Julien Tavernier: Don't sneer at war. It's your bread and butter. Indochina netted you how much? And now Algeria. Have some respect for war. It's your family heirloom.
Le commissaire Cherrier: You see madam there are always several photos in a camera.
Commissaire de police: Anything's good for an alibi. Wives, girlfriends, bartenders, childhood friends, deceived husbands - but not an elevator. That's ridiculous. It's totally harebrained.
[first lines]

Florence Carala: I'm the one who can't take anymore. I love you. I love you. So we have to. I love you.
Julien Tavernier: Without your voice, I'd be lost in a land of silence.

Florence Carala: That's not very daring.

Julien Tavernier: Love isn't daring.
Simon Carala: Honestly, my dear Tavernier, you often keep me waiting. During the Indochina War, it didn't matter. What was one defeat more or less? But now you're in big business. This isn't a dream.
Simon Carala: I needed a hero in my business.

Julien Tavernier: A retired hero.

Simon Carala: This kind of work doesn't call for ragpickers but for angels. A paratrooper is a good angel.
Simon Carala: They do good work in counterintelligence. They know almost as much as the Americans.
Geneviève: Funny about the boss. He always leaves without warning. He hails a taxi by himself, like a thief.

Maurice: When does he get back?

Geneviève: We never know that either. Last time, he went down to Naples to buy tankers. He might do it again.

Maurice: Can't you catch cholera in Naples?
Véronique: What's crazy is to imagine incredible things. And I really mean something terrific. And it is terrific.
Louis: A revolver. A spy camera. Jelfa Oil. He's shady, this Tavernier.

Véronique: Maybe he's a secret agent? Look at the way he dresses.
Louis: A Mercedes! A 300 SL!

Véronique: Foreigners! They're Danish.

Louis: No, they're Germans.
Horst Bencker: Ah! My favorite champagne. We didn't have this brand during the occupation.

Véronique: He doesn't like champagne.

Horst Bencker: How sad. Had I known you can't stand champagne...

Louis: It does nothing for me. My generation has other things on its mind. Four years of occupation, Indochina, Algeria.

Horst Bencker: Bravo! Bravo! To Europe!

Véronique: To Europe!

Frieda Bencker: To Europe!
Horst Bencker: We Germans don't like war.

Louis: Yeah, right!

Horst Bencker: You're just like the older generation of Frenchmen. We're just traveling businessmen. And a uniform for traveling tends to stand out.
Horst Bencker: War is not only horrible. It's a complete waste of time.
[repeated line]

Florence Carala: Have you seen Mr. Tavernier tonight?
Florence Carala: [inner voice] Julien with that girl? Why? Yes, I recognized the flower shop girl. I can't believe it. That would be so shabby.
Florence Carala: [inner voice] I lost you in the night, Julien. I should have left you alone. I shouldn't have kissed you or caressed your face.
Christian Subervie: You can't rely on that Julien. We met in Algiers.

Florence Carala: You were an officer?

Christian Subervie: Ah, no. I was in the refrigerator business. He must be with a broad. He's neglected all his pals.
Christian Subervie: Julien doesn't give a damn about women.

Yvonne, La fille du bar: Julien's sweet.

Elevator to the Gallows Quotes

Extended Reading

Elevator to the Gallows short comments

Humberto 2022-03-20 09:02:23

No coincidence, no book, no steal, no love. Don’t place the photos randomly, especially those who show affection~
Leonie 2022-03-27 09:01:14

Genius debut. The perfect layout of suspense and the smooth spread of the story are completely free from the common sense of complexity in the new wave. The integration of the narrative of drama and stream of consciousness makes the sense of guilt extremely ambiguous. The hasty ending can't stop the viewer from looking up to this divine work.