Jean-Luc Godard's film Bande à part was shown in the U.S. with the title Band of Outsiders (1964).
French New Wave directors always said they took their inspiration from U.S. gangster movies. That was supposed to be charming. However, Bande à part is, indeed, a gangster movie, and the film didn't appeal to me. (If you want a Hollywood grade-B gangster film see a Hollywood grade-B gangster film. Don't look for it from a great French director.)
Jean-Luc Godard knew excellent actors when he saw them. The movie has three actors in starring roles--Anna Karina as Odile, Sami Frey as Franz, and Claude Brasseur as Arthur. Frey and Brasseur were relative unknowns in 1964, but they became major stars after this movie.
Anna Karina was Godard's muse (and wife). She was the icon of the French New Wave. Besides Godard, she made movies under the direction of Rivette, Visconti, and Fassbinder. This was her first important movie. (Godard was already well know for his 1960 film Breathless.)
Despite the acting abilities of the Karina, Brasseur, and Frey, the movie never came together for me. Karina convinced Godard to let her play the role of the young woman as a dreamy, naive adolescent. The look didn't become her, and, for me, that brought the whole movie down.
Band of Outsiders reminds me of Truffaut's Jules and Jim (1962), except that Franz and Arthur weren't really good friends the way Jules and Jim were. Also, Karina was an icon, but she wasn't Jeanne Moreau.
There is one scene of pure genius however. That's the Madison dance routine. I had never heard of the Madison, but apparently it was somewhat popular in the late 1950's and into the 1960's. It's a line dance with very specific, almost formal steps.
In the movie, Brasseur, Frey, and Karina have a dance sequence when they perform the Madison. In the plot, it's supposed to be spontaneous, but of course they had rehearsed it for weeks. Karina is wearing a men's fedora, and she looks adorable. (Brasseur and Karina were good dancers. Frey was not, so mostly he is looking down at his feet. Godard comments on this in a voiceover.)
I could say it's worth seeing the movie just to see this four-minute dance scene. However, if you just want to see the dance, it's on YouTube.
Band of outsiders has a strong IMDb rating of 7.7, and it has cinematic historical importance. I didn't think it was quite that good, and rated it 7.
French New Wave directors always said they took their inspiration from U.S. gangster movies. That was supposed to be charming. However, Bande à part is, indeed, a gangster movie, and the film didn't appeal to me. (If you want a Hollywood grade-B gangster film see a Hollywood grade-B gangster film. Don't look for it from a great French director.)
Jean-Luc Godard knew excellent actors when he saw them. The movie has three actors in starring roles--Anna Karina as Odile, Sami Frey as Franz, and Claude Brasseur as Arthur. Frey and Brasseur were relative unknowns in 1964, but they became major stars after this movie.
Anna Karina was Godard's muse (and wife). She was the icon of the French New Wave. Besides Godard, she made movies under the direction of Rivette, Visconti, and Fassbinder. This was her first important movie. (Godard was already well know for his 1960 film Breathless.)
Despite the acting abilities of the Karina, Brasseur, and Frey, the movie never came together for me. Karina convinced Godard to let her play the role of the young woman as a dreamy, naive adolescent. The look didn't become her, and, for me, that brought the whole movie down.
Band of Outsiders reminds me of Truffaut's Jules and Jim (1962), except that Franz and Arthur weren't really good friends the way Jules and Jim were. Also, Karina was an icon, but she wasn't Jeanne Moreau.
There is one scene of pure genius however. That's the Madison dance routine. I had never heard of the Madison, but apparently it was somewhat popular in the late 1950's and into the 1960's. It's a line dance with very specific, almost formal steps.
In the movie, Brasseur, Frey, and Karina have a dance sequence when they perform the Madison. In the plot, it's supposed to be spontaneous, but of course they had rehearsed it for weeks. Karina is wearing a men's fedora, and she looks adorable. (Brasseur and Karina were good dancers. Frey was not, so mostly he is looking down at his feet. Godard comments on this in a voiceover.)
I could say it's worth seeing the movie just to see this four-minute dance scene. However, if you just want to see the dance, it's on YouTube.
Band of outsiders has a strong IMDb rating of 7.7, and it has cinematic historical importance. I didn't think it was quite that good, and rated it 7.