Lift to the Scaffold

Ascenseur pour l’échafaud

Louis Malle’s ingenious thriller about plans for a perfect murder going awry boasts a brilliant Miles Davis soundtrack.

  • Director

    Louis Malle

  • With

    Maurice Ronet, Jeanne Moreau, Georges Poujouly, Lino Ventura

  • France 1958. 92min

  • Digital

  • Certificate

    PG

  • English subtitles

Malle’s ingenious and moodily stylish thriller has an ex-paratrooper (Ronet) carrying out his plan to murder the wealthy husband of his mistress (Moreau); but an elevator’s temporary shut-down has unexpected and dramatic consequences for the lovers, not to mention a young couple of tearaways and various other people. It’s beautifully shot by Henri Decaë, while the superb soundtrack came courtesy of Miles Davis.

Also available on BFI Player