Baisers volés (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 & 5 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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Did You Know?

Trivia

The third film in François Truffaut's series about Antoine Doinel.

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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 Deux de la Vague (2010)

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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

Angel Claude Jade

For the role of Christine Darbon, Truffaut cast a nineteen-year-old actress, Claude Jade, who had impressed him in the stage play Enrico IV. Truffaut had been "completely taken by her beauty, her manners, her kindness, and her joie de vivre." Her polite upbringing and charismatic girl-next-door quality, as far as Truffaut was concerned, made Claude Jade perfect for the role of the pure-hearted Christine who would eventually win Antoine's heart.

As Christine, Claude Jade is as cute as a button and her scenes are often the most charming ones in the film. Her introductory scene, stepping out of the Parisian night appearing like an angel to wave shyly at Antoine through a glass wall, is a delight. Later, Christine attempts to guess Antoine's latest job, amusingly tossing out way-off-the-mark guesses like cab driver or water taster. It is a ticklish scene but also hints that Christine, as of yet, doesn't think so highly of Antoine's employable skills. By the film's end, Antoine has become a TV repairman. He has been holding a grudge against Christine, so she wins him back in a fetching manner. She calls his company for service even as she is removing a component from her TV. The company sends Antoine, who is then forced to stay for hours trying to fix an irreparable TV.

The best romantic scene in the film, however, is a quaint breakfast scene one morning in Christine's kitchen. Christine is busy teaching Antoine how to butter toast. Antoine, for his part, wishes to pose a question to her. Too embarrassed to express himself in words, he writes his question on a notepad instead and hands it to her. She immediately writes her reply and hands it back to him. They continue in this manner for a few more exchanges before Antoine withdraws a scissor from a nearby drawer and hangs it on Christine's ring finger. It is a touching and intimate moment between the two young lovers and communicates, without intrusive words, their affection for one another.

Details

Country:

France

Language:

French English

Release Date:

4 September 1968 (France)

Also Known As:

Baisers volés

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