Director: Francois Truffaut
Year: 1959
Country: France
Language: French
In the British magazine Sight and Sounds' list of the greatest films of all time according to critics, Francois Truffaut's The 400 Blows reached the top 50 with the spot of #39. Indeed it is a remarkable film, the launching pad of Truffaut's celebrated career in which he made many memorable films like Jules and Jim, The Last Metro and Shoot the Piano Player. I first saw this masterpiece a few years ago and was startled by how much a could connect with a 50+ year old film.
400 Blows is about a young Parisian boy, Antoine Doinel (Jeanne Pierre Leaud), who is neglected by his derelict parents, skips school, sneaks into movies, runs away from home, steals things, and tries (disastrously) to return them. Like most kids, he gets into more trouble for things he thinks are right than for his actual trespasses. He is a rebellious child and this film is essentially about the complexity of growing up.
French director Frances Truffaut's masterpiece, The 400 Blows was his introduction to the world of film-making. It is incredibly touching and perhaps the greatest of all films about childhood adolescence. Inspired by Truffaut's own early life, in which he was also a young rebellious boy who seemed like he was on a fast track to nowhere, the film is almost completely autobiographical, one would guess it's 90% true. Modern filmmakers are incredibly influenced by this film, the great Canadian Director Guy Maddin has said that Truffaut's work inspired his well received Brand Upon the Brain, a film also about adolescence but much more Gothic in mood.
The film's major theme is about loving, yet being pushed away. Everytime Antoine feels close to his parents, or any type of adult figure, they seem to push him away and neglect him of the closeness he feels he deserves. Antoine is not necessarily a bad kid, it just seems like the authority figures in his life are stuck in their own little world. Failing to help in life by giving guidance or some sort of respect. Why respect those who treat you terribly? In many ways I could connect with Antoine and thus sympathize with him, there were a few scenes in the film that seemed right out of my own life.
In conclusion, The 400 Blows is a unique film that deserves the recognition is has as one of the greatest films of all time. Antoine Doinel is a tragic, yet universal character that almost everyone can relate to. Truffaut's film is a wonderful character study, as well as a excellent lesson on how to make a great film. Praise it! 5/5
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