Antoine et Colette (Francois Truffaut, 1962)

After a masterpiece such as The 400 Blows, it is hard making another film that matches it's quality and it becomes exceedingly difficult when doing a sequel. For a long time I have held the belief that sequels do not work for the most part unless the story arc is constructed prior to the first film being made. Most film narratives are stand alone entities and after the success of a particular film that narrative will be shaded quite differently. This is why heroes tend to become more invincible with each passing film. Yet Francois Truffaut felt compelled to give us further glimpse into the life of Antoine Doinel (ostensibly his life) so he must have had good reason in so doing. Antoine et Colette (Truffaut, 1962) re-enters the life of our hero just three short years after we last saw him running on the beaches of France.

Made as part of a larger series of films dealing with "Love at Twenty" Antoine et Colette finds Antoine dealing with his first true love and the accompanying heartbreak attendant with that love. Again taken from the pages of Truffaut's life, Colette eventually spurns the advances of Antoine leaving him forlorn. Once again the majority of any audience can relate to what young Antoine is experiencing. In the film Antoine also has immersed himself in the record industry, a simple allegory for Truffaut and film. As far as the narrative goes, there isn't much else in the way of further getting into Antoine's (Truffaut) head. Though not much has changed for Antoine, viewing the film today shows just how much the world has changed in fifty years.

In pursuing Colette, Antoine would today be considered a stalker. I mean, the poor guy moves across the street so that he can watch her movements with ease. Strangely the girls parents say nothing. In fact they welcome the boy more as their own than anything else. Another major change is in the amount of worldly possessions we own. When Antoine moves apartments, he carries all that he owns. On one trip. Try doing a move in one trip today. One final note, the film opens to the 20th Century Fox logo, signifying right away just how far Truffaut has come in those three short years.

Antoine et Colette is okay, and nothing really stands out. It is just a short so maybe it should be viewed as a bridge to further work. Maybe as I get to the other three films in the Antoine Doinel series, my view of this film will change. Until then!