The director died on October 21, 1984 at the age of 52. Of the Four Hundred Blows has Jules and Jim, he leaves to posterity an incomparable cinematographic work.
We see a teenager who goes around, a Jules and a Jim in love with Jeanne Moreau, a man who loved women, a Jewish director who hides in the cellar of his theater and, like a signature, a almost everywhere there are images of the Eiffel Tower… François Truffaut, the director of all this great cinema, died 40 years ago, on October 21, 1984.
On the anniversary of his death, Le Figaro has concocted an anthology of his work which will have been crowned with ten Césars (including best film and best director for The Last Metro), for an Oscar (American Night), and two prizes at the Cannes Film Festival (The Four Hundred Blows et Soft Skin). From his first biographically inspired film where we discovered Antoine Daniel (played by Jean-Pierre Léaud) to Last Metro with Catherine Deneuve and Gérard Depardieu via Jules and Jim, The Bride was in black, The Mississippi Mermaid et the man who loved womenselection of images from the immortal Truffald films.
Also read
François Truffaut, the filmmaker who loved women
The Four Hundred Blows
1959, with Jean-Pierre Léaud, Claire Maurier, Albert Rémy…
Truffaut had written in the magazine Arts in 1959 that « The Four Hundred Blows was not an autobiographical film ». For him, the scenario was about adolescence which « only leaves a good memory for adults with bad memories ». This remains a subject for movie buffs. What is certain, however, is that here he finds his cinema double, Jean-Pierre Léaud.
Shoot the pianist
1960, with Charles Aznavour, Marie Dubois, Michèle Mercier, Boby Lapointe…
Charles Aznavour sadly plays the piano in a bar. He loves two very different women, Marie Dubois and Michèle Mercier. And then there is Boby Lapointe who sings Avanie and Raspberrywhich are therefore « the breasts of destiny ». A film with rare charm that you must have seen.
Jules and Jim
1962, with Jeanne Moreau, Oskar Werner, Henri Serre, Marie Dubois…
Two men fall in love with the same woman. Her name is Catherine (Jeanne Moreau) and she will love them both. A song will magnify these impossible feelings: The Whirlwind. « We got to know each other, we recognized each other, we got lost, we lost sight of each other again… » These words are from Serge Rezvani, that says it all.
Soft Skin
1964, with Jean Desailly, Françoise Dorléac, Nelly Benedetti…
A wise married man (Jean Desailly) becomes crazy about Catherine (Françoise Dorléac) whom he met in the elevator. Then begins an impossible love story. A haunting theme that Truffaut will use throughout his work.
The Bride was in black
1967, with Jeanne Moreau, Michel Bouquet, Charles Denner, Claude Rich…
A vengeful woman (Jeanne Moreau), resembling a Greek goddess, finds her husband’s assassins. She will kill them all. In 1978 Truffaut regretted having filmed this masterpiece. He confided to L’Express : « The only one I regret doing is The Bride was in black. I wanted to give Jeanne Moreau something unlike any of her other films, but it was poorly thought out. …The theme lacks interest: the apology for idealistic revenge, that actually shocks me ».
Stolen kisses
1968, with Jean-Pierre Léaud, Claude Jade, Delphine Seyrig, Michael Lonsdale…
We find Antoine Doinel (Jean-Pierre Léaud) at the beginning of his adult life. Truffaut is inspired here by the novel Balzac, The Lily in the valley. And then, there is the charm of Claude Jade. To see or rewatch, without moderation.
The Mississippi Mermaid
1969, with Catherine Deneuve, Jean-Paul Belmondo, Michel Bouquet, Nelly Borgeaud…
The Magnificent who experiences a decline, only Truffaut could imagine it. He would say a few years later: « Belmondo is with Jean-Pierre Léaud my favorite actor and for Catherine Deneuve it was impossible not to think of her ». And then, we must not forget the performance of Michel Bouquet, implacable and impeccable in the role of an obstinate detective.
The Wild Child
1970, with Jean-Pierre Cargol, François Truffaut, Françoise Seigner…
It’s a UFO in Truffald’s filmography. Inspired by the real story of Victor de l’Aveyron, this film is not like the others in the work of François Truffaut. The filmmaker wanted to play the role of Doctor Itard himself who attempted a scientific experiment on this child who lived alone the first years of his life in a forest in Aveyron in the 19th century.e century. He took particular care to « find » the wild child: « Jean-Pierre, the little gypsy that I finally chose to play this role, is a very handsome child but I think he looks like he just came out of the woods. ».
American Night
1973, with Jean-Pierre Léaud, Jacqueline Bisset, Jean-Pierre Aumont…
A cinema film about cinema. Only Truffaut and Fellini could do it. For the record, an American night is a night scene that is shot in broad daylight. The magic of the seventh art, in short. « Is cinema more important than life? ? »the filmmaker answered the question.
The Man Who Loved Women
1977, with Charles Denner, Brigitte Fossey, Nelly Borgeaud, Geneviève Fontanel…
The filmmaker wrote the screenplay because he admired Charles Denner. Is love an obsession. This dialogue gives a sketch of an answer: « Women’s legs are compasses that survey the globe in all directions, giving it balance and harmony. »
The Last Metro
1980, with Catherine Deneuve, Gérard Depardieu, Heinz Bennent, Jean Poiret…
The Second World War and its torments. Paris and Collaboration. A Jewish playwright, who continues to direct his scenes from the basement of his theater where he hides. The film was a triumph at the Césars with ten awards, including those for best actors given to Catherine Deneuve and Gérard Depardieu, and an Oscar nomination.
