Breathless

The car, elevator, restroom, movie theatre and boudoir scenes in Breathless, by Jean-Luc Godard, add a dense quantity of intimacy. However, the abrupt jump cuts and play on sound discombobulate the viewer’s connection with the characters.

Although these scenes are interesting and allow us to see the other norms of a gangster, besides the crime scenes between them, they do not enhance or even implore the empathy from the viewer.

It seems that the choices in editing and sound are the key contributors in separating the viewer from the characters. The jump cuts constantly discern the concentration on continuity. For instance, while watching Michel walk down a street, the point of view is cut from an left side to an extreme right,which makes this film’s motion scatter. This creates a constant detachment. The sound choices further intensify the distraction. For instance, the volume of sirens is increased in the bedroom scene. Perhaps this is informing us of future hazard. Another observation is that periodically a single gun shot was inserted. Perhaps this foreshadows death. It also interrupts the current story line.

By the end of the film, I found myself lacking any empathy for any characters in the film. Although I was invited to view diverse intimate scenes, I was always challenged to make sense of what the point was. Perhaps in portraying Michel this way Jean-Luc Godard meant to tell me that being a gangster was pointless and he is inevitably breathless.