Breathless

Godard’s full feature debut was his commercially most successful film. It elevated his name to the international scene and has allowed him to approach cinema in the way he wanted. Thanks to this film Godard has become the most famous auteur in world cinema.

Like many films mady by young filmmakers of that times, it was produced quickly and with little money, though not as cheaply as legend says. Financial and time limits made an impact on the shape of the film, especially its dynamism and ‘roughness’. However, more important in creating this effect was Godard’s conscious effort. The plot of the film is simple: a typical gangster story. A petty gangster, Michel Poiccard, who fashions himself on Humphrey Bogart, is travelling from Marseille to Paris to pick up money owed to him by his partner. He also wants to persuade an American student named Patricia he had met earlier, to go to Milan with him. She does not agree to join him and reports Michael to the police. In this film Godard broke the codes of continuity, which was adhered to by professional film editors at this time. He also humorously mirrored existentialist ennui which characterized the 1950s.