Film: Jules et Jim
Director: François Truffaut
Country: France
Released: January 1962
Runtime: 105 minutes
Genre: Romance
Studio: SEDIF
Influenced: Jacques Rivette, François Ozon, Noah Baumbach, Wong Kar-Wai, Michel Gondry
Based on the semi-autobiographical novel of the same name by Henri-Pierre Roché, Jules et Jim is a joyful, liberated film full of innovative effects, like the scene around half an hour in when Truffaut freeze frames Catherine’s various sad and happy expressions when she explains to Jules and Jim that she'd never smiled so much until she met them. Truffaut also mixes in elements of documentary footage and still photos, notably in the passage where Jules and Jim are inspired by a slideshow to go to an Adriatic island to find a statue that has the perfect smile.
The film tells the story of two friends, Jules (Oskar Werner) and Jim (Henri Serre), who fall in love with the same woman, Catherine (Jeanne Moreau), before and during WWI. Despite the war and the distance between them, their relationships remain complex and intertwined over the years, leading to dramatic consequences. The tone changes in the middle phase of the film after WWI when all three meet up again; Jim calls himself a failure and professes his desire to travel, write and translate, saying the French have "holed up behind their borders for too long".
One of the key themes of the film is the exploration of the changing roles of men and women in society, as well as the complexities of human relationships. The film portrays Catherine as a free-spirited, independent woman who refuses to be tied down by societal conventions. Her unorthodox ménage à trois relationship with Jules and Jim reflects her desire for freedom and independence, but also her fear of being alone. Jules et Jim is likewise a meditation on the fleeting nature of happiness and the inevitability of loss and heartbreak. Georges Delerue's hauntingly beautiful score adds to the film's emotional depth.
Truffaut's movie has been critically acclaimed for its innovative narrative structure – the story is told in a non-chronological order, with frequent use of flashbacks and flash-forwards – and groundbreaking Nouvelle Vague editing techniques (freeze frames, stills, wipes, etc) which helped to reinvent the language of cinema. Jules and Jim is also praised for its portrayal of female characters, with its depiction of Catherine as a strong, independent woman way ahead of its time, and a key feature of the film that continues to resonate with audiences today.
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