Movie #42: Released in 1960, 90 minutes, directed by Jean-Luc Goddard. Seen it before!

LetterBoxd Score: 3 Stars

The movie is full of nervous energy and verve; there is constant movement and extensive cutting, including the famous and innovative use of jump cuts. This was the second time I’ve seen this – the first time was at the Englert in Iowa City (not sure why). I don’t remember being that interested then, and my feelings haven’t changed in the last decades.

While it’s got its charms, it didn’t do much for me. There seems to be a trend in the sight and sound films to center the story on – let us say “challenging” – protagonists. We’ve got Marcel in La Dolce Vita, Antoine in The 400 Blows, and now Michel in Breathless, who is basically completely amoral. The movie has style for sure and towards the end does create a sensation of a tightening noose. Bad guys can be fun to hang out with, or can feel scary. But there just wasn’t enough of that here for me to really be interested in revisiting.

Why would someone think it’s one of the ten greatest films ever made?

The style is super new: most notably the style of editing, but also filming in public under natural light. It’s also catnip for film scholars, since it’s stuffed with references to earlier work. It’s influence certainly feels historically significant, but not one for me.

Next: L’Avventura