Atlantic City

Louis Malle, 1980 (8.8*)
My favorite film from French director Louis Malle, this one is a crime story in English. Burt Lancaster turns in one of his best performances as a flunkie to an aging actress retired in Atlantic City. His passions are flamed by neighbor Susan Sarandon, a casino worker with little more than dreams to keep her going, and who bathes her bare breasts with lemons in front of the window.

Suddenly their lives are turned upside down by an ex of Sarandon's, who shows up after pulling a drug heist. This is a gritty, realistic look at romance on the seedier side, with people barely surviving on the borderlines, yet who have the same universal dreams as anyone else. Nominated for five academy awards.

Quote: You should've seen the Atlantic back then - it was really something. (Burt Lancaster)

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Elevator to the Gallows

Louis Malle, 1958, France, bw (8.2*)
This was 24-yr old Louis Malle's first film after being an assistant to Jacques Cousteau. It pays perfect homage to America's best film noir, as it begins with a rather boneheaded criminal, Maurice Ronet, who carries out a well-planned 'perfect murder' of the spouse of his adulterous lover, wonderfully played by a harried yet sensual Jeanne Moreau. All goes according to plan except for one minor detail, and from then on the plot spirals into a night of anguish for all involved, which grows to even more drastic actions as the night progresses, involving more criminals and victims.

The entire film is perfectly scored by the eloquent 50's jazz of Miles Davis, which is just right for the look and ambiance of a jazz-era Paris of the night. Even though the plot may stretch a bit, the acting and journalistic look make this a timeless window into a certain era which had the classy elegance we all miss. Certainly a noir classic, and an auspicious beginning to Malle's brilliant career, which included Au Revoir, Les Enfants and Atlantic City. I prefer this to the other French noir classics I've recently seen, it seems to have more plot twists and a humorous wit that most others lack. This should be ranked on the internet survey, I can't believe it's not on some of the lists.

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