There were three films in this series, beginning with the less well-known, but excellent "Soft Skin" -- a beautiful title in English, but even more beautiful in French. "Stolen Kisses" -- remembered now almost thirty years since I first saw it -- tops the others. "Bed and Board" is the third; amusing, even wise, in a way, but not nearly in the same league with either "Skin" or "Kisses."
This film is one of a handful which confirmed me as a life-long cinephile; first seen in my early twenties. It's Truffaut's happiest film, which might damn it to many people in a way, prevent it from being regarded as a great film. Who cares? It's tremendously amusing, the young actors are beautiful to watch (women may find other leading men more handsome than Leaud, but men won't other young ladies more beautiful than Claude Jade, to my mind). But -- even better -- this baby moves. It's lively and full of great, odd plot developments. It's easy to miss the sheer genius of the writing, the filming -- tremendous inventiveness is evident in both. This film led the way; it's as wild as some of Woody Allen's goofier earlier films, but without anywhere near the level of neuroticism. I could go on and on. I've seen it at least six or seven times. There's nothing else like it, truly. A few of Alan Rudolph's films begin to explore this vein a bit, but then they came much later. "Stolen Kisses" -- a beautiful film for young lovers to see, for a first date, perhaps, and for more mature lovers, too. For everybody, young and old. A perfect Valentines' Day film, but not mere fluff, either. There's Paris, women's shoes, detectives, lots of scheming, a triumph over shyness, lots of flirting, and plenty of stolen kisses, of many varieties, including a few to be kept and sealed away forever.
This film is one of a handful which confirmed me as a life-long cinephile; first seen in my early twenties. It's Truffaut's happiest film, which might damn it to many people in a way, prevent it from being regarded as a great film. Who cares? It's tremendously amusing, the young actors are beautiful to watch (women may find other leading men more handsome than Leaud, but men won't other young ladies more beautiful than Claude Jade, to my mind). But -- even better -- this baby moves. It's lively and full of great, odd plot developments. It's easy to miss the sheer genius of the writing, the filming -- tremendous inventiveness is evident in both. This film led the way; it's as wild as some of Woody Allen's goofier earlier films, but without anywhere near the level of neuroticism. I could go on and on. I've seen it at least six or seven times. There's nothing else like it, truly. A few of Alan Rudolph's films begin to explore this vein a bit, but then they came much later. "Stolen Kisses" -- a beautiful film for young lovers to see, for a first date, perhaps, and for more mature lovers, too. For everybody, young and old. A perfect Valentines' Day film, but not mere fluff, either. There's Paris, women's shoes, detectives, lots of scheming, a triumph over shyness, lots of flirting, and plenty of stolen kisses, of many varieties, including a few to be kept and sealed away forever.