Henri-Georges Clouzot
1907–1977 (aged 69), France Known as the “French Hitchcock,” Clouzot crafted tense thrillers and psychological dramas with chilling precision. His best works include The Wages of Fear and Les Diaboliques.
DIRECTORS
5/22/20251 min read
Henri-Georges Clouzot was a master of suspense and psychological manipulation, whose films stand as some of the most gripping in French cinema. Emerging in the 1940s, he quickly became known for his ability to build tension and create morally ambiguous narratives.
His film Le Salaire de la peur (1953), a white-knuckle thriller about transporting nitroglycerin across treacherous terrain, won the Palme d’Or at Cannes and the Golden Bear in Berlin.
Les Diaboliques (1955), blending horror with crime, shocked audiences with its shocking twists and inspired generations of filmmakers. Clouzot’s meticulous direction and bleak vision often contrasted with the lighter styles of the French New Wave that followed.
Despite his relatively small filmography, his influence on both European and Hollywood thrillers is immense.
Must-see films: The Wages of Fear, Les Diaboliques, Quai des Orfèvres