Elevator to the Gallows (1958)

7.9Not Rated88 minDirector: Louis Malle

1958 film by Louis Malle

Elevator to the Gallows (French: Ascenseur pour l'échafaud) is a 1958 French crime thriller tragedy film directed by Louis Malle. The film stars Jeanne Moreau and Maurice Ronet as lovers whose murder plot starts to unravel after one of them becomes trapped in an elevator. The screenplay by Roger Nimier and Malle is based on the 1956 novel of the same name by Noël Calef.

Associated by some critics with film noir and introducing new narrative, cinematographic, and editing techniques, the film is considered an important work in establishing the French New Wave and the New Modern Cinema. The improvised soundtrack by Miles Davis and the relationship the film establishes among music, image, and emotion were considered groundbreaking.

Plot summary adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

FAQ

What is Elevator to the Gallows about?
Elevator to the Gallows (1958) — Florence Carala and her lover, Julien Tavernier, want to murder her husband - Julien's boss - by faking his suicide. But after Julien's killed him, and had left, he remembers he's forgotten the rope outside the window which could implicate him, and he returns to the building to r
Is Elevator to the Gallows based on a true story?
See the production background and source material details on the official Wikipedia article.
Is Elevator to the Gallows scary?
Content rating: Not Rated. See the reviews tab for parental guidance and tone notes.