Baisers volés

Taking its title from the lyrics of the glorious chanson 'Que reste-t-il de nos amours' of Louis Chauliac and Charles Trenet this gentle, subtle and captivating film must surely rank as one of Truffaut's finest. Actor Jean-Pierre Leaud is not unlike Marmite; one either loves him............ There is no doubting that his portrayal of Truffaut's alter-ego Antoine Doinel is Leaud at his most appealing. I do not really count his performance at the age of fourteen in 'Quatre cent coups' as that is indisputably one of the great child performances on film and Leaud had not yet acquired the mannerisms of adulthood that many find so annoying. In this he plays an aimless dreamer who lands a job in a private detective agency following his 'discharge' from the army. This occupation naturally brings him into contact with some decidedly quirky colleagues and clients notably shoe shop proprietor Tabard who wants to know why none of his staff likes him. He meets the seductive Madame Tabard and gets the sack for mixing business with pleasure. We next see him as a television repairman! The segment with the Tabards is undoubtedly the highlight of the film. Michel Lonsdale is an exceptional actor who never disappoints and is probably most familiar to non-Gallic audiences as the chief investigating officer in 'Day of the Jackal'. What can one say of the divine Delphine Seyrig? One should never make the mistake of confusing actresses with the parts they play but in this she is utterly intoxicating. We also have a tantalising glimpse of Marie-France Pisier who was to feature prominently in the last of the Doinel series 'Love on the Run', to which she contributed the screenplay. Whilst that is probaly the weakest of the lot, made by Truffaut in a desperate attempt to refill the empty coffers, the next episode 'Bed and Breakfast' is very amusing. The film under review is undoubtedly the best of the three 'adult' Doinels. An enchanting piece full of surprises which can be revisited with delight.