The 400 Blows
1959 · 1h 39m · Drama
Watch it tonight if you're in the mood for a quietly devastating masterpiece that invented the modern coming-of-age film. Truffaut's debut is essential cinema—a heartbreaking portrait of adolescent alienation that feels as raw and relevant as the day it premiered. Skip only if you need explosions and easy answers.
Plot
For young Parisian boy Antoine Doinel, life is one difficult situation after another. Surrounded by inconsiderate adults, including his neglectful parents, Antoine spends his days with his best friend, Rene, trying to plan for a better life. When one of their schemes goes awry, Antoine ends up in trouble with the law, leading to even more conflicts with unsympathetic authority figures.
Director: François Truffaut
Cast: Jean-Pierre Léaud, Claire Maurier, Albert Rémy, Georges Flamant, Patrick Auffay