DISCUSSION QUESTIONS• 1. AS IN PREVIOUS FILMS, QUESTIONS OF GENDER AND GENERATION STRUCTURE THIS FILM.

HOW IS GENDER DEPICTED IN THE FILM? HOW ARE MEN AND WOMEN REPRESENTED? HOW ARE THE DIFFERENT GENERATIONS AND THE INTERRELATIONS AMONG THEM DEPICTED? WHAT SIMILARITIES OR DIFFERENCES DO YOU SEE BETWEEN THIS FILM AND PREVIOUS FILMS?

• 2. THIS FILM MAKES DIRECT OR INDIRECT REFERENCE TO WORLD WAR II AND THE ALGERIAN WAR, AND TO FRANCE’S ROLE IN BOTH. WHAT COMMENTARIES ARE MADE IN THE FILM ABOUT THESE CONFLICTS? HOW, ACCORDING TO THE FILM, HAVE THESE CONFLICTS INFLUENCED OR STRUCTURED FRANCE IN THE LATE 1950S AND EARLY 1960S?

• 3. THIS FILM IS OFTEN REGARDED AS A “STUDY IN STYLE.” THINK ABOUT THE FILM’S MUSICAL SCORE AND THE VISUAL AND NARRATIVE STRUCTURE OF THE FILM. WHAT ELEMENTS STAND OUT? HOW DO THESE ELEMENTS INFLUENCE THE SPECTATOR’S PERCEPTION OF EVENTS AND CHARACTERS? HOW DO THEY SHAPE OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE FILM?

ELEVATOR TO THE GALLOWS

THEMES, SETTINGS, CONTEXT, VISUAL COMPOSITION

CONTEXT• MADE POST-VICHY (1950S AND DURING THE PERIOD OF

THE “MYTH OF RESISTANCIALISM”)• MADE DURING FRENCH-ALGERIAN WAR IN A CLIMATE OF

CENSORSHIP• MALLE SELF-FUNDED THE FILM, FREEING HIM FROM THE

CONSTRAINTS OF STUDIO PRODUCTION• PRE-CURSOR TO NEW WAVE FILMS (WHICH WOULD

FOLLOW WITHIN 1-2 YEARS)

HISTORICAL SETTING

• PARIS—CONTEMPORARY (LATE 1950S)• OFFICE BUILDING (ELEVATOR)• CITY STREET (CAR)• VERO’S APARTMENT• MOTEL• POLICE STATION

SETTING

MODERN, URBAN SPACES (OF ENCLOSURE)

THEMES

THE POWER OF THE PRESS

THE INCREASING PRESENCE OF THE POLICE (STATE)

LACK OF MOBILITY (ENTRAPMENT)

ANXIETY CONCERNING THE ROLE OF THE TECHNOLOGY

OTHER THEMES• THE ROLE OF THE PAST (WARS)• INTERGENERATIONAL CONFLICT• CENSORSHIP / SURVEILLANCE• PERFORMANCE (ROLE PLAYING)• POWER (ECONOMIC, POLITICAL)• RESISTANCE / REVOLUTION• GENDER• LOVE