Parisian everyman Antoine Doinel has married his sweetheart Christine Darbon, and the newlyweds have set up a cozy domestic life of selling flowers and giving violin lessons while Antoine fitfully works on his long-gestating novel. As Christine becomes pregnant with the couple's first child, Antoine finds himself enraptured with a young Japanese beauty. The complications change the course of their relationship forever.
Acting
Léaud's restless physicality makes Antoine's restlessness almost sympathetic.
Direction
Truffaut treats infidelity with his signature tender messiness.
Production
That cramped apartment feels lived-in, suffocating, real.
Director
François Truffaut
Jean-Pierre Léaud
Antoine Doinel
Claude Jade
Christine Doinel
Daniel Ceccaldi
Lucien Darbon
Claire Duhamel
Madame Darbon
Daniel Boulanger
Le Voisin Ténor
Barbara Laage
Monique, la Secrétaire
Claude Véga
Le Pseudo Étrangleur
Danièle Girard
Ginette, la Serveuse
Philippe Léotard
L'homme Ivre (uncredited)
François Truffaut
Le Marchand de Journaux (voice) (uncredited)
Jacques Robiolles
Jacques
Jacques Jouanneau
Césarin
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Truffaut and Léaud made five Doinel films over 20 years, essentially documenting one man's failure to grow up.
Kyoko's character embodies 1970s French exoticism of Japan — Truffaut later admitted the portrayal hasn't aged well.
FR
