French film photo galley for 1960

French films of the 1960s

Le Feu follet (1963)

Louis Malle’s bleakest film is this haunting portrait of a wreck of a man quietly counting down his last few hours before his well-planned suicide. Whilst the narrative is closely based on a novel by Pierre Drieu, the film has a strong auto-biographical element. At the time, Louis Malle had doubts about his future... [More...]

Le Mépris (1963)

On the surface, this is probably Jean-Luc Godard’s most conventional film, with expensive location work, a large cast with some star names. Conspicuous by their absence are the cynical intellectual humour, the harsh editing, the over-use of jump cutting, and much of Godard’s other stylish devices. Yet the film is as subversive and as reactionary as any which Godard directed... [More...]

Les Carabiniers (1963)

Jean-Luc Godard’s fifth film sees a radical departure from his earlier films and the emergence of a more politically antagonistic form of cinema. At the same time, Les Carabiniers makes a strong anti-war statement and attacks the capitalist system in all its forms. The film is less clearly targeted than Godard’s subsequent political films but its tone is nonetheless vociferous... [More...]

Mélodie en sous-sol (1963)

This is a well-made and satisfying example of the popular French crime thriller. It was directed by Henri Verneuil, who had a reputation for making popular films with a quality feel. His gangster films were particularly highly rated, including the popular Le Clan des Siciliens (1969) and Peur sur la ville (1975). This is the first of two films in which acting legend Jean Gabin is cast opposite... [More...]

Muriel (1963)

Widely regarded as one of Alain Resnais’ greatest films, Muriel is perhaps the most perfect distillation of the themes of time, place and memory which dominate most of the director’s works. Noticeably less abstract that his previous two films, which cover similar ground, (Hiroshima mon amour and L’Année dernière à Marienbad)... [More...]

Les Tontons flingueurs (1963)

What was originally envisaged as a serious gangster thriller ended up as a classy comedy thriller, the first in what would become a popular sub-genre in French cinema in the late 1960s. The main reason why this brand of comedy works particularly well in Les tontons flingueurs is because it does appear so out of place. Before this film... [More...]

Un drôle de paroissien (1963)

This pleasing lightweight comedy features a giant of French comedy, Bourvil. His gentle personality and natural humility is perfect for the part of the parishioner who really believes the Good Lord wants him to help himself to the church collection. He is joined by Jean Poiret and Francis Blanche who also turn in some fine comic performances... [More...]

Un roi sans divertissement (1963)

Although he is perhaps best known for his leading role in Robert Bresson’s 1956 film Un condamné à mort s’est échappé, François Leterrier’s most significant contribution to French cinema is his work as a director. Un roi sans divertissement is his second film, an interesting adaptation of a novel by the acclaimed author Jean Giono (who... [More...]

Angélique, marquise des anges (1964)

This is the first, and notably the best, in a series of five films chronicling the adventures of a beautiful 17th century marquise, Angélique, played magnificently by Michèle Mercier. Although rarely seen outside of continental Europe, these films were very successful in France in the 1960s and display that country’s unique flair for historical costume dramas... [More...]

Bande à part (1964)

Jean-Luc Godard’s cheeky homage to the low-budget American thriller genre is not one of his better works but it is a playful and entertaining reworking of a familiar theme. As would be expected of the subversive film director, the plot is just about the least important ingredient of the film, and its rewards stem mainly from the bizarre interactions of the three lead characters... [More...]

Cent mille dollars au soleil (1964)

Director Henri Verneuil originally conceived this film as a latter day Gallic western, with lorries replacing horses, and the North African landscape making a plausible substitute for the American mid-west. The resulting film isn’t so much a western as a gripping chase film – at times very reminiscent of H.G... [More...]

Fantômas (1964)

Fifty years after Louis Feuillade made his classic Fantômas series, the infamous master criminal returned to French cinema in this colourful action comedy, the first of three new Fantômas films to feature Louis de Funès and Jean Marais. The production team were wary about treading over old ground, so rather than attempt a straightforward remake of the Feuillade films... [More...]

L'Âge ingrat (1964)

This film boasts not one but two icons of French cinema – Jean Gabin and Fernandel. They had previously appeared together in three films in the 1930s before each went on to forge his own path to stardom. In 1963, they came together to found their own film production company, Gafer – the name deriving from the first letters of their stage names... [More...]

L'Homme de Rio (1964)

This energetic adventure farce owes as much to the Tintin stories of Hergé as to the James Bond films. Filmed almost entirely on location in Brasil, but with a fraction of the budget of a Hollywood film with the same ambitions, this has the feel of lavish spy thriller, but made hilariously funny by some unexpected twists and turns... [More...]

La Grande frousse (1964)

One of the most memorable of Jean-Pierre Mocky’s anarchic film comedies, La Grande frousse benefits from an exceptional "big name" cast, which is headed by Bourvil, a popular and much-loved comic actor. An eccentric black comedy, there are some similarities with the British “Ealing comedies” of the 1950s... [More...]

La Tulipe noire (1964)

Christian-Jaque directed this well-paced and likeable adaptation of a novel by Alexandre Dumas, which is best remembered for featuring iconic actor Alain Delon in a demanding double role. With excellent choreographed fight scenes and lavish production values (not least of which is Decae’s sumptuous cinematography)... [More...]

La Peau douce (1964)

Coming straight after Truffaut’s superlative Jules et Jim, La Peau Douce is another tragic love triangle in a similar mould. Whilst not as emotionally charged as the earlier film, La Peau Douce is a compelling and moving piece of cinema. As in virtually all of Truffaut’s works, there is an element of auto-biography in the film... [More...]

Le Gendarme de St. Tropez (1964)

It was Jean Girault’s film, Pouic-Pouic, which turned a hitherto minor film comedian into a national star in France. It was Girault’s subsequent film Le Gendarme de Saint-Tropez which transformed that star into an institution. That star was of course Louis de Funès, arguably France’s most popular post-WWII film comedian... [More...]

Le Journal d'une femme de chambre (1964)

Le Journal d’une femme de chambre is arguably Luis Buñuel’s most caustic and unfettered assault on those institutions he rallied against throughout his life. The bourgeoisie, the clergy, the military – the self-proclaimed standard bearers of respectability - are beautifully represented with the director’s characteristic wit and venom... [More...]

Les Amitiés particulières (1964)

This beguiling adaptation of Roger Peyrefitte’s controversial gay-themed novel was directed by Jean Delannoy, one of the most accomplished and versatile of French filmmakers of his day. Over the decade which preceded this film, Delannoy received harsh criticism from the New Wave directors, notably François Truffaut... [More...]

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