Letter from a young Louis Malle to Cahiers -- 1956

In the May 1956 issue of Cahiers du Cinema, this letter from Louis Malle was printed. About two weeks after that issue of Cahiers hit the newsstands, Robert Bresson began filming on A Man Escaped with Louis Malle working as one of his assistants.

"I attach to this letter payment for my subscription to Cahiers. Your magazine has become quite excellent recently and your special "American Cinema" issue beyond its critical qualities is marvelously documented.
As a young director, I would like to say to you that I immensely appreciate the battle which you lead for a certain cinema d'auteur, the only one worthy from my point of view as much as from yours. I am sometimes in complete disagreement with one of you, I often reprove certain annoying tics, but your magazine is never stupid or vulgar while French cinema is bogged down in stupidity and vulgarity with 5 or 6 names ready.
Your attitude is bearing fruit since François Truffaut now is as a scarecrow in the profession and the keepers of French Quality are beginning to question themselves in fear. I beg you to continue flaying the mediocrities, re-establishing values, destroying the traditional myths in order to institute others, however arguable they might be, to battle for a powerful and worthy cinema. And I assure you gentlemen of my sincere esteem."
(page 57 -- my translation)