Director: François Truffaut Cinematographer: Henri Decaë
Reacting against the supposed formulaic and studio controlled mainstream films of the 1950s, outspoken Cahiers du Cinema critic, Francois Truffaut helped trigger the New Wave with a film revolving around an ordinary adolescent in Paris, Antoine Doinel (Jean-Pierre Leaud) who is thought by his parents and teachers to be a trouble maker. His teacher singles him out for criticism and punishment, while his mother is cold and demanding, and frequently argues with her husband (Antoine’s stepfather). The 400 Blows has elements of autobiography as the precocious Truffaut was incarcerated as a teenager for failing to pay debts while in the film the young protagonist is jailed for stealing a typewriter. Showing an allegiance to the visual style of filmmakers such Renoir and Welles, Truffaut uses moving camera shots and long takes to create an open fluid mise-en-scene. However, it’s the performance of Leaud, who provides an intelligent yet innocent portrayal of the troubled but often humorous youth during his initiation into a callous adult world, that gives the film its brilliant pathos and is ultimately the key to its success.
The Criterion Collection (DVD)
Francois Truffaut’s Adventures of Antoine Doinel (The 400 Blows / Antoine & Collette / Stolen Kisses / Bed & Board / Love on the Run) (The Criterion Collection) DVD
Essential Art House, Volume II (Black Orpheus / The 400 Blows / Ikiru / The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp / Pygmalion / La Strada) DVD
Jules Et Jim/La Peau Douce/400 Blows/the Last Metro (DVD)
Lists:
- No. 27 on The Pendragon Society’s 1000 Greatest Films of All-Time (2019)
CAST
- Jean-Pierre Léaud as Antoine Doinel
- Albert Rémy as Julien Doinel, Antoine’s stepfather
- Claire Maurier as Gilberte Doinel, Antoine’s mother
- Guy Decomble as Sourpuss, School teacher
- Patrick Auffay as René Bigey, Antoine’s best friend
- Georges Flamant as Monsieur Bigey, René’s father
- Pierre Repp as an English teacher
- Daniel Couturier as Betrand Mauricet
- Luc Andrieux as Le professeur de gym
- Robert Beauvais as director of the school
- Yvonne Claudie as Mme Bigey
- Marius Laurey as L’inspecteur Cabanel
- Claude Mansard as the examining magistrate
- Jacques Monod as commissioner
- Henri Virlojeux as the night watchman
- Jeanne Moreau as a woman looking for her dog
- Jean-Claude Brialy as a man trying to pick up a woman
Directed by François Truffaut
Produced by François Truffaut, Georges Charlot
Screenplay by François Truffaut, Marcel Moussy
Music by Jean Constantin
Cinematography Henri Decaë
Edited by Marie-Josèphe Yoyotte
Running time 99 minutes
Country France
Language French