Diary of a Madman - 1963 * * *

Weapons won't save him.

Guy de Maupassant is one of my favourite french writers and I actually didn't register that he was responsible for the short story that this movie was made into until I looked at the credits. Now I think back I realise this is exactly the kind of thing he would have written. By the time of writing Maupassant was already going mad and there were many admirers of his work who believed that this short story was actually a reality for him and that he wrote as he saw things happen. Such a waste of talent for him to soon afterwards try to commit suicide. However this film is based on that story and centres around Vincent Price's character who believes he is being visited by the devil who controls his thoughts and feelings towards people he considers friends. Although of course there cannot be a Price film without a small amount of 'camping up' this is still a genuinely creepy picture. I am now deserate to read the story.