One of the greatest works ever
about amour fou, Pierrot le Fou was
originally restricted to adults in Britain for its “intellectual anarchism.”
Godard called this study of sexual obsession and betrayal “the story of the
last romantic couple.” Tired of his rich wife and comfortable Parisian life,
Belmondo sets off on a voyage across southern France with a babysitter (his
mistress, played by Anna Karina), the archetype of Godard’s “woman as
treacherous enigma.” He yearns for a rich cultural tradition and a
contemplative life, while she has an erotic fascination with guns and money.
Left in their reckless wake are corpses, burning cars, and any number of famous
sequences: Sam Fuller’s definition of cinema at a cocktail party, Demy-like
dance numbers on the beach, and the colour-coded, literally explosive finale. “It looks sensational . . . radiates joy of
cinema. . . . I first saw Pierrot le Fou
when I was 17 . . . and was convinced it
was better than Duck Soup, maybe the
greatest movie ever made” (J. Hoberman, The
Village Voice).
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