Tonight on TV: Iconic Film Noir and Jeanne Moreau’s Stunning Role!

A lover, a cheating wife, a murdered CEO, and a young couple with few scruples—these are the elements of “Elevator to the Gallows,” the debut feature film by Louis Malle, who later directed “Au revoir les enfants,” “Zazie dans le métro,” and “Lacombe Lucien.”

Julien Tavernier climbs one floor to reach his boss Simon Carala’s office and coldly murders him. Disguising the crime as a suicide, Tavernier slips away carefully erasing any trace of his presence… except for the climbing rope, which he forgets along the building’s facade! Tavernier goes back inside but finds himself trapped in the elevator cabin. In his haste, he left his car keys in the ignition, and a young couple takes the opportunity for a little joyride. Florence, Carala’s wife and Julien’s lover, who was supposed to meet him after the murder, goes out looking for him.

Why Watch It?

As you can see, “Elevator to the Gallows” is not your typical film as it follows four parallel stories that sometimes intersect: on one side, Julien (Maurice Ronet) stuck in his elevator, Florence (Jeanne Moreau) searching for him in Paris, the couple (Georges Poujouly and Yori Bertin) experiencing intense events, and the police investigation into Carala’s murder (Lino Ventura and Charles Denner).

Director Louis Malle brings originality by attempting a film noir in the purest tradition of the genre, while disrupting its conventions with elements of the budding French New Wave: jazz music (composed by Miles Davis), cinéma vérité (filming on the streets of real Paris), and highly literary dialogues delivered by the main characters… All elements combine to create a unique work, which despite its originality, still drew nearly 2 million people to theaters upon its release.

Tonight on Arte at 8:55 PM

Trailer for “Elevator to the Gallows”:

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