Stolen Kisses (1968)

After being discharged from the army, Antoine Doinel centers a screwball comedy where he applies for different jobs and tries to make sense of his relationships with women.

Director:

François Truffaut

Writers:

François Truffaut (scenario and dialogue), Claude de Givray (scenario and dialogue)

Stars:

Jean-Pierre Léaud, Claude Jade, Delphine Seyrig

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 5 wins & 6 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jean-Pierre Léaud	...	Antoine Doinel
Delphine Seyrig	...	Fabienne Tabard
Claude Jade	...	Christine Darbon
Michael Lonsdale	...	Georges Tabard (as Michel Lonsdale)
Harry-Max	...	Monsieur Henri
André Falcon	...	Monsieur Blady
Daniel Ceccaldi	...	Lucien Darbon
Claire Duhamel	...	Madame Darbon
Catherine Lutz	...	Catherine
Martine Ferrière	...	La chef-vendeuse du magasin de chaussures
Jacques Rispal	...	Monsieur Colin
Serge Rousseau	...	Le type qui suit Christine
Paul Pavel	...	Julien
François Darbon	...	L'adjudant-chef Picard
Albert Simono	...	Albani, le client de l'agence (as Simono)

Storyline

Antoine Doinel joined the army but has just been discharged. The film tells his reunion with Christine Darbon, the girl he was in love with before the beginning of the film, and his adventures in his jobs : first as a night watchman, then as a private investigator, especially during one investigation within Mr Tabard's shoes-shop... Mme Tabard is so fascinating...

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Plot Keywords:

private detective | telephone booth | fired from the job | young man | hotel room | 

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Taglines:

Antoine knows what he wants to do...his problem is doing it

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

R

Did You Know?

Trivia

The original French title of the film comes from a line in Charles Trenet's song "Que reste-t-il de nos amours ?" which is also used as the film's signature tune.

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Goofs

When Antoine kisses Christine in the basement, he pushes her back against the wall. The walls are dirty and leave black stains across the back of her sweater. When they leave and she reaches the top of the stairs the stains are gone.

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Quotes

Georges Tabard: Do you speak English, Antoine?
Antoine Doinel: I'm learning from records, but it's not easy.
Georges Tabard: Records are a joke. There's only one way to learn: in bed with an English girl. It's time you learned. I learned with an Australian girl while her husband was at work painting houses.
Fabienne Tabard: Like Hitler.
Georges Tabard: Don't ever say Hitler was a housepainter. That's slander. Hitler painted landscapes.

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Crazy Credits

Instead of including "The lily in the valley" by Honoré de Balzac in the writing credits, Truffaut show us the main character reading a book where we can clearly read the cover that says ""The lily in the valley" by Honoré de Balzac "

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Connections

Featured in Uuden aallon jäljillä (2009)

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Soundtracks

Que Reste-t-il de nos Amours ?
Music by Charles Trenet and Léo Chauliac
Lyrics by Charles Trenet
Performed by Charles Trenet

User Reviews

Antoine tries to make it through life

"Stolen Kisses" is about Antoine Doinel (Jean-Pierre Leaud, in an exquisite performance), part of a three-film cycle about this young man who is trying to figure out life, love, and where and with whom he belongs.

In the beginning of the film, Antoine is dishonorably discharged from the army and thus his job hunt begins. He's really not very good as a gift-wrapper, or as the night watchman at a hotel, or as a private detective. The detective job takes up most of the film. He is dispatched to work undercover in a shoe shop to find out why nobody likes the boss. He falls head over heels for the boss' stunningly beautiful wife Fabienne. We also see Antoine dealing with his on-again, off-again relationship with his girlfriend Christine, who wants him when he doesn't want her, and vice versa.

Accompanied by a beautiful music score and set in '60s Paris, "Stolen Kisses" is a whimsical, sometimes cynical film about different levels of love (often existing in one relationship), the search for self, and for loving the unattainable. The follow-up is "Bed and Board."

Details

Country:

France

Language:

French English

Release Date:

February 1969 (USA)

Also Known As:

Stolen Kisses

Filming Locations:

15 Rue de Steinkerque, Paris 18, Paris, France

Box Office

Budget:

$350,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$11,206, 25 April 1999

Gross USA:

$509

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$509

Company Credits

Production Co:

Les Films du Carrosse, Les Productions Artistes Associés

Technical Specs

Runtime:

91 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1