Response II- 400 Blows

I did not really know what to expect from a film with the title "400 Blows." Before watching a film, I could usually accurately guess what it will generally deal with; however, this wasn't the case with this film. I believed that the reason for entitling the film "400 Blows" would become evident during my viewing of the film, but I was wrong. After seeing this movie, I still could not understand why it had such a title. Then I realized that "400 Blows" is not the original title of the film, it is "Les cents quatre coups." The French title is literally translated "400 Blows;" however, "Les cents quatre coups" comes from the French expression "faire les quatre cents coups" which means "to raise hell." After taking into account the meaning of the French title, the reason why Francios Truffaut chose such a title becomes clear- because "400 Blows" deals with an adolescent named Antione Doinel who is regarded as a "hell rasier" by his parents and his teachers. As the film progresses, one feels that Antione is the victim, not the people he annoys with his misdeeds. This sentiment comes about with the sense of confinement Truffaut creates in this film. Furthermore, the audience discovers that Antione is not as evil as he is perceived to be and that the bad behavior he displays is a result of a disfunctional family.

Throughout the whole film, Truffaut creates a sense of confinement. This is done mostly with the sets and especially with Jean-Pierre Leaud's acting. Leaud's portrayal of Antione was very passive and apathetic. There were not very many instances in this film where Antione shows a great deal of emotion. From what I remember, there were only two scenes where Antione demonstrates emotion: when he is in that ride that rotates rapidly, and when he is in reform school and he sees his close friend outside. For me, the lack of emotion created an atmosphere of unhappiness which elevated the sense of imprisonment. Although Antione is not literally confined for a majority of the movie, the conditions he lives in, along with the way that he is treated by his elders allowed me to feel as if he were living his life in prison.

The sets Truffaut uses also add to the sense of imprisonment in "400 Blows." Antione lives in a small apartment with his family. The apartment is in livable condition, but Antione sleeps in a very small room, almost closet-like, with a bed that hasn't any sheets. At one point, Antione's fathers asks the mother why she hasn't bought new sheets for Antione. She refuses to buy them because she claims Antione likes his sleeping bag better. Also, the classroom at the school Antione attends isn't very appealing; it reflects a prison setting. The work the teacher assigns to the students adds to this as well. In one scene, he makes the children memorize poetry and cite it back to him. They learn the poetry without knowing what it means and without giving their onw feedback on it. They are taught one way of thinking, and they are to accept it and not challenge it.

Antione was born out of wedlock and his mother reluctantly gave birth to him. One can see that Antione's mother clearly resents him through the way she mistreats him. In addition, Antione's mother has an affair which is not secret to Antione, and his parents constantly fight. To me, this qualifies as a disfunctional family. A child cannot develop properly unless he/she is raised in a nuturing environment; therefore, the fact that Antione is a troublemaker is not entirely his fault.

Antione has a dream of visiting the ocean. The fact that this dream is so simple and innocent shows the pure-hearted side of Antione that is rarely seen. At the end of the film, Antione's dream finally comes true when he escapes from reform school and runs to the ocean. Truffaut uniquely ends the film with a freeze frame. Before Truffaut, no one had ever ended a film in this manner; however, I feel that a freeze frame conclusion was appropriated for "400 Blows."

There were many times in my life when I wished that I could freeze time. With the freeze frame, Truffaut managed to perpetuate Antione's moment of perfect happiness. I have heard some say that the ending leaves the audience in a state of suspense. Contrary to most people, I was satisfied with the ending. Realistically, I believe Truffaut could not expand on this story anymore. Antione's ultimate dream has come true-- there is no better ending than that. This freeze frame ending in a way reminds me of a poem by John Keats entitled " Ode on a Grecian Urn." The poem can be found on http://englishhistory.net/keats/poetry/odeonagrecianurn.html. In a way, I am jealous of Antione. That freeze frame not only immortalizes him, but leaves him living eternally in a state of happiness.