''Diabolique'' problems

Only their lawyers know the naked truth, but Chechik says the spat ‘‘soured the relationship between Sharon and the producer so much’‘ that it became a power struggle on Stone's part. As a result, says Chechik, ‘‘she started behaving wildly unprofessionally.’‘

He is referring, in part, to statements attributed to Stone after Diabolique was completed and Morgan Creek wrangled with Stone over reshoot schedules while she was in Europe promoting Casino. When the widow of Henri-Georges Clouzot, the director of the original Diabolique, threatened to sue the producers for not obtaining sufficient remake rights, Stone seemed to take her side, announcing at a press conference that she thought the widow should be paid. The producers, who deny any wrongdoing, ultimately settled with Mme. Clouzot, but Stone and Chechik were left at odds.

‘‘She was using my movie as a pawn in her power game,’‘ says Chechik. Stone, once again, has a different take. ‘‘His movie is not that important to me,’‘ she says, speaking on her car phone, her publicist listening in.

‘‘Let's not get into that,’‘ says her publicist.

But Stone continues, ‘‘My power game is not this petty bulls--- over a marginal movie.’‘

Stone, who is known for promoting her movies heavily, was scarce when it came time to promote Diabolique. Thanks to scheduling problems and, incidentally, her lack of enthusiasm for a rough cut of the film, she was glaringly absent at the New York press junket. (‘‘I didn't have enough good things left to say to fill up two days of PR,’‘ she says.) After she saw the finished product, Stone then issued a statement: ‘‘The original is and will remain a classic. Ours is a funny, campy, one-box-of-popcorn thriller. Was it worth all this controversy?’‘ (‘‘That's stupid,’‘ laughs Chechik. ‘‘If she wants to characterize her own performance as campy, she's allowed to do that.’‘) Stone did attend Diabolique's Los Angeles premiere, but she and Chechik still weren't speaking — at least not before fire marshals shut down the post-screening shindig because of overcrowding.

Though reviews were largely abysmal, several critics vindicated Stone by praising her over-the-top, darkly funny performance. And says one producer who was not involved in the film, ‘‘I don't think anyone will hold [her reluctance to promote Diabolique]against Sharon for one instant if she felt like the movie didn't deliver. Usually she does go the extra mile.’‘ Says Chechik, heavy with sarcasm: ‘‘I wish her the best. I hope she becomes a bigger and bigger celebrity. I hope she just becomes God.’‘