Shoot the Piano Player

Even with some of his more serious works, Francois Truffaut always has an air of comedy in his films. I think that's what makes him an admired director. (At least in my humble opinion.)

He second film Shoot the Piano Player displays such a trait. Revolving around the quiet life of a barroom pianist, the film is a light homage to the gangster films Hollywood produced. (Looks like the French love American films as much as the other way around.)

Now this film doesn't get as much recognition as it probably should. Well, there are a few logical reasons. For starters, bear in mind what Truffaut's previous film was. Second, this was released the same year as another French film paying homage to American gangster films. That film? Jean-Lu Godard's Breathless.

Granted, both films have their noted differences. Godard's film is more driven the gangster whereas Truffaut's film prefers the bystander. It also helps that Truffaut's film is more playful that Godard's. (Actually, that last description is most of their films in general.)

Anyway, I really liked Shoot the Piano Player. Not as much as Day for Night or The 400 Blows but enough. I am more intrigued as to what else Truffaut made and that's something I'll be venturing throughout this year. Definitely.

My Rating: ****1/2

Jules and Jim

If and should I see a foreign film, there's a strong likelihood that it'll be French. It's mostly because of the French New Wave, but I think it's also because the more prominent foreign directors are French. (But that's just my theory.)

Within the last year or so, I've gotten acquainted with several notable names of French cinema. Godard, Melville, Bresson, Malle...I saw their work. And I must say, they know what they're doing.

Another French director I like and am starting to watch is Francois Truffaut. I loved The 400 Blows and Day for Night, so I was curious as to what else he made. I opted for Jules and Jim, which apparently provided some influence for Martin Scorsese when he made Goodfellas. (The technical aspects, mind you.)

Anyway, I was intrigued by the way the film was shot. It was almost as if Truffaut let Raoul Coutard go crazy with the camera. That's of course not a bad thing, but you can tell that manic camerawork alone provided an influence for future films.

Although not my favorite of the Truffaut works I saw (that's probably Day for Night), Jules and Jim is still an amusing watch. I might appreciate it more on a re-watch, but for now I can only say I liked it. I will also add that Jeanne Moreau is great here.

My Rating: ****1/2

Day for Night

There are many movies that revolve around the production of another movie. Such examples include Stanley Donen's Singin' in the Rain, Richard Rush's The Stunt Man, and Federico Fellini's 8 1/2.

Another example is Francois Truffaut's Day for Night. It chronicles the many (and I mean many) complications that happen on a movie set. Such problems could be an actor being stubborn, someone on the verge of a breakdown or a relationship blossoming (or ending) on the set. In Day for Night, all three of those examples happen.

Other scenes in Day for Night reminded me of real-life accounts of what happened on movie sets. The opening scene was almost like what happened on any Stanley Kubrick movie. An actress requiring her lines to be pasted all over the set reminded me of Marilyn Monroe and her line "Where's that bourbon?" in Some Like It Hot. A set hand's always present, always suspicious wife mirrors when Zsa Zsa Gabor was on the set of All About Eve as then-husband George Sanders filmed his scenes with Monroe.

That doesn't mean Truffaut is making fun of the world of film. In fact, he's paying tribute to it. (It is dedicated to Lillian and Dorothy Gish after all.) This was a man truly devoted to the craft he loved. Not many people have such devotion.

Day for Night is one of the most insightful glimpses of movie production. Truffaut doesn't mock any of the characters but rather shows them as conflicted people. Definitely worth a look.

My Rating: *****

The 400 Blows

Twenty-five years ago today, French film director Francois Truffant died of a brain tumor. He was 52. In honor of this famed filmmaker I have decided to review his best-known work, his directorial debut The 400 Blows (which also turns 50 this year).

Antoine Doinel (Jean-Pierre Leaud) is a young teenager who always seems to be getting into trouble, whether at home or at school. He skips school and roams throughout Paris, which only gets him into more trouble.

As all hardcore cinephiles know, The 400 Blows was one of the first films of the French New Wave. The French New Wave marked a turning point in cinema, with the New Hollywood era starting less than a decade later.

I appreciate the movie very much, but I believe the movie was from Antoine's point of view. I mean, there is no way an adult can abuse a child that much and get away with it. Before I go into a ranting frenzy, I'll say what I liked. The images of Paris are beautifully shot in black and white, the acting is good, and the dialogue is smart.

My Rating: *****