The Fire Within (Le Feu follet)

Louis Malle made Le Feu follet (The Fire Within, literally "will-o'-the-wisp") in 1963, a black-and-white drama and French-Italian co-production. Malle also wrote the screenplay. The French-language film runs about 108 minutes and won the Grand Jury Prize at the Venice Film Festival. It opened in France on 15 October 1963 and reached West Germany only three years later, on 7 October 1966.

The story is drawn from Pierre Drieu La Rochelle's 1931 novel of the same name, itself inspired by the poet Jacques Rigaut. Maurice Ronet stars as Alain Leroy, who after a stay in a clinic wants to end his life. In his final days he settles his affairs and meets various people in Paris, hoping to find something worth living for. Instead he finds those around him hollow, almost already dead. Alongside Jeanne Moreau, Alexandra Stewart and Jacques Sereys, the cast includes Léna Skerla, Bernard Noël, Bernard Tiphaine and Hubert Deschamps. Moreau had earlier worked with both Ronet and Malle on Elevator to the Gallows.

The score consists of Erik Satie's compositions, played by pianist Claude Helffer. The film also took the French Film Academy's 1964 Crystal Star in the best-actor category.