The French New Wave existed as a pinnacle moment in filmmaking. It served as a period of time that redefined “genre” by flipping conventions on their head. A master of that new ground of cinema was filmmaker Jean-Luc Godard. Films like Pierrot le Fou, Contempt, and Weekend revolutionized an industry. That said, one film in particular helped Godard become the master filmmaker we consider him today. His 1960 film Breathless showed the world what he was capable of as a filmmaker. It not only changed the conceptualization of movies but also crafted a fun and engaging romantic thriller.
Breathless follows the story of a small-time criminal named Michel Poiccard (Jean-Paul Belmondo). After a car theft and the murder of a police officer, Michel hides out in Paris. This leads him to find a young American journalist named Patricia Franchini (Jean Seberg) who sells copies of the New York Herald Tribune on the streets. Michel becomes infatuated with Patricia and tries to convince her to run away with him. As their relationship blossoms, Michel’s criminal past begins to catch up with him. What follows is anything but the typical and expected crime story.
Godard’s sensibilities as a filmmaker certainly are not (and still are not to this day) for all audiences. It takes the “romance and crime genre” conventions and turns them into something much slower and more contemplative. The screenplay, also written by Godard, focuses much more on the characters than the plot. This primarily resides in the relationship between Seberg and Belmondo. It wants to create a film thriving on the infatuation that blossoms amongst these characters. At 90 minutes, that delivers a rather languid operation to the storytelling. For most viewers, that can be a deterrent for one reason. Reflecting on the film 65 years later, it struggles with very dated motifs.
In reflection, Breathless is a horribly sexist and chauvinistic piece of filmmaking. Those elements stem from the character of Michel himself. He’s not at all likable and in many aspects a horrible person. His relationship with Patricia teeters into an obsession, often driven by a genuine romantic spark. For some viewers, that can ruin Breathless as a truly cinematic experience. Without that emotional attachment, it lessens the tension of “will they run away together?” as the film progresses.
It’s such a difficult interpersonal dynamic that feels jarring. As someone who watches films regularly (admittedly lacking insight into this period of filmmaking), it felt out of left field. Looking at the film in 2025, Michel can almost be viewed as a supervillain. Viewing the story from that aspect gave me an entirely different experience. Watching the film from this lens arguably made the experience all the more engaging. That particularly stems from the chemistry of both Seberg and Belmondo. That makes Breathless feel like more of a doomed romance instead of a genuine one.
Viewers know that this story only has one probable ending in mind. It is destined to end in tragedy. That makes the film something that almost feels addictive to watch. Even with an outcome that’s easy to predict, it’s simply difficult to look away from. Belmondo is so effortlessly charming, but tinged with an undercurrent of villainy. Viewers understand why Michel captivated Patricia from the start. He says the right things, and it feels like he’s a genuinely good and kind person. Learning that makes what happens later have a much stronger and resonant emotional impact.
As Daniel Boulanger’s Police Inspector Vital is on the case, the tension ratchets up. While Boulanger’s portrayal teeters into parody, it adds an exciting detail. Granted, the portrayal is still an archetypal “police officer” role. Simultaneously, it makes Seberg’s performance deliver an interesting wrinkle. She evolves into someone who is torn between doing what is right and what is wrong. For its time, this sort of characterization feels both nuanced and compelling. It helps to evolve the film into something more than just a romantic drama.
Being an older movie, I’d still like to avoid spoilers for Breathless. This is particularly evident in the film’s third act. Within this portion, it can be best surmised as a cat-and-mouse game between the characters. Who is really a hero? Who is a villain? And who will truly fare the best? Not only does it raise the stakes, but it also gives this slower French cinema a surprising sense of fun. Even if you can guess the outcome, it still serves as effective entertainment in the latter portion.
It’s hard to deny that Jean-Luc Godard’s Breathless is a classic. The film plays with the very medium, crafting something constantly engaging. What’s undeniable is the rather dated story elements. Breathless is a sexist film that simply does not play the same way in 2025 as it did in 1960. For some viewers, that can be enough to deter them from seeing Breathless altogether. The film takes chances that defy the genre, and doesn’t really care what audiences think about them. Say what you will about those chances, but one thing remains quite clear throughout watching. No one besides an auteur like Jean-Luc Godard could take as large of swings. That helps make Breathless the classic story that has left a mark on cinema culture today.
Breathless is available to purchase or stream at your retailer or streaming service of choice.
Learn more about the film at the IMDB site for the title.
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