The 400 Blows (1959)
For young Parisian boy Antoine Doinel, life is one difficult situation after another. Surrounded by inconsiderate adults, including his neglectful parents, Antoine spends his days with his best friend, Rene, trying to plan for a better life. When one of their schemes goes awry, Antoine ends up in trouble with the law, leading to even more conflicts with unsympathetic authority figures.
- François Truffaut
- Philippe de Broca
- Robert Bober
- Alain Jeannel
- Jacqueline Parey
- Francis Cognany
- Marcel Moussy
- Marcel Moussy
- François Truffaut
- François Truffaut
Rating: 8/10 by 2142 users
Alternative Title:
Les 400 coups - FR
I quattrocento colpi - IT
De vierhonderd slagen - NL
Czterysta batów - PL
The Four Hundred Blows - US
四百下 - CN
胡作非为 - CN
På vei mot livet - NO
Os Incompreendidos - BR
大人は判ってくれない - JP
Los 400 golpes - ES
Nikdo mne nemá rád - CZ
四百击 - CN
Sie kuessten und sie schlugen ihn - AT
Os 400 Golpes - PT
400번의 구타 - KR
400 המלקות - IL
Country:
France
Language:
English
Français
Runtime: 01 hour 39 minutes
Budget: $0
Revenue: $0
Plot Keyword: paris, france, delinquent, coming of age, fingerprint, semi autobiographical, skipping school, mugshot, strict teacher, montmartre, paris
Jean-Pierre Léaud is super in this story of a troubled young lad who goes from having troubles at school to petty crime, all under the not so very watchful gazes of his adulteress mother (Claire Maurier) and happy-go-lucky father (Albert Rémy) who spend most of their time squabbling with each other. When his antics finally attract the attention of the police, they decide that maybe some time in juvenile detention might not do him any harm so off he goes - but he is not there for long! It's an episodic story that raises laughs and heckles in equal measure. You cannot help but like this tearaway. It's not so much that he wants attention (though he certainly does), it is that he is has initiative. He is bored; bored of his constantly rowing parents, of the teachers who don't really care about him. He is mischievous, he likes having fun - especially with his pal "René" (Patrick Auffay) with whom he has a few escapades and even lives for a short time. Theft is a serious matter but somehow when he pinches a typewriter from his dad's office - one that doesn't work, by the way, it has to make you smile. The ending features one of these scenes from a film that you will never forget. It is simple, and it's that simplicity coupled with this young boy's charming and enthusiastic performance that makes this film memorable, enjoyable and probably my favourite from François Truffaut.
