The 400 Blows

1959 · directed by François Truffaut

Rating

100/100

Hit

yes

Prestige lists

BFI Top 100, TSPDT 250, Criterion

For young Parisian boy Antoine Doinel, life is one difficult situation after another. Surrounded by inconsiderate adults, including his neglectful parents, Antoine spends his days with his best friend, Rene, trying to plan for a better life. When one of their schemes goes awry, Antoine ends up in trouble with the law, leading to even more conflicts with unsympathetic authority figures.

The 400 Blows (1959), directed by François Truffaut, rates 100/100 — a hit. See how its director, cast and crew rate across their careers.

Cast

• Jean-Pierre Léaud
• Claire Maurier
• Albert Rémy
• Georges Flamant
• Patrick Auffay
• Robert Beauvais
• Yvonne Claudie
• Pierre Repp
• Guy Decomble
• Daniel Couturier

Crew

• Henri Decaë — Director of Photography
• Marie-Josèphe Yoyotte — Editor
• Jean Constantin — Original Music Composer
• François Truffaut — Screenplay

More from François Truffaut

1. Day for Night (1973) — 87/100 · hit
2. Jules and Jim (1962) — 84/100 · hit
3. Stolen Kisses (1968) — 83/100 · hit
4. The Wild Child (1970) — 82/100 · hit
5. Small Change (1976) — 80/100 · hit
6. Shoot the Piano Player (1960) — 80/100 · hit

How these numbers work: Methodology