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The 400 Blows

1959 · Movie · NR · 99 min · ★ 8.0 · 94% critics

Drama

A troubled Paris schoolboy feels trapped between harsh teachers and distant parents, so he escapes into small adventures with a close friend. When a reckless plan backfires, he’s pulled into the justice system and faces a string of unsympathetic authority figures, forcing him to confront what freedom might really cost.

Also known as The Four Hundred Blows

IMDb

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Streaming on HBO Max.

2 hours to watch.

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Details
Original title
Les Quatre Cents Coups
Years
1959
Release date
1959-06-03
Language
French
Rated
NR
Runtime
99 min
Critic score
94/100
TMDB rating
8.0/10 (2,334 votes)
About

You’ll likely connect with this if you want a realistic, emotionally tough coming-of-age story about youth versus authority, with moments of humor and tenderness; Not for you if you need fast pacing or a cheerful tone like Breathless.

Pros: powerful coming-of-age portrait; memorable child performance; humor amid sadness | Cons: heavy, melancholy subject; episodic, low-key plot; distracting dubbed audio

Themes

  • adolescence
  • paris, france
  • balzac
  • delinquent
  • coming of age
  • black and white
  • fingerprint
  • semi autobiographical
  • skipping school
  • mugshot
  • strict teacher
  • montmartre, paris
  • +4 more

Awards & recognition

  • Academy Award — Best Writing, Original Screenplay · 1960 · nominated

Cast & crew

Directed by François Truffaut