All the Boys Are Called Patrick

Directed by Jean-Luc Godard and written by Eric Rohmer, Tous les garcons s’appellent Patrick (All the Boys are Called Patrick) is the story of two roommates who meet a young womanizer who flirts with both of them on separate occasions. It’s a 21-minute short film that plays into the idea of these two young women who meet this young man named Patrick (Jean-Claude Brialy) who is also a pick-up artist. For Charlotte (Anne Collette) and Veronique (Nicole Berger), the two were supposed to meet each other later in the day only for both of them to be wooed by Patrick where things definitely become complicated later that day.

It’s a short film that play into the idea of women being pursued by this young man as well as what it can do to disrupt their friendship. The script by Eric Rohmer doesn’t just play into these two women being wooed by the same guy but also deal with the implications into how it would affect their friendship. Jean-Luc Godard’s direction is definitely stylish in terms of the close-ups and medium shots he creates as well as shoot it on location in Paris. With this approach to cinema verite, Godard adds a realism to the look and feel of the film with the aid of cinematographer Michel Latouche for the film’s black-and-white photography that captures Paris becoming this vibrant hotbed for cinema.

Even as Godard puts in references as it relates to the changes that is emerging while utilizing some stylish jump-cuts with the aid of editor Cecile Decugis. With the sound work of Jacques Maumont to play up the atmosphere of the locations, Godard also uses the music of Ludwig Van Beethoven to play up the looseness of the film. Godard’s approach to the directing the actors is also evident as the performances of Jean-Claude Brialy, Nicole Berger, and Anne Collette are all a joy to watch in terms of not just the naturalistic approach to their performances but also in how real it feels.

Tous les garcons s’appellent Patrick is an excellent short film from Jean-Luc Godard and screenwriter Eric Rohmer. Featuring a great cast and an inventive premise, the short is truly one of the finest examples of what would become the French New Wave in its visual approach and ways to tell stories in a new way. In the end, Tous les garcons s’appellent Patrick is an amazing film by Jean-Luc Godard.

Jean-Luc Godard Films: Charlotte et son Jules - Breathless - The Little Soldier - A Woman is a Woman - My Life to Live - The Carabineers - Contempt - Band of Outsiders - A Married Woman - Alphaville - Pierrot Le Fou - Masculin Feminin - Made in U.S.A. - Two or Three Things I Know About Her - La Chinoise - Weekend - One Plus One (Sympathy for the Devil) - (Joy of Learning) - (British Sounds) - Tout va Bien - (Letter to Jane) - (One A.M.) - (Number Two) - (Here and Elsewhere) - (Every Man for Himself) - (Passion) - (First Name: Carmen) - Hail, Mary - (Soft and Hard) - (Detective) - (King Lear (1987 film)) - (Keep Your Right Up) - (Nouvelle Vague) - (Allemagne 90 neuf zero) - (JLG/JLG - Self-Portrait in December) - For Ever Mozart - (Historie(s) de Cinema) - (In Praise of Love) - (Notre musique) - (Film Socialisme) - (Adieu au Language) - (The Image Book)

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