STORY STUDY - CRITERION WEEK: 174. “Band of Outsiders”

If you thought watching and understanding 8 ½, representing 1960s Italian cinema, was confusing, then the French New Wave will just make you faint from dizziness.

While Jean-Luc Godard is considered one of the pioneers of this film movement, Bande à part is surprisingly more sensible, and probably the best way to introduce people to the French New Wave.

Directed and written by Jean-Luc Godard, and based on the novel Fool’s Gold by Dolores Hitchens, the film is about English student Odile who has told her classmate Franz about a large pile of money located in the villa where she lives. Franz tells his friend Arthur about the money, and the two come up with a plan to steal it with Odile’s help. Throughout the film, Franz and Arthur take turns in seducing Odile.

This is where the non-convention kicks in.

While considered a crime film, Bande à part doesn’t focus on the plan to steal the money; a majority of the film focuses on the men romancing Odile; sometimes when all three are in the same room hanging out; other times its one of the men alone with Odile.

It’s actually gets to the point where there are scenes are that you might think are just pointless. The scene where Franz wants a complete minute of silence? It adds nothing. The scene where they run through the Louvre to break the world record for running through the museum? Pointless. I can say this confidently because the narrator literally says they did this to “kill time.”

So why are these scenes in here? That’s the charm of French New Wave films: they don’t need a “purpose”; it just looks cool and charming, which is ultimately what Bande à part is. I may sound rude and snarky about a very influential film, but if it’s meant to be non-conventional, it’s important to know that before going in. Otherwise, it’s going to be seen as untalented filmmaking at worst.

Speaking of “untalented filmmaking,” there are two instances of editing mistakes, both of which involving the same problem. When a character says a line, the camera angle switches, and they repeat the line, breaking the flow of the scene. I can’t tell if that was the point, or if it was an error on someone’s part. Like I said, it only happens twice in the entire film.

Then again, the narrator clearly states the film is like a B movie, so…

What makes Bande à part special is its tone and storytelling. Like I said, it’s not really about the heist; it’s about Odile, Franz, and Arthur as people. They are very charming, though this is 1960s France. There’re plenty of instances when Franz and Arthur are flirting with Odile where their behavior… well, let’s just say it would be considered VERY inappropriate if they did it in today’s world.

I sought out this film after getting introduced to Jean-Luc Godard in film class, though the famous “Madison” scene, where the three main characters dance, was introduced to me in this class. I can honestly say this one isn’t anger inducing (*coughBreathlesscough*) or boring as one might think. You just have to be in the right mood.