Diabeł (English: The Devil) is a 1972 Polish historical horror written and directed by Andrzej Żuławski.

A Stranger clad in black (Wojciech Pszoniak) enters a prison where Jakub (Leszek Teleszyński) is being held on charges that he tried to assassinate the king as part of a conspiracy.

He confronts his mother at the bordello (the mother does not appear to recognize Jakub) where they almost sleep together (intra-family sexual taboos are a theme throughout the film: the sister is betrothed to her half-brother and was seemingly raped by their father after the father went insane; and Jakub appears to have romantic feelings for his mom and sister).

Jakub takes out his rage on a prostitute in the bordello, slitting her throat with a straight razor given to him by the Stranger.

The mother embraces Jakub (now knowing who he is) and takes him to the basement where the denizens are engaged in all manner of hedonistic actions.

Having seemingly taken the Stranger's earlier claims that Jakub is meant to cleanse the world as true, he kills his mother and disperses the crowd.

The soldiers criticize the Stranger as immoral, pay him for his work, and mock his efforts to corrupt Jakub's soul.

[4] Jeremiah Kipp from Slant Magazine offered the film similar praise, writing, "Society for Zulawski is just a thin veneer used to disguise the horrible sadism and unhappiness lurking inside every human heart.

The Devil would make for maudlin, depressing viewing if every scene didn’t feel like explosions were being set off, sending the inmates of a madhouse free into the streets outside.