The IMDB Project #224 - The 400 Blows

By Jaymeetee on Mar 30, 11 11:31 AM

French new wave!

The 400 Blows is a film about a creative Parisian schoolboy who struggles with his attention in class and falls into a life of petty crime. The film follows his running away from home and trying to fend for himself on the tough streets of Paris.

This gritty French film shows an alternative side to the 'movie' Paris we always see. Shot in black and white we really get to see what the struggles of Parisian families as apposed to the usual, Eifel Tower/cafÃ© culture capital we are so used to.

Cover via Amazon

The main character Antoine Doinel's story will be well known to the ASBO generation of today, although Antoine's tale is beautifully told through the director's vision. The bleak streets of Paris, the bad relationship between the child and his parents and the friendship of a partner in crime. But it's the connection the boy makes with the audience, you actually are willing him to do well in the end, that makes this film.

A really good watch and if you like foreign films and have missed this one then I'd definitely recommend it. It's a classic French movie but I'm sure it will resonate with movie watchers the world over.

IMDB Fact: The title of the film comes from the French idiom "faire les quatre cents coups", meaning "to raise hell".