The 400 Blows / Les Quatre Cents Coups (1959) — François Truffaut’s debut feature, a French New Wave landmark (screenplay Truffaut & Marcel Moussy; cinematography Henri Decaë; music Jean Constantin; editing Marie-Josèphe Yoyotte) . In Paris, 13-year-old Antoine Doinel (Jean-Pierre Léaud) is ignored by his mother Gilberte (Claire Maurier) and stepfather Julien (Albert Rémy), bullied by teacher Sourpuss (Guy Decomble), and runs with pal René (Patrick Auffay) . After a plagiarism accusation, he skips school and, with René, steals a typewriter to raise cash; he’s caught, his mother turns him in, and he’s sent to an observation center . He escapes and reaches the sea—ending on the famous freeze-frame of his face .
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