Breathless (1983)

When Jesse Lujack steals a car in Las Vegas and drives down to LA, his criminal ways only escalate - but when will it end?

Director:

Jim McBride

Writers:

François Truffaut (story "A Bout De Souffle"), Jean-Luc Godard (screenplay "A Bout De Souffle")

Stars:

Richard Gere, Valérie Kaprisky, Art Metrano

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Richard Gere	...	Jesse
Valérie Kaprisky	...	Monica
Art Metrano	...	Birnbaum
John P. Ryan	...	Lt. Parmental
William Tepper	...	Paul
Robert Dunn	...	Sgt. Enright
Garry Goodrow	...	Berrutti
Lisa Jane Persky	...	Salesgirl (as Lisa Persky)
James Hong	...	Grocer
Waldemar Kalinowski	...	Tomachoff
Jack Leustig	...	Hwy. Patrolman
Eugène Lourié	...	Dr. Boudreaux (as Eugene Lourié)
Georg Olden	...	Kid
Miguel Pinero	...	Carlito
Henry G. Sanders	...	Man with pipe

Storyline

Jesse has to get out of Las Vegas quickly, and steals a car to drive to L.A. On the way he shoots a police man. When he makes it to L.A. he stays with Monica, a girl he has only known for a few days. As the film progresses, the police get closer to him, and the crimes escalate.

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Plot Keywords:

nudity | male frontal nudity | shower | male nudity | female frontal nudity | 

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Taglines:

He's the last man on earth any woman needs... and every woman wants.

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Genres:

Action | Drama | Romance | Thriller

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Certificate:

R

Did You Know?

Trivia

First American film of French actress Valérie Kaprisky.

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Goofs

At the start, when Jesse is driving the stolen Porsche to L.A, he is seen taking off his jacket. the next shot is a shot from behind, which shows him with his jacket still on. In the shot after that, he is seen continuing to take off his jacket.

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Quotes

Jesse Lujack: I say Monica, you ever been to Mexico, honey?
Jesse Lujack: I say Monica, darlin', you coming to Mexico with me?
Jesse Lujack: Monica, you coming to Mexico with me!
Jesse Lujack: Me and Monica!
Jesse Lujack: Cos I'm gonna tell you how it's gonna be!
Jesse Lujack: Mon-Monica and me!
Jesse Lujack: Me and Monica! Yeah, me and Monica go to Méjico!

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Alternate Versions

Although the UK cinema version was uncut, the 1986 video release suffered 24 seconds of detailed edits to the scenes where Richard Gere breaks into and hot-wires a car, plus his breaking into 'Valerie Kaprisky''s flat using the lock pick. The cuts were fully restored in 2001 and the certificate downgraded to a "15".

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Connections

References Let's Make a Deal (1980)

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Soundtracks

Wind on Water / Wind on Wind
Performed by Robert Fripp (as Fripp) and Brian Eno (as Eno)
E.G. Music, Ltd.
E.G. Records, Ltd.

User Reviews

An impossible transplant

A Bout De Soufflé is closely related to the portrait of a generation shaped by Beatnik and Existencialist philosophies. Kerouak and Salinger in USA, Sartres and Camus in France, were among the intellectuals who inspired this generation.

A generation whose "malaise" is embedded in Paris atmosphere. Paris which was the very center of occidental culture by that time.

The American version of this story, Breathless, directed by Jim McBride, missed the point because the portrait of a generation of the sixties in Paris, cannot be transplanted to a context of the eighties in California.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Italian

Release Date:

13 May 1983 (USA)

Also Known As:

Breathless

Filming Locations:

Runyon Canyon, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$7,500,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$4,384,369, 15 May 1983

Gross USA:

$19,910,002

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$19,910,002

Company Credits

Production Co:

Breathless Associates, Cinema '84, Miko Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

100 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1