Facebook Twitter Instagram
    Latest
    • Thank You
    • 4000. Scenes From A Marriage (1973)
    • 3999. The Pianist (2002)
    • 3998. Philadelphia (1993)
    • 3997. Jeanne Dielman, 23 Quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles (1975)
    • 3996. The Green Mile (1999)
    • 3995. Doctor Zhivago (1965)
    • 3994. Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022)
    The Mad Movie Man
    • Home
    • Blog
      • All Posts
      • Best Of The Year
        • Best Of 2015
        • Best Of 2016
        • Best Of 2017
        • Best Of 2018
        • Best Of 2019
        • Best Of 2020
        • Best Of 2021
        • Best Of 2022
      • The Decade In Review
      • Box Office Analysis
      • James Bond
      • Oscars
      • RANKED
      • Star Wars
      • The Big Questions
      • Top 10
      • World Cinema
    • Ratings
      • Top 250
      • Top 100 Foreign Films
      • Bottom 50
      • 0 – 1.9
      • 2 – 3.9
      • 4 – 5.9
      • 6 – 7.9
      • 8 – 10
    • Genres
      • Action
      • Anthology
      • Animation
      • Christmas
      • Comedy
      • Crime
      • Documentary
      • Drama
      • Fantasy
      • Film-Noir
      • History
      • Horror
      • Kids’
      • Musical
      • Psychological
      • Romance
      • Sci-Fi
      • Short
      • Silent
      • Sport
      • Superhero
      • Survival
      • Thriller
      • Western
    • Release Year
      • 2020s
      • 2010s
      • 2000s
      • 1990s
      • 1980s
      • 1970s
      • 1960s
      • 1950s
      • 1940s
      • 1930s
      • 1920s
    • Country
      • Afghanistan
      • Argentina
      • Australia
      • Austria
      • Belgium
      • Brazil
      • Cambodia
      • Canada
      • Chile
      • China
      • Colombia
      • Costa Rica
      • Czechoslovakia
      • Czech Republic
      • Denmark
      • East Timor
      • Faroe Islands
      • Finland
      • France
      • Germany
      • Georgia
      • Greece
      • Hong Kong
      • Hungary
      • Iceland
      • India
      • Indonesia
      • Iran
      • Iraq
      • Ireland
      • Israel
      • Italy
      • Japan
      • Latvia
      • Lebanon
      • Laos
      • Malaysia
      • Mexico
      • New Zealand
      • Nigeria
      • North Korea
      • Norway
      • Paraguay
      • Peru
      • Philippines
      • Poland
      • Romania
      • Russia
      • Saudi Arabia
      • Singapore
      • South Korea
      • South Africa
      • Soviet Union
      • Spain
      • Sweden
      • Switzerland
      • Syria
      • Taiwan
      • Thailand
      • Turkey
      • Uganda
      • United Kingdom
      • United States
      • Uruguay
      • Vietnam
      • Zambia
    • About
    The Mad Movie Man
    You are at:Home»Review»610. The 400 Blows (1959)

    610. The 400 Blows (1959)

    0
    By The Mad Movie Man on July 2, 2014 1959, 8 - 10, 90-99 mins, Crime, Drama, France, Jul 14, Movies Of 2014, Review
    8.2 Dark and hard-hitting
    • Acting 8.1
    • Directing 8.2
    • Story 8.3
    • User Ratings (0 Votes) 0

    Starring: Jean-Pierre Léaud, Albert Rémy, Claire Maurier

    Director: François Truffaut

    Running Time: 99 mins


    The 400 Blows (Les quatre cents coups) is a French film about a young boy, failing in school and suffering in his family life, who turns to a life of petty crime, only for his situation to worsen.

    This film is fascinating. As well as simply being a great character study, it’s an interesting look into how poorly many children were treated in France at the time. Also, it’s a fantastically directed and acted film that does really grab you right from the start.

    Let’s start, though, with the very harsh nature of this story. Assessing the idea whether strong punishment actually worsens the situation of a young criminal, this film is a constantly depressing and upsetting sight to see, as it shows that this is idea is true.

    From the start, you see that his family life is relatively harsh, while his school is extremely strict, however you have the belief that there is some salvation for this young boy in his family, so as the story unfolds in a very realistic but harsh way, it becomes more apparent that there is no saving grace for him, although it may not be through any fault of his own.

    In terms of the main character, the young boy, Antoine Doinel, it’s a fascinating story to follow along. A character that, while you can see is clearly a little bit of a troublemaker, is simply misunderstood by his family and his teachers, and as you do get the opportunity to hear his thoughts at points during the film, you know the real case of what he believes is right.

    And that’s why the later stages of the film are so depressing and hard-hitting. He is a boy that tries to do good, but seeing as almost everything he does gets him into some degree of trouble, it frustrates him and inevitably forces him to a life of crime. What’s worse is when you see him being punished so unjustly at points all the way throughout the film, because you know that this really is wrong.

    Away from the main bulk of the film, this is also technically brilliant. Some stunning directing and cinematography, using a lot of dark images in very enclosed spaces for the majority of the film to mirror the nature of Doinel’s life, while it has a very subtle but very effective score, especially towards the end, that just gets into your mind and messes with it, making the film all the more fascinating and hard-hitting, and that’s why it gets an 8.2.

    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
    The Mad Movie Man
    • Website
    • Facebook
    • Twitter

    The Mad Movie Man, AKA Anthony Cullen, writes articles and reviews about movies and the world of cinema. From January 1st, 2013 to December 31st, 2022, he watched and reviewed a movie every day. This is the blog dedicated to the project: www.madmovieman.com

    Related Posts

    8.2

    4000. Scenes From A Marriage (1973)

    7.8

    3999. The Pianist (2002)

    8.2

    3998. Philadelphia (1993)

    Follow Me Online!
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
    • Tumblr
    New Releases
    8.2
    December 25, 2022

    3994. Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022)

    5.6
    December 10, 2022

    3969. Falling For Christmas (2022)

    6.9
    December 4, 2022

    3956. The People We Hate At The Wedding (2022)

    5.4
    December 3, 2022

    3954. Disenchanted (2022)

    7.4
    December 3, 2022

    3953. Meet Cute (2022)

    7.6
    November 23, 2022

    3934. Do Revenge (2022)

    7.0
    November 18, 2022

    3929. The Wonder (2022)

    6.7
    November 13, 2022

    3924. See How They Run (2022)

    Recommended Movies
    8.3
    Review
    November 4, 20180

    2338. Penguin Highway (ペンギン・ハイウェイ) (2018)

    8.0
    Review
    November 29, 20180

    2365. Serial (Bad) Weddings (2014)

    8.1
    Review
    March 21, 20140

    495. Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs (1937)

    8.8
    Review
    January 29, 20140

    437. Fargo (1996)

    8.2
    Review
    December 1, 20180

    2367. Creed II (2018)

    Popular Posts
    December 31, 2022

    Thank You

    8.2
    December 31, 2022

    4000. Scenes From A Marriage (1973)

    7.8
    December 30, 2022

    3999. The Pianist (2002)

    8.2
    December 29, 2022

    3998. Philadelphia (1993)

    7.5
    December 28, 2022

    3997. Jeanne Dielman, 23 Quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles (1975)

    9.1
    December 27, 2022

    3996. The Green Mile (1999)

    7.6
    December 26, 2022

    3995. Doctor Zhivago (1965)

    © 2023 ThemeSphere. Designed by ThemeSphere.

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.