Additional Films and Guests, Screen Share
Louis Malle's hypnotic noir infuses its tale of plans gone awry with wistful performances, swooning cinematography, and a sultry Miles Davis soundtrack. Q&A to follow.
For his feature debut, 24-year-old Louis Malle brought together a mesmerizing performance by Jeanne Moreau, evocative cinematography by Henri Decaë, and a now legendary jazz score by Miles Davis. Taking place over the course of one restless Paris night, Malle’s richly atmospheric crime thriller stars Moreau and Maurice Ronet as lovers whose plan to murder her husband (his boss) goes awry, setting off a chain of events that seals their fate. A career touchstone for its director and female star, Elevator to the Gallows was an astonishing beginning to Malle’s eclectic body of work, and it established Moreau as one of the most captivating actors ever to grace the screen. [91 min; drama, film noir; French with English subtitles]
A Q&A with David Brent Johnson (WFIU, producer and jazz director) and James Naremore (IU professor emeritus, film noir scholar) will follow the screening.
“One of those pitch-perfect debuts, shot in sinewy shadows and documentary daylight without a wasted frame. It can make you furious that the person who made it was only 24 years old.” – Sean Burns, Crooked Marquee
“A stylish thriller most famous for its excellent score created by Miles Davis.” – Matt Brunson, Film Frenzy
“Elevator to the Gallows married a new kind of jazz to a new kind of cinema and created something altogether sublime.” – Tina Hassannia, Village Voice
Any film screened at IU Cinema may contain content that viewers find sensitive or upsetting. Visit our Audience Advisories page to learn more.
