Elevator to the Gallows (1957): Louis Malle’s Impressive Debut

Detailed Plot

(How the Narrative Unfolds)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Florence Carala (Moreau) and Julien Tavernier (Maurice Ronet) are illicit lovers who plan to kill Florence’s husband, Simon Carala (Wall), a wealthy industrialist who is Julien’s boss. Julien, an ex-Foreign Legion officer of Indochina and Algeria, climbs up the office on a rope, shoots Carala without being seen, and arranges the room to look like a suicide.

Seated in his convertible—as its top is slowly retracting—before pulling away from the office building, he notices a rope hanging over the balcony, which provides evidence of his crime. Leaving the car running, he rushes back into the building, but while he is in the elevator, the security man switches off the power, and Julien is now trapped; doom and gloom prevail as the building is closed for the weekend.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Meanwhile, Julien’s car is stolen by a young couple, small-time crook Louis (Poujouly) and flower-seller Veronique (Bertin).

Florence, who is waiting for Julien at a cafe, sees the car go and assuming that he has run off with Veronique. She thereupon begins wandering the streets of Paris aimlessly and despondently.

Louis and Veronique spend the night in a motel, by using fake names. They befriend Horst Bencker (Petrovich) and his wife Frieda (Andersen), a German tourist couple. Frieda takes pictures of Louis and her husband with Julien’s camera.

When Louis attempts to steal their luxury car, he is caught by Bencker, who threatens him with a cigar tube, pretending it’s a gun.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Louis kills the couple with Julien’s handgun, and he and Veronique return to Paris. Convinced that they would be caught and go to jail, Veronique persuades Louis to join her in a suicide pact. They take an overdose of pills and pass out.

When the Benckers’ bodies are discovered, along with Julien’s car and raincoat, Julien becomes the prime suspect, and his photo is printed in newspapers.

The police arrive at the office building, and Julien is finally able to escape from the elevator without being seen. However, in a cafe, he is recognized and arrested.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The police discover Carala’s body in his office, but do not suspect foul play. Julien is charged with killing the Benckers, as the police refuse to believe his alibi.

The suicide attempt fails, and Veronique and Louis remain alive. Louis then remembers Julien’s camera, which contains photos of him and Bencker. He drives back to the motel, hoping to recover the camera, and Florence pursues him, determined not to let him get away.

When the pictures are developed, they unexpectedly include photos of Julien and Florence shown embracing and kissing.  As a result, the police finally realize that Julien and Florence are guilty of plotting to kill her husband.

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