The 400 Blows
The 400 Blows is a 1959 French coming-of-age drama film, and the directorial debut of François Truffaut, who also co-wrote the film. Shot in the anamorphic format DyaliScope, the film stars Jean-Pierre Léaud, Albert Rémy, and Claire Maurier. One of the defining films of the French New Wave, it displays many of the characteristic traits of the movement. Written by Truffaut and Marcel Moussy, the film is about Antoine Doinel, a misunderstood adolescent in Paris who struggles with his parents and teachers due to his rebellious behavior. Filmed on location in Paris and Honfleur, it is the first in a series of five films in which Léaud plays the semi-autobiographical character.
Plot
Antoine Doinel is a young boy growing up in Paris. Misunderstood by his parents for skipping school and stealing and tormented in school for disciplinary problems by his teacher (such as writing on the classroom wall and later lying about his absences as being due to his mother's death), he frequently runs away from both places. He finally quits school after his teacher accuses him of plagiarizing Balzac, though Antoine loves Balzac and in a school essay he describes "the death of my grandfather," in a close paraphrase of Balzac from memory. He steals a Royal typewriter from his stepfather's workplace to finance his plans to leave home, but being unable to sell it, he is apprehended while trying to return it.
Cast
- Albert Rémy
- Charles Bitsch
- Christian Brocard
- Claire Maurier
- Claude Mansard
- François Nocher
- François Truffaut
- Georges Flamant
- Guy Decomble
- Henri Virlogeux
- Jacques Audiberti
- Jacques Demy
- Jacques Doniol-Valcroze
- Jacques Laurent
- Jacques Monod
- Jean-Claude Brialy
- Jean Constantin
- Jean Douchet
- Jean-Luc Godard
- Jean-Paul Belmondo
- Jean-Pierre Léaud
- Jeanne Moreau
- Laure Paillette
- Louise Chevalier
- Luc Andrieux
- Marius Laurey
- Philippe de Broca
- Pierre Repp
- Robert Beauvais
- Serge Moati
- Simone Jolivet
- Yvonne Claudie
More details
| author | François Truffaut Marcel Moussy |
|---|---|
| contentLocation | Paris |
| director | François Truffaut |
| editor | Marie-Josèphe Yoyotte |
| genre | drama |
| keywords | antoine doinel balzac fragment grow up honoré de balzac observation center for troubled youths optical effect optical printer skipping school steal troubled youth want write young boy youth detention center |
| musicBy | Jean Constantin |
| nomination | Academy Award for Best Writing, Original Screenplay |
| producer | François Truffaut Georges Charlot |
| productionCompany | Les Films du Carrosse |
| publisher | Cocinor |
| recordedAt | Paris |
| theme | biographical |