What are the qualities of a movie adapted from a third-rate novel? Generally speaking, if you meet a director who has no creativity, you are doomed to die. But in Godard's hands, it's different. This "Outside the Law" (1964) is his film adaptation based on Higgins's novel "Fool's Gold". This seems to be a movie that treats life as a child's play, but Godard, who is in his thirties, grabs the tail of youth and has a hearty joy. The film is full of many things, which can be described as dizzying. This fits Godard, who has a bright brain and many ideas, and integrates whim elements into it, which is more in line with the wild and messy nature of youth.
In the film, there is one minute of silence (only 36 seconds in fact), the American Madison dance of the three in the coffee shop, and the fast crossing of the Louvre in 9 minutes and 43 seconds, and other creative things have become popular topics. For another example, the film pays tribute to the films of Fritz Lang, Chaplin, Jacques Demi and other famous directors, as well as gags on the then-friend Truffau’s "Ancestors and Accounts" and "Soft Skin". . Significantly, latecomers' "Life in Dreams", "Pulp Fiction", and "The True Story of A Fei" also frequently paid tribute to "Outside the Law", but these films never surpassed "Outside the Law". This is Godard's luck or other people's misfortune.
Also in the film, Godard quotes the original words of the writer Jack London's novel to increase the drama of the film. Don't care about the narrative, but only care about the creativity and poetry of the film. This is the main consideration or trace of Godard's experimental film. Undoubtedly, this is a genius, if there is a genius. Even Bunuel has said that apart from Godard, I don't see any new gadgets in the French "new wave." I always feel that Godard has a deliberate "sadistic" tendency in the early "New Wave" films. He insisted on letting them come to a "roller coaster" reversal of their otherwise good life, and there was no reason, it was just a whimsical idea, and the result was not pleasing.
Godard loves to play new things, but he has made great achievements. People think that he is anti-narrative. In fact, he is just deliberately disrupting the narrative order and it is not easy to say, which often makes people confused. The knowledgeable and rebellious director must bring in private goods and shoot a film of his own author in a youthful and joking manner, with a textual meaning. This is the unique Godard. For him, if there is truth in this world, then he only obeys the truth defined by him. It must be admitted that "Outside the Law" is a good movie. But her fast pace is impatient, extremely casual, like they pee when they want to, without an announcement. The weird thing is that there are no pornographic gimmicks in the film. The play is superficial, but it is actually very deep. Remember, remember, Godard obviously doesn't want to divert everyone's attention, so as to save everyone from speaking maliciously.
The so-called "Outlaws" are the lawless Arthur, Franz and Uldir, two men and one woman. The acquaintance of her with them in the English class itself shows that young people’s blind worship of the United States, at least the director’s pretentious intention. Another example is Arthur's outgoing personality. The hippies speak improperly, and everything floats outwards. He never does things through his brain, and does what he says, but this does not prevent him from saying "that girl is a stupid." Franz, introverted character, sharp-eyed, a dull ass, likes to read books. Uldir didn't want to be a nurse, so he could only work as a maid in a rich family. Once she sat in their sports car, she was destined to have no turning back.
The temporary intention of the film originated from the fact that Uldir accidentally confided that the owner had hidden a lot of money, a huge amount, anyway, they were also embezzled, it is better to vote, which requires Uldir's cooperation. To be honest, Uldir was not just afraid, she didn't want to participate in this matter at all, but slowly drifted between the two wanderers, and found some kind of fun to dissolve the boring life, as well as emotional needs, so she Half-push and half-situ agreed to the matter. Arthur thought that Uldir would fall in love with him, only to find that she was closer to Franz. Forget it, Arthur doesn't care, just let it go, the only thing that can't be done is money robbery.
What is funny is that Arthur has an unstinting uncle, and the two will fight each other as soon as they meet each other. This is obviously a generation gap that cannot be accommodated. The money grab did not go smoothly. The hostess pretended to be dead in the cabinet, but the huge sum of money was transferred, and only a small amount was obtained. Just as they were leaving, Arthur's uncle accidentally killed him, and the pig head fought with Arthur indiscriminately. The two, the old and the young, fired at the same time, were shot at the same time, and fell to death after turning several times at the same time. They were very dancing. Why bother. This is reminiscent of James Cagney being shot in an early Hollywood classic. This looks cool, but life is gone, and the cool is only reserved for the movie. What's strange is that Franz watching from a distance is like seeing something unrelated to him. Only Uldir is extremely painful, but nothing helps. The youthful gunpowder dissipated, and with the little money he robbed, Franz drove to the south, while Uldir seemed to return to his normal smile.
Looking back, a movie that regards life as a child's play may be the most violent and purest literary film in Godard's film career. I like her overall American variant style, not obscure at all, of course not obscure, really simple, like the simple, impulsive youth of the three of them. "The length of a minute is different in everyone's heart. One minute may be eternal." It seems to have the leisurely taste of "let the bullet fly for a while", which fits the overall rhythm of the film.
The beautiful Anna Karina participated in the filming of Godard's debut novel "Exhausted", became his wife a year later, and divorced four years later. Shooting this "Outside the Law" is still in marriage. It was not easy to be able to maintain a four-year marriage with the restless Godard at the time, which is enough to show Anna's sincere patience. In my opinion, although the Danish girl's film career has participated in so many wonderful films by Godard, it is still the most glorious mark given to her by "Outside the Law". In the film, she partnered with two boys, enduring Godard's orders, but inadvertently, she achieved an irreplaceable classic light and shadow. Turning the messy and fucking life into a symbol of graceful artistic walking, Godard is often confident. The past is not as good as smoke, and the movie will not be the past. "Outside the Law" is obviously different from his previous "Exhausted" and has a more rapid youth quality. Godard's greatness is that he grasped the youthful, decisive and reckless qualities, plunged into it like a horn, and made such a movie of the breaking of a cow. No matter how many years have passed, as long as the earthlings are still there, she will be mentioned from time to time. Indeed, this is a tribute to the latecomers.
2018.11.4
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