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The 400 Blows
 
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The 400 Blows

Jean-Pierre Léaud (Actor), Albert Rémy (Actor), François Truffaut (Director) | Rated: NR (Not Rated) | Format: DVD
4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (28 customer reviews)

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The knowing yet innocent face of Jean-Pierre Leaud, the 14-year-old star of The 400 Blows, is the heartbreaking core of Francois Truffaut's most intimate film. As Antoine Doinel, Leaud begins his career as director Truffaut's alter-ego, a young boy neglected by his mother and stepfather who, to cover his absence at school, tells a lie that leads him to run away from home and end up in reform school. There's nothing remarkable or surprising about the plot; the power of this film comes from how completely it draws you into Antoine's life. Antoine is a vivid, natural presence, one of the most compelling collaborations between a writer/director and an actor. The movie seems to capture him as he lives. Antoine endures his parent's indifference, humiliations at school, deprivation and juvenile delinquency--yet the movie never feels pitying or condescending, as if it were trying to rub your nose in Antoine's suffering. On the contrary: His resilience is what grabs you, his refusal to be broken down as he struggles towards a more adult understanding of the world. Truffaut and Leaud made many excellent films together (Day for Night, Two English Girls), including further chapters in Antoine's life (Bed and Board, Stolen Kisses), but none were quite as simple, rich, and devastatingly potent as The 400 Blows. (The title, incidentally, refers not to abuse or anything sexual, but is a French idiom for a wild and unruly youth or "raising hell.") --Bret Fetzer

Amazon.com Essential Video

Francois Truffaut's first feature was this 1959 portrait of Antoine Doinel (Jean-Pierre Léaud), a boy who turns to petty crime in the face of neglect at home and hard times at a reform school. Somewhat autobiographical for its director, the film helped usher in the heady spirit of the French New Wave, and introduced the Doinel character, who became a fixture in Truffaut's movies over the years. Poignant, exhilarating, and fun (there's a parade of cameo appearances from some of the essential icons and directors from the movement), this film is an important classic. --Tom Keogh

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Customer Reviews

28 Reviews
5 star:
 (17)
4 star:
 (8)
3 star:    (0)
2 star:
 (1)
1 star:
 (2)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.3 out of 5 stars (28 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars A raw look at the life of a troubled boy, Jun 15 2006
By 
Kona (Emerald City) - See all my reviews
(TOP 100 REVIEWER)   
This review is from: The 400 Blows (Criteron Collection) (DVD)
"The 400 Blows" is the famous 1959 film by New Wave director, Francois Truffaut. (The title is a French expression meaning "to raise 'heck'.") Filmed in black and white, with very simple music and the raw look of a low-budget documentary, it is a glimpse into the life of troubled adolescent. Antoine Doinel is poor, has cold and indifferent parents and teachers, and spends his days cutting school and getting into trouble. When his parents give up on him, he is sent to a juvenile detention facility that resembles a jail.

The cinema verite style of unsentimental photography and gritty locales manages to make even Paris look tawdry, almost ugly, because that's how Antoine views his life. Growing up neglected and misunderstood has made him a streetwise child who dreams of escape. The stark and sudden ending allows the viewer to decide what might happen to Antoine next (although Truffaut found the character so intriguing, he made three more movies about Antoine as he grows older).
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4.0 out of 5 stars One of the best stories about childhood, Jan 10 2011
By 
Steven Aldersley (Oshawa, Ontario, Canada) - See all my reviews
(TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   
This review is from: The 400 Blows [Blu-ray] (Blu-ray)
Directed by Francois Truffaut
Starring Jean-Pierre Léaud, Claire Maurier, Albert Rémy and Guy Decomble
99 minutes
Black and white - French language

Video:
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.35:1

Audio:
French: LPCM Mono

Subtitles: English

This was my second time seeing The 400 Blows. I initially gave it a 4/5 and found it interesting, but it's growing on me and is now a 4.5/5.

The story is bleak, but very realistic, which isn't surprising considering that it's semiautobiographical. Truffaut's early life must have been hard. His parents tried at times, but treated him badly or with indifference at other times.

Much of the early part of the film is set in a classroom and we meet his classmates and learn his general attitude toward school. The discipline was very different than what we might expect today. He has one particular friend who encourages him to skip class and we see their shared experiences on the streets of Paris.

The friend is partly responsible for leading him astray and encouraging him to steal which leads into the second part of the story where we see the consequences of his bad behavior and his lies.

Some of the school scenes remind me of my childhood, although I had a much happier upbringing.

The main thing that brings Antoine happiness is cinema and the happiest time spent with his parents involves a trip to see a film.

The film also provides a snapshot of Paris in the late 50s. Shot in black and white and told from Antoine's viewpoint, we often see exactly what he sees through the choice of camera angles. His perspective also shows us that he thinks of himself in very different ways from the way in which he is viewed by others. We can empathize with his situation completely.

The film demonstrates how frightening, daunting and impossible life can seem when you're growing up.

Truffaut died aged 52 after making 21 features and this makes me want to see more of them.

Picture quality: 4/5 (excellent for the vintage)
Audio 5/5 (the music really added to the experience and everything was clear)
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5.0 out of 5 stars 400 Blows, May 12 2004
This review is from: The 400 Blows (DVD)
I've spent decades avoiding THE 400 BLOWS, afraid it was either dark and brooding, or a documentation of child abuse (physical and/or emotional), or an angry and vindictive assault on the authors' of Francois Truffaut's traumatic childhood.
I shouldn't have worried. THE 400 BLOWS is a gentle and compassionate movie. It isn't overwhelmed by its anger, although a few characters, particularly the coming-of-age hero's mother and his school teacher, aren't terribly sympathetic. Being new to THE 400 BLOWS, I found the commentary by Premiere magazine film critic Glen Kenny especially helpful in understanding French New Wave cinema in general and Truffaut in particular. By the way, according to Kenny "400 blows" refers to a French colloquialism similar to the American "paint the town red." It means to give oneself over to every type of excess, and raise a little heck in the process.
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