Pierrot le fou

Jean-Luc Godard’s unconventional and avant-garde work has deservedly acquired over the last forty years, a reputation as one of the most important films in cinematic history. Pierrot le fou is daring and bold, with a tongue-in-cheek humour that makes for exhilarating viewing. We follow the adventures of Ferdinand (Jean-Paul Belmondo), who, bored with his current family life, meets an old flame Marianne (Anna Karina). Upon discovering a dead body in her flat, the couple flee to the south of France, on the run from police and gangsters. In addition, can Marianne, who insists on calling Ferdinand Pierrot, be trusted with her mysterious past and constant refusal to answer questions candidly? It is a joy to watch Belmondo and Karina reunited, who also starred together in Godard’s 1961 Une Femme est une femme. They play their off-the-wall characters with aplomb, as Godard breaks cinematic codes with glee. The direct addresses to the audience, the striking use of colour and the elliptical editing all serve to jar and amuse the spectator. What may have been an irritating exercise by most experimental pretenders turns out to be, in the hands of Godard, a wonderfully witty film, exquisitely shot, scored and performed. Part of Cinémoi’s Belmondo season, this film is a must-see for fans of the actor and film-lovers everywhere.