Flashbacks are one thing, a narrative device that be useful to elucidate story beats or character moments, or to dress up a story that is otherwise unsophisticated and linear. The clip show is something else entirely, a tactic used in television to fill air time with recollections of past episodes when cast availability, writer's block, budget concerns, or other issues inhibit production of an entire brand new episode with an entirely original plot. I hardly mean to impugn master filmmaker Francois Truffaut, who unquestionably proved himself time and again throughout his career, nor the writers who collaborated with him for this picture. There is most certainly a story in 'L'amour en fuite,' or 'Love on the run,' that's a creation all its own distinct from previous entries in the loose saga of Antoine Doinel. However, this also makes use of frequent cuts to scenes from 'The 400 blows,' 'Antoine and Colette,' 'Stolen kisses,' and 'Bed and board,' prior material that accounts for a fair portion of the runtime in this 1979 feature. There's nothing inherently wrong with this by any means, though as a matter of personal preference I'd have wished for a more purely fresh tale, rounding out Doinel's saga, rather than one that so emphatically recycled previous footage.
Even with that tack in mind, however, this remains another solid credit to Truffaut, to star Jean-Pierre Léaud, and all others involved. In fact, I'm of the mind that the film-making and storytelling here is maybe even more engaging and compelling than what 'Stolen kisses' could claim, enjoyable but unremarkable as it was. I don't agree with all the choices made in this instance, yet I don't think there's much arguing against the skill and intelligence that shaped the whole. While the presentation is chopped up a bit as we see it, the screenplay is nevertheless splendid, with real, relatable, complicated, and interesting characters; the scene writing and overall narrative is varied and ably keeps one's attention. For that matter, there are some moments scattered throughout that are downright brilliant, like an underhanded reference in dialogue to one of those preceding features, a scene between two supporting characters in the last third, or a scene partway through that is cleverly echoed near the end. I very much appreciate Martine Barraqué-Curie's shrewd editing, if not always the ends to which it's employed, though at least the clips are mostly used in ways that feel meaningful instead of just padding out the length.
Léaud, and co-stars including Claude Jade, Marie-France Pisier, and Dorothée, are unfailingly charming, just as the title overall is decidedly endearing. All those behind the scenes turned in fine work, from production design and art direction to costume design, hair, and makeup. And as if there could ever be any doubt, Truffaut's direction is impeccable; to date I can't yet claim to have seen all his films, but I'm not sure that there are many filmmakers who are as reliable as Truffaut was. The end result of all this is a picture that reaffirms the man's reputation as both filmmaker and storyteller, even if this doesn't 100% meet the same exact level of quality as some of his others. In some measure the construction of 'L'amour en fuite' does come off as self-indulgent, though I'd plainly be lying if I said that when all is said and done the approach feels smarter than not. I'm not inclined to say that this is a must-see in the same way that some of its kin are, but whether one is a major fan of Truffaut or others involved, wishing to round out the Doinel saga, or just looking for something good to watch, it's handily worthwhile on its own merits. Don't necessarily go out of your way for this, but it deserves a look if you have the chance.
Even with that tack in mind, however, this remains another solid credit to Truffaut, to star Jean-Pierre Léaud, and all others involved. In fact, I'm of the mind that the film-making and storytelling here is maybe even more engaging and compelling than what 'Stolen kisses' could claim, enjoyable but unremarkable as it was. I don't agree with all the choices made in this instance, yet I don't think there's much arguing against the skill and intelligence that shaped the whole. While the presentation is chopped up a bit as we see it, the screenplay is nevertheless splendid, with real, relatable, complicated, and interesting characters; the scene writing and overall narrative is varied and ably keeps one's attention. For that matter, there are some moments scattered throughout that are downright brilliant, like an underhanded reference in dialogue to one of those preceding features, a scene between two supporting characters in the last third, or a scene partway through that is cleverly echoed near the end. I very much appreciate Martine Barraqué-Curie's shrewd editing, if not always the ends to which it's employed, though at least the clips are mostly used in ways that feel meaningful instead of just padding out the length.
Léaud, and co-stars including Claude Jade, Marie-France Pisier, and Dorothée, are unfailingly charming, just as the title overall is decidedly endearing. All those behind the scenes turned in fine work, from production design and art direction to costume design, hair, and makeup. And as if there could ever be any doubt, Truffaut's direction is impeccable; to date I can't yet claim to have seen all his films, but I'm not sure that there are many filmmakers who are as reliable as Truffaut was. The end result of all this is a picture that reaffirms the man's reputation as both filmmaker and storyteller, even if this doesn't 100% meet the same exact level of quality as some of his others. In some measure the construction of 'L'amour en fuite' does come off as self-indulgent, though I'd plainly be lying if I said that when all is said and done the approach feels smarter than not. I'm not inclined to say that this is a must-see in the same way that some of its kin are, but whether one is a major fan of Truffaut or others involved, wishing to round out the Doinel saga, or just looking for something good to watch, it's handily worthwhile on its own merits. Don't necessarily go out of your way for this, but it deserves a look if you have the chance.