Elevator to the Gallows

Elevator to the Gallows [Ascenseur pour l'echafaud] (Criterion #335). 1957 Janus Films & Lux Compagnie Cinematographique de France.
Starring: Jeanne Moreau, Maurice Ronet, Georges Poujouly, Yori Bertin
Music: Miles Davis
Director: Louis Malle
Available at Amazon.

Lovers Florence Carala and Julien Tavernier (Moreau & Ronet) are plotting the perfect crime: the murder of Florence's husband, Simon Carala. Tavernier, a former Foreign Legion parachutist, will be responsible for the actual murder. He rappels up the building to kill Carala in his office without being seen, but when exiting the building, he notices that he left the rope in plain sight outside. Julien leaves his car unlocked and with the keys in the ignition, and while returning to remove the rope, he gets stuck in the elevator as the building closes down for the weekend.

While Julien is stuck, his car is stolen by a young couple, Louis and Veronique (Poujouly & Bertin), who have watched him. Florence sees Veronique in the car, and assumes that Julien has run off with her instead. Louis finds Julien's pistol and miniature camera in the glove box, and fantasizes about being a secret agent and war hero. They stay overnight with a German couple who live lives in the fast lane, and Louis makes up war stories that he was allegedly involved in. After Veronique takes pictures of the couples with Julien's camera, Louis attempts to steal the German couple's luxury car. After the owner threatens him with a gun, Louis kills them both. He later considers himself saved after a newspaper headline labels Julien as the murderer, but Florence confronts him and Veronique.

Meanwhile, Julien eventually escapes from the elevator, and while Carala's death is ruled by the police as a suicide, he is nonetheless charged with the murder of the Germans, as his alibi is not believed. The authorities found the pictures of he and Florence together along with the pictures taken by Louis and Veronique.

Good movie. Miles Davis provides the music score, playing some of the saddest trumpet parts you will ever hear in your life. Highly recommended.