One such name is Jean-Luc Godard. I had only seen Breathless, but that was over a year ago. Considering he probably doesn't have much time left on this planet, I had a feeling I should see some more of his work before the time comes.
I opted to watch My Life to Live, released a few years after Breathless. Like that film, My Life to Live revolves around an individual in the vastly populated city of Paris. The distinction between the two films is that instead of focusing on an arrogant criminal, My Life to Live revolves around a quiet woman.
The woman is Nana, played by Anna Karina. Like Guilietta Masina's title role in Nights of Cabiria, Nana has slipped into the world of prostitution. She's not ashamed of what she does, though she longs for something meaningful in her life. It's a very fine performance from her.
I really liked My Life to Live, though I will admit it might take me a while to adjust to Godard's style. I mean, it's good but it's different from other styles I've seen. Still, if he can get very good performance out of his actors like he did here with Karina, then I'll give him a chance.
My Rating: ****1/2
It does take a while to get used to Godard's style, and Breathless and Vivre sa Vie are two of his easiest films to watch. Not sure what to recommend next, but you might like Alphaville or Masculin Feminin.
ReplyDeleteBy far my favorite Godard - Anna Karina, to me, gives one of the best female performances of all time here. Love it. Breathless was the first Godard film I saw and I was extremely off-put by his style. I dig it now, but it is definitely jarring at first.
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