The 400 Blows
Movie · Drama · Crime

13-year-old Antoine (Jean-Pierre Léaud) can't seem to do anything right. His dysfunctional parents yell at him, his spiteful schoolteacher picks on him and luck just never goes his way. Despite his efforts at patience, one day it all becomes too much and Antoine throws in the towel, choosing to take his chances on the Paris streets. At times joyous and at others bitterly hard, his new life brings a newfound freedom – one that Antoine will follow up to its painful, poignant and beautiful conclusion... Francois Truffaut's first feature film and arguably the starting point of the Nouvelle Vague, The 400 Blows is a true landmark in French cinema. Raw, honest, and intensely emotional, it captures youth in startlingly vivid detail and holds a mesmerising, unflinching mirror up to life itself.

1959 · 1h 39m
  • 99%
Starring Jean-Pierre Léaud, Claire Maurier, Albert Remy
Director François Truffaut

Trailers

  • The 400 Blows
    The 400 Blows
    Drama

Related

  • Jules et Jim
  • Breathless
  • Au revoir les enfants
  • The Last Metro
  • Pickpocket
  • Lift to the Scaffold
  • Cleo From 5 To 7
  • Hiroshima Mon Amour
  • Les Diaboliques

Cast & Crew

  • Jean-Pierre Léaud
    Antoine Doinel
  • Claire Maurier
    Gilberte Doinel
  • A‌R
    Albert Remy
    Julien Doinel
  • G‌D
    Guy Decomble
    'Petite Feuille', the French teacher
  • P‌A
    Patrick Auffray
    René
  • G‌F
    Georges Flamant
    Mr. Bigey
  • Y‌C
    Yvonne Claudie
    Mme Bigey
  • R‌B
    Robert Beauvais
    Director of the school
  • François Truffaut
    Director
  • François Truffaut
    Producer
  • François Truffaut
    Writer

About

The 400 Blows

Drama

13-year-old Antoine (Jean-Pierre Léaud) can't seem to do anything right. His dysfunctional parents yell at him, his spiteful schoolteacher picks on him and luck just never goes his way. Despite his efforts at patience, one day it all becomes too much and Antoine throws in the towel, choosing to take his chances on the Paris streets. At times joyous and at others bitterly hard, his new life brings a newfound freedom – one that Antoine will follow up to its painful, poignant and beautiful conclusion... Francois Truffaut's first feature film and arguably the starting point of the Nouvelle Vague, The 400 Blows is a true landmark in French cinema. Raw, honest, and intensely emotional, it captures youth in startlingly vivid detail and holds a mesmerising, unflinching mirror up to life itself.

99%

TOMATOMETER
Average 9.7
Reviews 72
Fresh 71
Rotten 1

Information

Studio
BFI
Released
1959
Run Time
1 hr 39 min
Rated
PG Contains mild language, violence, sex references and smoking scenes
Regions of Origin
France, United States
© 1958 Les Films du Carrosse, SEDIF

Languages

Original Audio
French (France), French, English
Audio

French (France) (AAC)

Subtitles

English (United Kingdom) (Always On)

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Select a country or region

Africa, Middle East, and India

  • Armenia
  • Azerbaijan
  • Bahrain
  • Botswana
  • Brunei Darussalam
  • Cape Verde
  • Egypt
  • Eswatini
  • Gambia
  • Ghana
  • Guinea-Bissau
  • India
  • Israel
  • Jordan
  • Lebanon
  • Mauritius
  • Mozambique
  • Namibia
  • Niger (English)
  • Oman
  • Qatar
  • Saudi Arabia
  • South Africa
  • Sri Lanka
  • Tajikistan
  • Turkmenistan
  • Uganda
  • United Arab Emirates
  • Zimbabwe

Asia Pacific

  • Australia
  • Cambodia
  • Fiji
  • 香港 (廣東話–繁體)
  • Indonesia (English)
  • 日本
  • Lao People's Democratic Republic
  • 澳門 (廣東話–繁體)
  • Malaysia (English)
  • Micronesia, Federated States of
  • Mongolia
  • New Zealand
  • Philippines
  • Singapore
  • 대한민국
  • 台灣
  • Thailand
  • Turkmenistan
  • Vietnam

Europe

  • Armenia
  • Österreich
  • Belarus
  • Belgium
  • Bulgaria
  • Cyprus
  • Czechia
  • Denmark
  • Estonia
  • Finland
  • France (Français)
  • Deutschland
  • Greece
  • Hungary
  • Ireland
  • Italia
  • Latvia
  • Lithuania
  • Luxembourg (English)
  • Malta
  • Moldova, Republic Of
  • Nederland
  • Norway
  • Poland
  • Portugal (Português)
  • Россия
  • Slovakia
  • Slovenia
  • España
  • Sverige
  • Schweiz
  • Türkiye (English)
  • Ukraine
  • United Kingdom

Latin America and the Caribbean

  • Anguilla
  • Antigua and Barbuda
  • Argentina (Español)
  • Bahamas
  • Belize
  • Bermuda
  • Bolivia (Español)
  • Brasil
  • Virgin Islands, British
  • Cayman Islands
  • Chile (Español)
  • Colombia (Español)
  • Costa Rica (Español)
  • Dominica
  • República Dominicana
  • Ecuador (Español)
  • El Salvador (Español)
  • Grenada
  • Guatemala (Español)
  • Honduras (Español)
  • México
  • Nicaragua (Español)
  • Panamá
  • Paraguay (Español)
  • Perú
  • St. Kitts and Nevis
  • Trinidad and Tobago
  • Venezuela (Español)

The United States and Canada

  • Canada (English)
  • Canada (Français)
  • United States
  • Estados Unidos (Español México)