Slug: Nicole Gonzalez, 10/11/11, “400 Blows,” 99 minutes, French, 16 November 1959,
(1960) Nominated for Oscar in Best Writing, Story and Screenplay-Written Directly for the Screen Francois Truffaut and Marcel Moussy.
(1961)Nominated for BAFTA Film Award in Best Film from any source: Francois Truffaut (France)and Most Promising Newcomer to Leading Film Roles Jean-Pierre Leaud (France).
(1960) Won for Bodil Award for Best European Film (Bedste eurpaeiske film) Francois Truffaut (director).
(1960) Won French Syndicate of Cinema Critics Award for Best Film Francois Truffaut Tied with Hiroshima Mon Amour
(1959). Directed by François Truffaut
400 Blows
TV Guide praises the movie; how the director, Francis Truffaut was one of the directors to hit the French New Wave (Review 1). Truffaut started an upcoming actor name Jean-Pierre Léaud, who plays the director's alter ego Antonie (1). What made the movie memorable was the freeze show of Leaud at the very last scene.
Also, the use of black and white photography to show the hardship of France in the 1950's, even though Antonie was getting in trouble for some trivial reasons. The second articles focuses the scenes ( Shatnoff 3). For example, the author states that Anotone struggles with "two hurricanes" in his life "his family and society" (4). He tries to fit in with both school and his parents, but always end up getting in trouble. Both articles praise the movie for being innovative and be able to capture the hardship of a little boy.
As an example of a film theory, Truffaut uses formalism for choice of music, lightening and editing to tell a story in the movie “400 Blows.” The choice of making the film black and white shows how imperfect life in 1950's France and the urban living. The moments of Doinel running away from home at night uses less light to show the moments when he was trying to find a place to stay. The music goes along with the mood of the movie. One particular choice of music for the scene when the boys are having gym time, Truffaut uses happy music to shows the boys being playful while trying to ditch the teacher. As the mood changes where the film shows the scene where Doinel goes to observation camp, the music slowed down to make the scene gloomy. The pressure Doinel gets from his parents and his teacher drives him to run away. The scene where Doinel is in the ride and he is being spun around, Truffaut uses the camera to spin around, showing how much fun the boy is having.
Doniel is shown as the main character is judged by society. Also, how black and white shows the hard life in France. People live in small apaprtments and show how adults and the boys treat Antone while he tries to fit in with both society and his family.
While watching “400 Blows,” I felt that Truffaut wants the audience to empathize with Antoine. While watching, the parents and the teacher seem like they were all against him because he comes across like he is a trouble maker when really, no one cuts him a break. I’m waiting for an inspirational scene where the boy stops becoming a trouble maker. Plus, I didn’t see why he had to be placed in a juvenile hall for stealing a typewriter. But, I will give the director this; I could see other movie directors like Martin Scorsese to be inspired to use the camera techniques. Not that I would think of watching the movie again but, Truffaut’s life story seems interesting to reading about and maybe watch more of his movies.
Work Cited
TV Guide. "The Four Hundred Blows: Review." Web. http://movies.tvguide.com/the-four-hundred-blows/123669
Judith Shatnoff. "François Truffaut: The Anarchist Imagination" Film Quarterly Vol. 16, No. 3 (Spring, 1963), pp. 3-11 Published by: University of California Press Article Stable Web. URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/1210725.
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