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Breathless

Original title: À bout de souffle
  • 1960
  • Not Rated
  • 1h 30m
IMDb RATING
7.7/10
85K
YOUR RATING
François Truffaut, Jean-Luc Godard, Jean-Paul Belmondo, Claude Chabrol, and Jean Seberg in Breathless (1960)
Original trailer with English subtitles
Play trailer2:03
3 Videos
91 Photos
CrimeDrama

A small-time thief steals a car and impulsively murders a motorcycle policeman. Wanted by the authorities, he reunites with a hip American journalism student and attempts to persuade her to ... Read allA small-time thief steals a car and impulsively murders a motorcycle policeman. Wanted by the authorities, he reunites with a hip American journalism student and attempts to persuade her to run away with him to Italy.A small-time thief steals a car and impulsively murders a motorcycle policeman. Wanted by the authorities, he reunites with a hip American journalism student and attempts to persuade her to run away with him to Italy.

  • Director
    • Jean-Luc Godard
  • Writers
    • François Truffaut
    • Jean-Luc Godard
    • Claude Chabrol
  • Stars
    • Jean-Paul Belmondo
    • Jean Seberg
    • Van Doude
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    7.7/10
    85K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Jean-Luc Godard
    • Writers
      • François Truffaut
      • Jean-Luc Godard
      • Claude Chabrol
    • Stars
      • Jean-Paul Belmondo
      • Jean Seberg
      • Van Doude
    • 249User reviews
    • 219Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 1 BAFTA Award
      • 5 wins & 4 nominations total

    Videos3

    Bande-annonce [OV]
    Trailer 2:03
    Watch Bande-annonce [OV]
    Breathless: The Criterion Collection
    Trailer 1:34
    Watch Breathless: The Criterion Collection
    Breathless - Rialto Pictures Trailer
    Trailer 1:22
    Watch Breathless - Rialto Pictures Trailer

    Photos91

    Raoul Coutard in Breathless (1960)
    Jean-Paul Belmondo in Breathless (1960)
    Jean-Paul Belmondo and Jean Seberg in Breathless (1960)
    Jean-Paul Belmondo and Jean Seberg in Breathless (1960)
    Jean-Paul Belmondo and Jean Seberg in Breathless (1960)
    Jean-Paul Belmondo and Jean Seberg in Breathless (1960)
    Jean-Paul Belmondo and Jean Seberg in Breathless (1960)
    Jean-Paul Belmondo in Breathless (1960)
    Jean-Paul Belmondo and Jean Seberg in Breathless (1960)
    Jean Seberg in Breathless (1960)
    Jean-Paul Belmondo and Jean Seberg in Breathless (1960)
    Jean-Paul Belmondo and Jean Seberg in Breathless (1960)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Jean-Paul Belmondo
    Jean-Paul Belmondo
    • Michel Poiccard a.k.a. Laszlo Kovacs
    Jean Seberg
    Jean Seberg
    • Patricia Franchini
    Van Doude
    Van Doude
    • Self
    Jean-Luc Godard
    Jean-Luc Godard
    • The Snitch
    Richard Balducci
    • Tolmatchoff
    • (uncredited)
    Daniel Boulanger
    • Police Inspector Vital
    • (uncredited)
    Gérard Brach
    • Photographer
    • (uncredited)
    Philippe de Broca
    Philippe de Broca
    • A Journalist
    • (uncredited)
    José Bénazéraf
    • Man in a White Car
    • (uncredited)
    Jean Domarchi
    • A Drunk
    • (uncredited)
    Jean Douchet
    • A Journalist
    • (uncredited)
    Liliane Dreyfus
    • Liliane
    • (uncredited)
    • …
    Michel Fabre
    • Police Inspector #2
    • (uncredited)
    Roger Hanin
    Roger Hanin
    • Carl Zubart
    • (uncredited)
    Henri-Jacques Huet
    • Antonio Berrutti
    • (uncredited)
    Raymond Huntley
    Raymond Huntley
    • A Journalist
    • (uncredited)
    André S. Labarthe
    • Journalist at Orly
    • (uncredited)
    Louiguy
      • Director
        • Jean-Luc Godard
      • Writers
        • François Truffaut
        • Jean-Luc Godard(uncredited)
        • Claude Chabrol(uncredited)
      • All cast & crew
      • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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      Storyline

      Edit

      Did you know

      Edit
      • Trivia
        According to Jean-Pierre Melville, Godard asked him for consultation during the post-production stage, because the first edit was too long for distribution. Melville suggested Godard remove all scenes that slowed down the action (his own turn as novelist Parvulesco included). Instead of excluding entire scenes, though, Godard cut little bits from here and there. This led to the "jump cut" technique this movie introduced. Melville declared the result to be excellent.
      • Goofs
        During street shots, countless passersby look at Patricia and Michel and stare into the camera, revealing that the shots were made without filming barriers and simply used street pedestrians in place of extras.
      • Quotes

        Patricia Franchini: What is your greatest ambition in life?

        Parvulesco: To become immortal... and then die.

      • Connections
        Edited into Origins of the 21st Century (2000)

      User reviews249

      Review
      Review
      Featured review
      9/10
      To become immortal, and then die
      So says the novelist in response to Patricia's question, "What do you hope to attain out of life?" That response is the philosophy of the film and of every character in the film. All want to be in control of their destiny. All want to be something that they are not. None are able to do any of these things. They are all contradictions. How can you die as an immortal? How can Patricia be free and independent is so many other things determine what she can do? How can this film transcend the screen while existing on the screen? This is an amazing film to watch. Goddard fills every scene with ingenuity and energy. He puts his actors in a beautiful environment and lets them do their thing. And they do it extremely well. The actors are beautiful. Not just cosmetically, but spiritually and psychologically. I am not sure that I liked either of the two main characters. I am sure I could not keep my eyes off them. I could not take my eyes off the screen. Techniques that novices today use for no substantial purpose are utilized by Goddard to amazing effect. The greatest filmmakers are the great editors. Goddard makes the editing a character itself. It is the nervous narrator hurrying the film along. It breathlessly awaits the next scene, and leads us to do the same. I like the way Goddard spends prodigious time simply watching his characters. The conversation scene at the center of the film is amazingly long and drawn out, yet I did not find it boring. I found it fascinating. People are fascinating. Everyone is trying to be something. It takes tremendous talent to indulge in the minutiae of existence. A great film.
      helpful•123
      37
      • jdoan-4
      • Jan 21, 2006

      Top picks

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      FAQ5

      • What is the significance of Michel rubbing his lips with his thumb?
      • What does Michel say at the end of the movie?
      • What is the movie playing in the theater when Michel and Patricia are trying to escape from the detectives?

      Details

      Edit
      • Release date
        • February 7, 1961 (United States)
      • Country of origin
        • France
      • Languages
        • French
        • English
      • Also known as
        • Ausser Atem
      • Filming locations
        • 11 rue Campagne Première, Paris 14, Paris, France(on location)
      • Production companies
        • Les Films Impéria
        • Les Productions Georges de Beauregard
        • Société Nouvelle de Cinématographie (SNC)
      • See more company credits at IMDbPro

      Box office

      Edit
      • Budget
        • FRF 400,000 (estimated)
      • Gross US & Canada
        • $414,173
      • Opening weekend US & Canada
        • $32,424
        • May 30, 2010
      • Gross worldwide
        • $569,340
      See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

      Technical specs

      Edit
      • Runtime
        1 hour 30 minutes
      • Color
        • Black and White
      • Sound mix
        • Mono
      • Aspect ratio
        • 1.37 : 1

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