Movies - Stolen Kisses

Home > Listing Index > Movies > Stolen Kisses

	Movies - Stolen Kisses

Stolen Kisses (Baisers volés) is a French film directed by François Truffaut, released in 1968.

Follows the "Adventures of Antoine Doinel" from The 400 Blows
and begins his relation to Christine; it is followed by Bed & Board
and Love on the Run.

Plot

Antoine (Jean-Pierre Léaud) loves his new sweetheart Christine Darbon (Claude Jade). She is a young violinist. Christine is out having fun with friends when he drops by, and her parents must entertain Antoine themselves. After she learns that Antoine has returned from military service, she goes to greet him at his new job as a hotel night clerk. Christine actually displays some affection for Antoine, even if she is not always sure how to act on her own feelings or how to react towards Antoine's own advances. It is a promising sign that perhaps this time, the romance will turn out happily for Antoine.

Later, Christine attempts to guess Antoine's latest job, amusingly tossing out way-off-the-mark guesses like cab driver or water taster. It is a ticklish scene but also hints that Christine, as of yet, doesn't think so highly of Antoine's employable skills. By the film's end, Antoine has become a TV repairman. He has been holding a grudge against Christine, so she wins him back in a fetching manner. She calls his company for service even as she is removing a component from her TV. The company sends Antoine, who is then forced to stay for hours trying to fix an irreparable TV.

The best romantic scene in the film, however, is a quaint breakfast scene one morning in Christine's kitchen. Christine is busy teaching Antoine how to butter toast. Antoine, for his part, wishes to pose a question to her. Too embarrassed to express himself in words, he writes his question on a notepad instead and hands it to her. She immediately writes her reply and hands it back to him. They continue in this manner for a few more exchanges before Antoine withdraws a scissor from a nearby drawer and hangs it on Christine's ring finger. It is a touching and intimate moment between the two young lovers and communicates, without intrusive words, their affection for one another.

Casting

For the role of Christine Darbon, Truffaut cast a nineteen-year-old actress, Claude Jade, who had impressed him in the stage play Enrico IV. Truffaut had been "completely taken by her beauty, her manners, her kindness, and her joie de vivre." Her polite upbringing and charismatic girl-next-door quality, as far as Truffaut was concerned, made Claude Jade perfect for the role of the pure-hearted Christine who would eventually win Antoine's heart. As Christine, Claude Jade is as cute as a button and her scenes are often the most charming ones in the film. Her introductory scene, stepping out of the Parisian night to wave shyly at Antoine through a glass wall, is a delight.

Cast

Jean-Pierre Léaud
(Antoine Doinel)
Claude Jade
(Christine Darbon)
Daniel Ceccaldi
(Christine's father)
Claire Duhamel (Christine's mother)
Delphine Seyrig
(Fabienne Tabard)
Michael Lonsdale
(Georges Tabard)

[ Visit the complete Wikipedia entry for Stolen Kisses ]

This page is based on the copyrighted Wikipedia article Stolen Kisses; it is used under the GNU Free Documentation License. You may redistribute it, verbatim or modified, providing that you comply with the terms of the GFDL.

Searches on eBay