“Doinel, if your paper is first today, it's because I've decided to give the results beginning with the worst."
a film by François Truffaut, 1959
If you like lighthearted coming of age films, then the 400 Blows by Francois Truffaut is not for you. 400 Blows may be the most depressing coming-of-age film you'll ever see. But sometimes coming of age is depressing, especially in Paris (I should know). While the movie deals with serious topics such as the affair of Antoine’s mother, which the young protagonist witnesses, as well as his difficulty in school, the film still incorporates an element of spirited adventure as we are treated to Antoine’s escapades.
Jean-Pierre Leaud’s performance as a young Parisian boy really elevated the film for me. His realistic portrayal of Antoine makes the audience actually care about the character, which is important since the film is essentially a character study of Antoine. Not only does Jean-Pierre Leaud deliver a great performance, such as in the scene when he is being questioned by the psychiatrist, but the casting of adults in supporting roles were perfect choices. Many of the adult actors,, such as Guy Decomble as the cruel school teacher and Claire Maurier as Antoine's manipulative mother Gilberte, portray unlikeable characters in a complex and interesting way–never an easy task.
One of the most important factors of the film is the setting of Paris, France. The script and directing rely heavily on the City of Light. While the film shows the beauty of Paris through large sweeping shots overlooking the city, it also shows the melancholic loneliness that the city brings to Antoine as he roams it. Many scenes show Antoine wandering throughout the desolate streets of Paris. The setting of the film works in tandem with Antoine’s emotional ups and downs as he struggles with coming of age in poverty and neglect.
The film explores themes of shame and loneliness as Antoine confronts the hostile environment that surrounds him. We see Antoine’s emotional state through his interactions with the environment. Additionally, though the film contains long scenes of silence, there are moments when dialogue directly reveals the hardships Antoine faces and why he makes the choices he does. “Sometimes I tell them the truth and they still wouldn’t believe me, so I prefer to lie.”
Although the film is a character study about Antoine, and voiceover might have been an obvious choice, I like the fact that Truffaut did not use voiceover. Instead he uses action and mood to make the audience relate to Antoine and understand why he is seemingly self destructive throughout so much of the film. A scene that I enjoyed was near the conclusion, when Antoine has been transferred to a military academy for his bad behavior and is being questioned by the academy's school psychologist. The scene shows us how at his heart Antoine is still just an innocent kid, and is not prepared or ready to face the extreme difficulty and hardship he has been put through. The ending is difficult to watch. Instead of ending on a happy note, or even reaching some sort of conclusion regarding Antoine’s fate, the film simply freeze frames in on Antoine’s face, conveying a poignant uncertainty.
While this might be a simple technique on paper, the scene shows Antoine in a vulnerable and fearful state. It’s certainly not the typical ending of a coming of age movie, as it doesn’t provide an easy story of redemption, and I quite like it for being different. The ending avoids the stereotypical happily ever after ending while also not seeming too sad. Instead it simply shows that there’s more life left to be lived. Even if Antoine is scared and nervous for the future, it is still there for him to live.