The 400 Blows Essay

1267 Words3 Pages

The 400 Blows (1959) Film Review

The 400 Blows, directed by François Truffaut, was one of the featured films during the late 50s, during the New Wave movement. Arguably, The 400 Blows may be one of the most crucial films of the New Wave movement. Truffaut mentions how this is one of his personal films and that he even identifies with the main character, Antoine Doinel. As a new wave film, it shows one of the main features of the movement, the making of biographies. Therefore, this film was a semi-autobiographical one since it was motivated by Truffaut’s problematic childhood. Also, The French New Wave constantly consisted of films that referred to social issues and the myth of youth. In The 400 Blows a young man who appears to be of an older …show more content…

Truffaut’s early years were constituted by repressive teachers, crime, and indifferent parents. He was raised by a mother who was extremely distant and a father who was not really the biological one. Undeniably, Truffaut grew up in a dysfunctional family. Truffaunt, rebellious, often skipped days a school to instead go to the movies. Due to his actions Truffaunt, after disserting from the armed forces, was sent to a military penitentiary in 1951. In The 400 Blows, the movie is filled with bitterness between family and school. Truffaut mentioned in 1962: “I have always loved my father and my mother; I have not always loved my …show more content…

Should it be Antonie’s school or Antonie’s family? Which institution really has the blame? While in school, teachers are extremely unfair and strict, at home, Antonie’s mother does not look after his son. We believe institutions in society are the ones that set up rules, and therefore, any injustices are indeed, society’s fault. Arguably, society makes the rules and those shape the behavior of people. Yet, it appears to be society (family and school) who have a direct effect on Antonie’s conduct. Does Antonie’s behavior threaten society? Would that mean that institution actions may come back to them? It appears to be that injustice has effects on society, which is the one that creates the injustices on the first

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