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The 400 Blows
The 400 Blows
9.0
/10
38,726 Ratings

THE 400 BLOWS

Les quatre cents coups

Directed by François Truffaut
France, 1959
Drama

Synopsis

Misunderstood Parisian 14-year-old Antoine Doinel journeys through a life of aloof parents, oppressive teachers, and petty crime. A loner on the brink of rebellion, Antoine is buoyed along the way by a touching friendship, a love of cinema, and the hope of escape.

Synopsis

Misunderstood Parisian 14-year-old Antoine Doinel journeys through a life of aloof parents, oppressive teachers, and petty crime. A loner on the brink of rebellion, Antoine is buoyed along the way by a touching friendship, a love of cinema, and the hope of escape.

Our take

By blowing up the established credos of French cinema, François Truffaut’s defiant, semi-autobiographical debut feature put the Nouvelle Vague on the world stage. An iconic 14-year-old (!) Jean-Pierre Léaud plays a rebellious youth in his first of many turns as Truffaut’s cinematic alter ego.