Blog #1: Antoine Doinel: A Credible Character (The 400 Blows)

 

"Oh, I lie now and then, I suppose. Sometimes I'd tell them the truth and they still wouldn't believe me, so I prefer to lie"

-Antoine Doinel, The 400 Blows

It is inevitable to not feel sorry for the deviant boy living in the beautiful, yet sketchy, Paris. His parents are living their own lives, while forgetting about their son. His mother is having an affair with her boss, while her husband is desperately looking for his missing Michelin guide. This boy is living a nightmare at school. His teacher and one of his classmates bullies him. The reason? We don't know. Well, at least he has his friend to support him. But that is not enough for this boy. Poor Antoine Doinel. What did he do wrong? What did Francois Truffaut try to convey to his audience? Maybe life is unfair. But, is it unjust to all humanity, or just to certain people? His truest friend, Rene, commits the same "mistakes" as Antoine, but he isn't punished. What is different? The answer relies on each boy's social status. That is the true of life: money changes everything. This is why "The 400 Blows" is the most credible coming-of-age film that I've ever seen in my short life. Well, it makes sense. After all, this is the half-memoir of Truffaut. 

 

This is my favorite shot of the film. The contrast between the "madame" (you have to see the film to completely understand this inside joke) and the background is powerful. Even though it's in black & white, it draws the eye to the madame. The background doesn't matter, it's this character that takes over the scene. The lines from the stairs and handrails make the shot more geometric, which makes it aesthetic and neat. But the real reason why this shot is in my "Top 10: Cinematographic Scenes" (alongside the Dunkirk scene from "Atonement") is the film reference from "The Seventh Seal." The resemblance is uncanny.

 

Do you think that Truffaut was inspired by Ingmar Bergman's "The Seventh Seal," when he shot this scene?