1) From your readings (Singerman + the Diana Holmes article posted on Harvey) explain the main

reproaches addressed by Truffaut to the « tradition of quality » French cinema (which the
director also calls « Daddy’s cinema »).   
The main reproaches addressed by Truffaut to the Tradition of Quality” when he was working as a film
critique were that this form of film was way too strict in following the scripts that were generated form
literature works, and also that the type of realism that they would produce was not the most real. Diana
Holmes says that there are some types of literary works that are simply not made to be made in film and
that he criticized this because some directors would strictly follow these ideas and that would not make
a good film. On another point, he also felt that the movies at that time were leading the viewer to watch
something that was manipulated with prejudice. Before the war, many of the purposes of the French
movie was to distract the public from the present political tensions. As this new young population of
artists started to emerge, they were no longer interested in this type of entertainment. Instead, Truffaut
wanted films to be truly genuine and that is what he wanted to accomplish with 400 Blows.
2) How can « The 400 Blows » aesthetics be considered « new-wave », and therefore opposed to
the « tradition of quality » French cinema? Illustrate your answer by exposing 2 precise
examples taken from the film.
The 400 Blows aesthetics are considered to be part of the New Wave through the scenery and acting
that is employed throughout the film. As characterizing this new movement in French cinema, the film is
composed of elements that are not the most expensive yet capture a new type of reality. Almost every
shot was filmed outside of a film studio. Most of these are around Parisian streets and buildings, where
scenes are of less cost than that of creating a realistic stage. The shots that are taken are also
characterized by being, in the great majority, pan shots. This type of shot taken was employed to give a
more continuous reality for the viewer. Acting is another of the main aesthetics of this movie. In this
case, Truffaut hires actors yet, they don’t act a script, instead, they improvise. This creates a very
interesting contrast against the previous films that were acting was primarily based on the most
theatrical oriented acting skills. Again, this created this new perspective of realism that was not part of
what was the main form of film back then.
3) Contrast the role of literature (symbolized in the film by the nineteenth French century
novelist Balzac) with the role played by cinema in Antoine’s life. Don’t hesitate, in your
answer, to refer to the rotor scene (from 20’30 à 24’50).
I feel that the rotor scene can be linked to a moving film recording. The way that Antoine seems to be
stuck in a moving machine due to the centripetal force that is acting on him, and not being able to
move, he is restrained in one position. This may reflect how the director feels about Antoine, and as this
movie is referred to as an autobiographical film, this reflects Truffaut’s critics of French cinema at the
time. Cinema seemed to be constricted from being free and direction from having free will. This
constriction can also be related to the type of childhood that the character of Antoine is experiencing at
his home and at school, where no one seems to understand and support him. Literature, on the other
hand, plays a different role. This time is about discovery and going beyond one's thoughts. As he is
proposed to write better essays for his class to make his mother happy, he becomes very interested in
Balzac’s works. Nonetheless, the end of this endeavor leads to the fire generated through the small
shrine that he makes. This can be interpreted as also a destiny which he cannot run away from, if he
expresses himself by exploring in unlimited ways it will always come back and hunt him. This is also seen
when, again the literature theme emerges, as he turns in his paper and gets in trouble because the
teacher believes he has plagiarized.