I’m not talking about asthma or breathing issues here but about one French movie which is a masterpiece: Breathless. In French, “A bout de souffle”.
The director, Jean Luc Godard once said that ‘all you need for a movie is a gun and a girl‘. This is how our story begins.
Michel Poiccard, a Parisian thief/conman steals a car in Marseille and kills a policeman to escape. He goes back to Paris to collect some money and to ask his American girlfriend, Patricia Franchini, who is a student to elude with him to Italy.
It was released in 1960 and stars Jean Paul Belmondo, nowadays, a famous French actor, completely unknown at the time and Jean Seberg. This movie is a classic, emblematic of the French New Wave, known for its jump cuts, an act of rebellion against traditional cinema.
Ok, I must admit it; I’ve always liked Jean Paul Belmondo and his carefreeness. But seriously, there’s more to it.
courtesy of http://www.newwavefilm.com
It was made with very little. Godard was writing the script along shooting and used to move Raoul Coutard, his director of photography, in a wheelchair to film because they didn’t have enough money to afford a dolly. They were filming without a crew and without any legal permission. And this ‘spirit’ is noticeable in the movie all along.
This movie is also for many, including myself, a source of inspiration for its fashion and style. It is provocative, representative of a French spirit and filled with amazing dialogues. I especially like the instantaneous witted comments exchanged between the protagonist.
I won’t spoil, but I strongly recommand you to watch this movie, especially if you are into editing or are interested in the French culture.
Have you ever watched this movie ? What did you think about it ?
Hi Fanny. I’m glad you wrote about this movie and this director. I love it. I’m not a huge fan of French movies of our generation. But I think that before they were really really good. French had that way of putting stories together that were so perfect. Nowadays, in general I hate it. I think french directors are stuck with only one genre and it’s always the same thing and they bring the story the same way.
Hi Nina !
I’m always happy to see that I’m not the only one to appreciate Godard’s work and this movie. I share your disappointment regarding the actual French cinema. Fortunately some movies I watched recently were good surprises but most of the time, I don’t find back this spirit that was so ‘unusual’.
Same thing for the Italian one.