Elevator to the Gallows

Original title: Ascenseur pour l'échafaud

Louis Malle/ France/ French-German/ 1958/ 35mm/ black and white/ 88 minutes

Florence Carala and Julien Tavernier are lovers. Julien Tavernier was an ex-Foreign Legion paratrooper want to murder her husband by faking a suicide. But after Julien has killed him and he puts his things in his car.

In the meantime, the car is stolen by a young couple, Louis and Veronique who have watched Julien. Veronique, a flower seller next to the Carala building is seen in the car by Florence. Louis discovers Julien's pistol and his miniature camera in the glove box and fantasizes about being a secret agent and war hero. They stay overnight with a German couple with a preference for fast cars and a swinging lifestyle at a motel, with Louis embarrassing himself by telling war stories, supposedly of his own experiences.

Director: Louis Malle

Screenplay: Roger Nimier, Louis Malle

Cast: Jeanne Moreau, Maurice Ronet, Georges Poujouly, Yori Bertin, Jean Wall, Elga Andersen, Sylviane Aisenstein, Micheline Bona, Gisèle Grandpré

Producer: Jean Thuillier

Music: Miles Davis

Cinematographer: Henri Decaë

Editor: Léonide Azar

Distribution: Rialto Pictures