Le Petit Soldat *** (1963, Anna Karina, Michel Subor, Henri-Jacques Huet) – Classic Movie Review 6070

Writer-director Jean-Luc Godard’s second film in terms of shooting follows his spectacular debut with Breathless (1960). It stars Michel Subor as Bruno Forestier, a young French terrorist who is turned over to the Geneva police as an army deserter when he hesitates to kill a public figure and the terrorist group suspects him of being a double agent. It is notable as Anna Karina’s first film role as Veronica Dreyer, the young woman whom Bruno Forestier falls for.

This homage to the gangster film, as well as a political tract, is made as a startlingly photographed display of French New Wave tricks. While not top-class Godard, it has the power to delight Godard’s many fans as well as to alienate his detractors.

Also in the cast are Henri-Jacques Huet, László Szabó and Paul Beauvais. Cinematographer Raoul Coutard photographs in black and white, it is produced by Georges de Beauregard and scored by Maurice Leroux.

It was filmed in 1960 but banned in France for three years due to the French film censorship because of its references to the Algerian War for independence from France and its scenes of torture. It was finally released slightly cut. Because of the delay, Une femme est une femme [A Woman Is a Woman] (1961) is Karina’s film debut and Le Petit Soldat was Godard’s fourth release feature. Godard married Karina on 3 March 1961 and they made eight films together.

Impressively, eight of Godard’s films are listed in 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die: Breathless (1960), Vivre sa vie [My Life to Live] (1962), Le Mépris [Contempt] (1963), Alphaville (1965), Pierrot le Fou (1965), Masculin Féminin (1966), Two or Three Things I Know About Her… (1967) and Weekend (1967).

© Derek Winnert 2017 Classic Movie Review 6070

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Cinematographer Raoul Coutard.