Bedroom Scene from Breathless

When I told my fellow classmate from my screenwriting degree that sometimes I just watch scenes he said I should watch whole films instead. He's probably right. But I still watch scenes from films I like. Sometimes I just don't have the time or energy to watch a whole film for two or more hours. So, I decided to blog about one of my favorites scenes from a film I've watched numerous times. The film is Breathless by Godard and the scene is the bedroom scene. I usually pick it up from right when Jean Seberg walks into her apartment and catches Jean Paul Belmondo sleeping in her bed and avoiding the police.

I don't know why I like the scene so much. I guess it's because it's romantic, yet comical, yet dramatic. Bel Mondo is hiding from the police after killing a motorcycle cop. He is out of money and trying to track down some guy who owes him. The film is one of the longest film takes in cinema history. Shooting the film was done on a shoestring. The only ones in the room were Belmondo, Seberg, Godard, and his cinematographer Raoul Coutard. There were no lights or anything like that and the script girl had to stand outside until the shoot was done

The whole scene lasts about twenty four mintues a very long time for an art film like Breathless. Yet I find it watchable. Over and over again it still has resonance. The dialogue is fresh and poignant. Each scene within the scene is different and concerns a different aspect of the relationship between Poiccard and Patricia. Poiccard is insistent that they sleep together. Patricia resists. It goes on back and forth until they finally sleep together. I love the scene where Belmondo says that "this is franco-American reproachment." Makes me smile everytime.

The scene is also slow, much slow then the rest of the film. There are a few cuts, but it develops slowly as if they had all the time in the world. Too bad Seberg betrays Belmondo in the final scene. During the bedroom scene it seems that all is well with the world. Lovers in love, with no apprehensions about the future.

I get stuck in this scene. I lose track of time and space. It's like I'm in the bedroom with them. That's the best part of Cinema, losing yourself in it.