Breathless
À bout de souffle
France • 1960
Director
#408Criterion Collection →Synopsis
There was before BREATHLESS, and there was after BREATHLESS. Jean-Luc Godard burst onto the film scene in 1960 with this jazzy, free-form, and sexy homage to the American film genres that inspired him as a writer for “Cahiers du cinèma.” With its lack of polish, surplus of attitude, anything-goes crime narrative, and effervescent young stars Jean-Paul Belmondo and Jean Seberg, BREATHLESS helped launch the French New Wave and ensured that cinema would never be the same.
Synopsis
There was before BREATHLESS, and there was after BREATHLESS. Jean-Luc Godard burst onto the film scene in 1960 with this jazzy, free-form, and sexy homage to the American film genres that inspired him as a writer for “Cahiers du cinèma.” With its lack of polish, surplus of attitude, anything-goes crime narrative, and effervescent young stars Jean-Paul Belmondo and Jean Seberg, BREATHLESS helped launch the French New Wave and ensured that cinema would never be the same.
Criterion Closet Picks
(5)
Credits
Crew
DirectorJean-Luc Godard
WriterJean-Luc Godard
CinematographerRaoul Coutard
ComposerMartial Solal
EditorCécile Decugis
ProducerGeorges de Beauregard
Cast
Jean-Paul Belmondoas Michel Poiccard / László Kovács
Jean Sebergas Patricia Franchini
Daniel Boulangeras Police Inspector Vital
Henri-Jacques Huetas Antonio Berrutti
