Band of Outsiders (1964) Review - Dylan McCully

Written by Dylan McCully, 09/23/22

Dylan McCully's Cinema: https://www.imdb.com/list/ls521125877/

Jean-Luc Godard's films are so refreshing to watch because they don't follow any traditional rules. It's truely rare for contemptory films to progress the medium. In most films, each scene progresses the plot. There is a point A, then the characters have to get to point B. Godard doesn't view it so simply. Plots were the least important element of a film to Godard. He instead explored subjects in unconventional ways using new techniques that instead of blending into the background, were usually at the forefront of the film. Godard says this about coming up with the story for a film: "I must have an idea and then discover it. It's like painting ... but it's also different from painting, because you use not just space but time ... imagining what comes before and what comes afterward. I start with an idea, but I don't know if it's the beginning of a story."

The plot of movie surrounds two slackers, Franz (played by Sami Frey) and Arthur (played by Claude Brasseur) who meet a girl Odile (played by Anna Karina). Odile tells them of a man's large sum of money stashed in her house, so they plan to steal it. Just like Breathless and many other of Godard's films, the meat of the movie is in the character interactions and dialogue. This is before Godard's films got too analytical and critical of society, so Band of Outsiders is still a lighthearted movie, and get this, fun. Godard lost his sense of fun in the late 60's. Let's admit it, the most memorable and best scene in the movie is when they all get up to dance in the diner. The music cuts out and the narrator describes what each one of them is thinking. Franz and Arthur stop one by one until Odile is dancing on her own. Odile starts singing to the camera when she's riding the train. The three characters famously try to break the world record of running through the Louvre is the shortest amount of time. These characters, and most characters from Godard's 60's output, have a timeless, cool nature to them.

The legacy of this film stands for itself. Tarantino stole this entire movie and made his career off of it. His production company is literally named A Band Apart. Films and shows still recreate the Madison dance that was done in the movie. It's usually ranked in the top 100 films of all time on any list (although I wouldn't go that far.) A public debate between writers and directors was held last at the 1968 Cannes Film Festival to discuss whether plot was essential to motion pictures. Godard was the main heretic, and Clouzot, Delbert Mann and Paddy Chayefsky were among those who cross-examined him. This confrontation produced the best remark of the Festival:

Clouzot: But surely you agree, M. Godard, that films should have a beginning, a middle part and an end?

Godard: Yes, but not necessarily in that order.

Godard Ranking: 1. Breathless (1960) - 10/10 2. Pierrot Le Fou (1965) - 9/10 3. Band of Outsiders (1964) - 8/10