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A Bout de Souffle (1959)

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5 reviews

Movie review

From Time Out Film Guide

Godard's first feature, adapted from an existing scenario written by François Truffaut, spins a pastiche with pathos as joyrider Belmondo shoots a cop, chases friends and debts across a night-time Paris, and falls in love with a literary lady. Seberg quotes books and ideas and names; Belmondo measures his profile against Bogart's, pawns a stolen car, and talks his girlfriend into a cash loan 'just till midday'. The camera lavishes black-and-white love on Paris, strolling up the Champs-Elysées, edging across café terraces, sweeping over the rooftop skyline, Mozart mixing with cool jazz riffs in the night air. The ultimate night-time film noir noir noir... until Belmondo pulls his own eyelids shut when he dies. More than any other, this was the film which epitomised the iconoclasm of the early Nouvelle Vague, not least in its insolent use of the jump-cut.

Author: CA

Time Out Film Guide

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User reviews of this film

fan of Jean Seberg, RIP said...

Posted on Mar 25 2010 10:11 To Ruse : Week-end a Zuydcoote ( 1964 ). Please try IMDB for further info. :)

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ruse said...

Posted on Nov 16 2009 20:13 did jean paul belmondo appear in a film called a wekend in zudkirke?

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zipping through said...

Posted on Aug 31 2009 20:24 Has it really been 30 years since Jean Seberg left us ? It seems like yesterday. Beautiful, beautiful girl in 'Breathless' !

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just me said...

Posted on Apr 22 2009 13:52 6 stars

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just me said...

Posted on Apr 22 2009 13:51 Classic. The scenario written by Truffaut ; the quick, 'jump-cut' editing ; Jean Seberg ; Paris : everything is enchanting & perfectly matched. Classic.

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