The beauty of Francois Truffaut's The 400 Blows is not found in terms of its technical merit (even though, in technical terms, it is still a brilliant piece), but in the heart and soul of the film, the shear love with which it was made. Truffaut said time and time again that the cinema saved his life, and you get the impression that the only way he felt he could repay his sanctuary was by committing himself to it. He did so in many ways! Not only did the auteur commit his time to movies, by being a lover of film and a critic, he soon became a director, producing this inspired masterpiece. Perhaps, that is what makes it a masterpiece. The film truly is inspired; inspired by Truffaut's life, his passion for cinema, and his theories about how films should be created. The result is amazing! Antoine Doinel, played by Jean-Pierre Leaud, is a misunderstood young boy, trying to keep his head above water, despite being caught up in what seems to be a predestined downward spiral. His teacher and his parents do not trust him, and he knows this. Seeing no trust to betray, he does whatever he can to try to compensate for how miserable he is treated. His mother (Claire Maurier) is busy working and trying to be a housewife, despite an affair she is having with another man. His father (Albert Remy) seems nice enough, but loses his temper when he is disappointed in the young man. Because of an already-existent lack of trust the parents have for their son, everything he does is perceived as wrong. No one ever takes the time (not his parents, certainly not his despicable teacher) to actually look at the boy, to determine whether there is any malice in his actions, or if he is simply a misguided little boy, searching for something he cannot describe or define. This is Truffaut's gift - He allows us to look through the screen, to see this young man, to study him, maybe for only one hundred minutes, but we are given the time to see the truth in this child that few probably ever saw in the young, tormented Truffaut. To miss this film is to deprive yourself of a rare cinematic experience!
Review of The 400 Blows
