Mar. 16, 1960|France|90 Min.|n/A
Genre: Crime;Drama
Description: Michel, a young and reckless criminal inspired by Humphrey Bogart’s film persona, steals a car in Marseille and kills a pursuing policeman on a country road. Fleeing the law, he seeks refuge with Patricia, an American student and aspiring journalist in Paris who sells newspapers on the streets. Patricia harbors him in her apartment as he attempts to convince her to join him in escaping to Italy while also trying to secure funds for their getaway. Patricia, who believes she is pregnant with Michel’s child, discovers his fugitive status when questioned by the police. Ultimately, she betrays him but confesses her actions before the authorities arrive. Resigned to his fate, Michel makes no immediate attempt to escape. The police shoot him in the street, and after a brief struggle, he collapses and dies “out of breath.”
The film *Breathless* (1960) was loosely inspired by a real-life incident François Truffaut read in a newspaper. The character of Michel Poiccard is based on Michel Portail, who in 1952 stole a car to visit his ill mother in Le Havre and ended up killing a police officer on a motorcycle. Truffaut initially collaborated with Claude Chabrol on adapting the story but abandoned the project due to creative differences. Jean-Luc Godard, who admired their treatment, proposed making the film independently. After convincing producer Georges de Beauregard, Godard took the helm, with Truffaut and Chabrol providing the foundational material.
Cast director: Jean-Luc Godard
Cast actor: Jean-Paul Belmondo, Jean Seberg, Daniel Boulanger, Jean-Pierre Melville, Henri-Jacques Huet, Van Doude, Claude Mansard, Jean-Luc Godard, Richard Balducci, Roger Hanin
Original name: À bout de souffle