339. Les 400 Coups (The 400 Blows) (1959)

Directed By François Truffaut

Synopsis

Doniel is a kid who gets into all kinds of trouble. Eventually, his desperate parents send him to a reformatory.

Review

Truffaut's first film is an exploration of childhood and the injustices of childhood. You know when people told you when you were a kid, that those were the best years of your life, that you had no responsibilities etc? Well, those were all lies.

Many people are so wound up in nostalgia that they have actually convinced themselves of the happiness of childhood and adolescence. Well those are surely fake memories, I know that I like my life better now. And Truffaut seems to also be aware of this, which is the great thing about this film. A kid's life is tough, unfair and powerless.

The greatest kudos in the film go to Jean-Pierre Léaud, however, as possibly the best child actor that we have had the pleasure to see in a film on this list until now, and that will take some beating. His interview with the psychologist is particularly natural, with some pretty amazing reaction expressions and almost improvisational replies.

Final Grade

9/10

Trivia

From Wikipedia:

The English title is a straight translation of the French, but misses its meaning, as the French title refers to the expression "faire les quatre cents coups", which means "to raise hell". On the first American prints, subtitler and dubber Noelle Gilmore gave the film the title Wild Oats, but the distributor did not like that title, and reverted it to The 400 Blows, which led some to think the film covered the topic of corporal punishment.

Trailer: