Les quatre cents coups

 

Les quatre cents coups 1959

• Director: Francois Truffaut
• Seen by this director: L’enfant sauvage, Fahrenheit 451, Jules et Jim
• Based on the book: no
• Cast: Jean-Pierre Léaud, Albert Rémy, Claire Maurier
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in:

o   I didn’t recognize any of them.

• ·       Why? A classic 
• Seen: Once before (but I fell asleep). Now 28 April 2023      

       Beautifully filmed in black and white, it’s one of my least favourite genres – coming of age boys. It feels very cynical as though the director doesn’t like his characters. Nor do I, especially.

       This time I didn’t fall asleep but that’s because I could do Facebook while watching. I was, however, charmed by the cute kids at the puppet theatre, though it had nothing to do with the story.

       It’s the visuals that make it worth watching, not the story or the characters. 

3* of 5    

PS Sources on IMDb inform us that ‘les quatres cents coups’ may literally translate as the 400 blows but it’s a French idiom meaning ‘raising hell.’ Now you know.