François Truffaut’s first feature is also his most personal. Told through the eyes of Truffaut’s cinematic counterpart, Antoine Doinel (Jean-Pierre Léaud), The 400 Blows sensitively re-creates the trials of Truffaut’s own childhood, unsentimentally portraying aloof parents, oppressive teachers, and petty crime. The film marked Truffaut’s passage from leading critic to trailblazing auteur of the French New Wave.
3 day rental • NR • 99 min.
“One of the first glistening droplets of the French New Wave... one of the cinema’s most perceptive forays into childhood.”
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Time Out
“A remarkable confluence of talents are at work here.”
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Village Voice
“Distinguished by its naturalistic, quasi-documentary approach and an extraordinary central performance from the 12-year-old Jean-Pierre Léaud, this is a blisteringly authentic story.”
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Times UK
“Vibrant, visually exciting and emotionally resonant.”
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Empire Magazine