Breathless (1960) wasn't anything that I expected. Going into the film, I didn't think twice about it. Honestly I was more concerned with the fact that my mom was visiting and that she wanted to go into Moncton very badly. Bad enough to ask me to miss the screening. I got to the library just in time. When the movie started, I was taken aback by how quick everything seemed. The jump cuts were all over the place and left me feeling confused yet intrigued. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't intrigued. I haven't seen an older movie shot so differently before. To my pleasant surprise it was literally in French and I was happy that I know French. It was easier for me to follow the story. Once my brain adjusted to the language, I watched it without reading the subtitles. I suppose my experience was a little different from someone who doesn't speak the language.
So what did I enjoy? I loved the rawness of the film. I could tell it didn't have a huge budget from how public the entire movie was. The only private spaces used in the film were very small and brief. There wasn't any large sets, or fabricated areas. It was just Paris in the sixties. I'm always curious about how people acted, dressed and went about their day in the past. I started wondering about my grandparents at this time, because they would have been as young as the actors and just married. I liked how funny Michel's character was, despite doing terrible things. He tried so hard to maintain this image and I could feel that. I think the actor did an excellent job. I liked Patricia because of her aesthetic and her interest in Europe. I resonate with that since I am a student and want to have similar experiences abroad. I also thought the way it was filmed was exciting to watch because I felt like I was watching film's earlier progress. Like looking through an old sketchbook and seeing earlier drawings that you did where you're trying out new things that you're a master at today.
What I did not enjoy about this film was the characters themselves. Initially, I could stand them. However the bickering, circling dialogue got on my nerves. Particularly during the scene in the Bedroom. They kept talking about the same thing over and over with different synonyms. They weren't talking about anything large, in particular. It's like they had a circuit routine of topics that never got concluded or answered. Michel got on my nerves because of how mean and pushy he was towards Patricia. Even his criminal acts like stealing cars, money and killing didn't shock me as much as how he treated her. He reminded me of a child, frustrated for not getting his way. He was so lecherous and by today's standards, extremely creepy. I thought Patricia was going to be stronger in this film. I felt that she had potential. I didn't even mind how she was jumping ahead in her career via sexism, since it's pretty true to the era. I'm not going to plaster current politics to the past. She became annoying to me because I felt like she had a vapid personality. Perhaps that was the intentional and if so, it was done well. She wasn't conclusive in any of her choices, or towards Michel. I thought for awhile that she was on his side, but then she called the police on him. It felt unrealistic because I doubt anyone calling the police would casually tell the person they ratted them out. The last technical thing that bothered me was that the subtitles did not convey the dialogue effectively at times. The translations were often bad and gave out a different message or context. I understand that you can't quite translate French to English but I felt they were done quickly.
So I know I've been very critical of this movie. I don't think I would watch it again on my free time, perhaps if I wanted to analyze it again. I feel like maybe I missed something about the entire story. I can look past my personal tastes and appreciate it for what it is. I feel it's the pioneer for jump cuts and the use of different camera angles. As confusing as it may be, it worked for the film and I can see how this would inspire later cinematography. Not everything will be to my liking, nor as perfect. I'm definitely spoiled by refined methods of film. It's like how I appreciate silent films. I think they're really creative, innovative and imaginative. It's great how they found ways to tell stories with limited access to points of reference or effects. However, I can't stand to watch them. I tried watching Phantom of the Opera (1925) and I couldn't do it. I love Phantom of the Opera's modern renditions. It's the same situation here with Breathless. Maybe if Breathless was redone I'd enjoy it more. It has potential to be more thought provoking via it's characters. That's probably my own bias of focusing on fiction that has heavy character development.
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