A French New Wave Existential Romp - Godard's Breathless

Breaking the rules of his own Hollywood film influences while at the same time paying homage to them, Godard's Breathless is a French New Wave existential romp through the streets of Paris. With his use of extreme jump-cuts and an unsteady, life-like handheld camera Godard was able to express his film theories and philosophies through the two main characters Michel and Patricia.

On first viewing one could look at the film as a dreamy visual poem, taking the viewer through Paris with a jazzy soundtrack and semi-surreal feel to it. It's almost a beat poem with harsh jazz cuts and changes in rhythm, twirling cigarette smoke, fedoras and fast cars, exhausting, confused romance and obvious references to Bogart and 50's American crime cinema - sinister, shadowy noir. Through Breathless Godard masterfully shows his love for cinema without distracting the audience from the narrative; his film acts as pure entertainment on the surface, but lurking beneath the stolen cars, innocent crime and engaging, questionable romance crawls cinematic theory and Godard's philosophy.

Before making films Godard worked as a critic for the magazine Cahiers du cinema,in which he and the other writers (including Truffaut) reevaluated classical American cinema. It is from this criticism and film theory that the French New Wave evolved and produced Godard's distinctive style. In Breathless Godard expresses his reverie for American movies through Michel's character and his movements; such as his constant rubbing of lips, mimicking Bogart, especially evident when he is staring into a poster of Bogart; and his criminal nature as a petty thief and anti-hero. Michel is the antihero in the likes of noir films - a petty criminal. Through Patricia Godard represents the attractive, illusive woman who, like in noir films, lures the man in, only to double cross him; although in this film her motives are very questionable, rather than the Noir-style femme fatale.