The poster boy of the French New Wave
If you happen to be residing in the Big Apple, then you might be interested in what Lincoln Center is about to offer this week. If you're a huge fan of French Cinema, then you shouldn't miss it. There will be a retrospective on Jean-Pierre Léaud, whose young face would make film enthusiasts skip a bit. "The 400 Blows", an autobiographical motion picture, was released in 1958. It launched the French New Wave. Léaud became the poster boy of this genre that changed filmmaking.
François Truffaut, who helmed "The 400 Blows", would collaborate with Léaud for four more movies. Antoine Doinel grew up in front of moviegoers, a rebellious lad turned eccentric fellow. Some viewers suspected the real Léaud not to be remote from the character he became known for, losing his bearing after Truffaut's early death in 1984. The actor appeared in Jean-Luc Godard's later works, even working with Olivier Assayas on two projects. His most recent work saw him as a dying Louis XIV, where Albert Serra's camera was often focused on his gaunt features. It could be a full circle for Léaud, who would be 72 years of age.
The organizers of this retrospective have many reasons to put the spotlight on Léaud. He could be compared to Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney, both of whom grew up on the big screen. Léaud's achievement would be playing Antoine Doinel several times, in different stages of his life, where he would endear to the most enthusiastic members of the audience. The French New Wave, a departure from classics (by the likes of Jean Renoir), featured actors who were unlikely to become famous if not for these trendsetting filmmakers. (Jean Seberg, who starred alongside Jean-Paul Belmondo in "Breathless", would be a good example. The American could have been a Hollywood leading lady, but she didn't found success until she crossed the Atlantic.) The premises were far from the satire on the social class, a frequent theme in French Cinema. It was far from an aberration, as the likes of Godard-influenced Hollywood and other foreign filmmakers. Cinema took a deep turn before the end of the 1960s.
Truffaut's sensitivity made his works distinctive from the rest. The viewers sympathized with Antoine Doinel's shortcomings, even understand that he was destined to be special. Some may have a different perception of it, but the camera often focused on Léaud's face. There was earnestness, even a gentle soul behind his impish leanings.
What could be the other noteworthy films from the French New Wave? Here are three:
Hiroshima mon amour (1959) by Alain Resnais. Any reference to the nuclear bombing of Hiroshima would be an attempt to intellectualize what might be a doomed affair, but Resnais would start a trend that Richard Linklater tried to make it his own (and fell short). This won't be meant for a single viewing, as the screenplay would alienate viewers for some time. And then the sudden piercing.
Lola (1961) by Jacques Demy. The colorful "The Umbrellas of Cherbourg" would come to mind, the finest in this trilogy set in the northern part of France. Demy loved the music, the bittersweet life he would reveal in his trilogy. (Even Gene Kelly managed to sing and dance in the sweltering summer.) Roland Cassard, whom Geneviève settled down, would star in the first feature (of this trilogy). Anouk Aimée, who played the titular character, would leave audience clamoring for her presence. (Those eyes, that voice.) And let's not compare her with Marlene's Lola.
Alphaville (1965) by Jean Luc-Godard. The director of "Breathless" grew into a very eccentric old man, whose recent films could only appeal to his fans and those who longed for the heyday of the French New Wave. This science-fiction picture might be his best work to date, which could rival the striking "Metropolis" and iconic "2001: A Space Odyssey". What was even more remarkable was the fact that Godard didn't spend much on production. Only a genius could do it, even managed to pull off a doomed bourgeois affair.
Mark your calendar this week, as you don't want to miss Jean-Pierre Léaud.
