's taste. It wasn't mine.
There is a lot to enjoy here, including the cinematography. In the end, it's a disjointed film but watchable.
