From Paris to Atlantic City: Malle and Lancaster

French auteur Louis Malle was a versatile filmmaker who directed both documentaries and fiction in France and the United States. Burt Lancaster first gained attention for roles showcasing his athleticism, then built a career defined by ambitious and demanding performances.
This course traces their careers chronologically, culminating in their shared masterpiece, Atlantic City (1980). Lancaster plays an aging small-time hood infatuated with Susan Sarandon’s ambitious casino waitress, while Malle reflects on a fading vision of America.

We begin with Malle’s debut, Elevator to the Gallows (1957), renowned for its nighttime Paris imagery featuring Jeanne Moreau and the Miles Davis quintet's improvised jazz score. The course continues with The Lovers (1958) and the semi-autobiographical Murmur of the Heart (1971), both exploring intimate relationships. The course also includes two documentaries: (a) the short Vive le Tour (1962), about the Tour de France, and (b) the longer God’s Country (1986), about a Minnesota farming community and how it changed during Ronald Reagan's presidency. Also scheduled is Murphy Brown S06 E24 "My Movie with Louis" (1994). His semi-autobiographical Au Revoir les Enfants (1987) depicts a priest/schoolmaster in occupied France sheltering Jewish children during the Holocaust.
Lancaster’s selections begin with the prison noir Brute Force (1947), his first starring role. In Trapeze (1956), he performs his own high-wire stunts alongside Tony Curtis and Gina Lollobrigida. He reunites with Curtis as a ruthless columnist in Sweet Smell of Success (1957) and gives an Oscar-winning performance as a charismatic con man in Elmer Gantry (1960).