Year: 1962
Director: Francois Truffaut
Country: France
Language: French
When critics and cinephiles tend to discuss the "New Wave" era of French Cinema the filmmakers they tend to focus on are: Jean Luc Godard, Claude Chabrol and Francois Truffaut. Godard is usually considered the better of the three, however I am slightly more astonished by the work of Truffaut. The 400 Blows was my introduction to his genuis and shortly after, meaning less than a week ago, I viewed Jules and Jim and as quite astonished.
Jules and Jim revolves around two friends, the Austrian Jules (Oscar Werner) and the French Jim (Henri Serre) , who fall in love with the same woman, Catherine (Jeanne Moreau). However, Catherine loves and marries Jules. After the war, when they meet again in Germany, Catherine starts to love Jim. This is the story of three people in love, a love which does not affect their friendship.
Many cinephiles assume Jean Luc Godard's Breathless is the most influential of the French New Wave Films, but a great case could be made for Jules and Jim.Truffaut's film is one of the most beautiful, yet tragic, love triangles that has ever been filmed. It was Truffaut's third film after the success of his debute The 400 Blows and Shoot the Piano Player in 1960. In this Truffaut's trademark style emerges with fast cuts between scenes and naturalistic camera movements, which is owed to Raoul Coutard's fluid cinematography. George Delerue's animated music score and Michel Subor's voice-over add to the evocative atmosphere. It is a film of technical perfection, which adds to the visual poetry of this film.
While the film is called Jules and Jim, the most interesting character is Catherine. When watching Truffaut's picture you may find yourself asking, "why are these two men falling for a completely unstable woman?" Catherine is a woman who on one hand is spontaneous and full of life and yet on the other hand is selfish, narcissistic and clearly takes advantage of the weak. She's a woman who has a exciting love for life and yet at the same time suffers from depression and several severe personality disorders. She doesn't let people take advantage of her, yet thinks she has the right to wrong others. She brings joy and sorrow, yet also happiness.
In conclusion, Jules and Jim is a very thought provoking film with very interesting characters who can be intensely studied. It is brilliant, but not for people who see life in simplistic black and white terms. I recommend buying the fantastic Criterion Collection edition and viewing it many times in attempt to get the most you can out of it. Unconventional, complex and brilliant. Praise it! 5/5
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