I've seen this documentary twice. It's a short look at the life of Truffaut. I read a biography of Truffaut that was more current and detailed. The film doesn't make any mention of his father being Jewish. The book does. Instead it gives an overview of Truffaut's life with many commentators, most of whom are British. The film must have been done in the 80's by BBC or something like it. I would have liked to see interviews from more people that worked with him extensively.
I was disappointed that Jean Pierre Leaud or Catherine Deneuve were not interviewed for the film. Truffaut was like a father figure for Jean Pierre. And Deneuve was Truffaut's greatest lover. Truffaut even suffered are major bout of depression after Deneuve called it quits. It would be interesting to hear their opinions about Truffaut since they are the ones who knew him at such critical points in his life
The film does go into Truffaut's untimely death from brain cancer at a relatively young age. The film left me wondering what Truffaut would have done had he lived longer. Would he have faded? Continued to produce auterist Cinema? Or would he have made more commercial products? My guess is he would have continued to make films that he liked. Film was his passion. The only thing he loved doing.
Lastly, I was left wondering whether he would have made up with Godard. They became bitter enemies after Godard attacked Truffaut's Day for Night which many consider his best film. I wonder if Godard was jealous of Truffaut's success? While Truffaut was making films like Day for Night Godard spent nearly all of the seventies in the "wilderness" not making films. It was only in the 80's that Godard became a filmmaker again with his film Every Man for Himself. They didn't speak for almost ten years so I suppose it's logical to think they never would have become friends again. Too bad.
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