Reviewed by Justin Bateman
Stars Jean-Pierre Léaud, Claire Maurier, Albert Rémy,
Guy Decomble, Georges Flamant, Patrick Auffay,
Daniel Couturier, François Nocher, Michel Girard
Written by François Truffaut & Marcel Moussy
Certification UK PG | France U
Runtime 99 minutes
Directed by François Truffaut
François Truffaut’s debut feature film gained instant critical acclaim on its release in 1959, winning the award for best director at Cannes and effectively kick-starting to the French New Wave film movement. Released again at selected cinemas nationwide to celebrate its 50th anniversary, this semi-autobiographical film is a fascinating snapshot of Truffaut’s own childhood.
Twelve-year-old Antoine (Léaud) lives in a poor part of Paris with his neglectful mother (Maurier) and her husband (Rémy). At home he is largely ignored while at school he gets into trouble with the teacher for being disruptive and cheeky. One day Antoine and his friend René (Auffay) decide to skip school which sets off a chain of events including him sleeping rough, stealing and ending up in a young offenders’ institution.
So has this so-called masterpiece stood the test of time? Absolutely. For a start, it’s a remarkably accomplished piece of film-making for a debut, especially as Truffaut was only 27 when he made it. The script is frequently funny and the characters are believable, interesting and sympathetic. Perhaps most impressive though are the performances. Claire Maurier and Albert Rémy play Antoine’s disaffected parents expertly but the star of the show is undoubtedly Jean-Pierre Léaud. Just 14 at the time of filming, he has a maturity beyond his years and his naturalistic performance is truly something to behold.
Despite being half a century old, The 400 Blows doesn’t feel old-fashioned. There are a few anachronisms, such Antoine and René shaking hands whenever they meet and part company (can you imagine 12-year-olds doing that today?), but overall it feels fresh and vibrant. And this is despite the underlying sadness in the film which is basically a study of neglect. Well observed, moving and witty, this is a classic for good reason.
(A word on the title. Although literally correct, the original meaning has been lost in translation and comes from the French ‘faire les quatre cents coups’ which means to ‘raise hell’ which makes a lot more sense than The 400 Blows.)