Elevator to the Gallows

The 1958 French crime thriller directed by Louis Malle, with a screenplay co-written with Roger Nimier, is based on the 1956 novel of the same name by Noël Calef. The film follows lovers Florence Carala (Jeanne Moreau) and Julien Tavernier (Maurice Ronet), who plot to murder Florence's husband Simon, a wealthy industrialist and Julien's boss. Julien kills Simon, staging it as a suicide, but becomes trapped in an elevator when he returns to retrieve a forgotten clue. Meanwhile, his car is stolen by young delinquent Louis and his girlfriend Véronique, who, posing as Julien and Florence, commit a double murder at a motel. Florence, seeing Julien's car with Véronique, believes he has betrayed her and wanders the Paris streets in despair. Julien, upon escaping the elevator, finds himself accused of the murders committed by Louis. Florence, determined to prove Julien's innocence, locates Louis and Véronique, leading to their arrest. However, photographs taken by Véronique with Julien's camera reveal Florence and Julien's involvement in Simon's murder. The film is notable for its dark atmosphere, innovative cinematography, and the legendary jazz score by Miles Davis, which was improvised while watching the film, adding a profound emotional depth to the narrative.