François Truffaut: Portraits volés

As I watch this movie. I'm reminded of what Paul McArtney said about John Lennon "If what it takes to have that cerebral genius is to have had his childhood, then I wouldn't part of it". He is referring of course to a hard loveless childhood.

Watching this film was sad, revealing of the creative process. I take umbrage to the Washington Post's distaste for its Frenchness. We learn so much about Truffaut through the eyes of his friends that we are drawn into his life, like tracing someone footsteps on snow after they are no longer with us. Except, as I am exploring his films, and I compare them to the movies of today, it's nice to have a small map of intimates. This is one of the best, funniest and incisive documentaries I have seen about a filmmaker.

I appreciate Truffaut's honesty in his themes: his love of women and the downside of adultery; the open wounds of a troubled youth; the throwing of oneself into an obesessive work to the point of dying young at 52. All in 93 minutes! Well worth the time and I will probably spend a lifetime fitting the puzzles together. It was like seeing different sides of a New Wave Shakespeare in Paris.