Band of Outsiders

aka Bande à part
Jean-Luc Godard, 1964, France, bw (7.6*)
This small crime film is, for me, Godard's most appealing film that I've seen. It's an unassuming and simple movie, and maintains a freshness throughout he's usually lacking. The story involves vivacious and attractive student Anna Karina, who perhaps has too big a mouth to be involved in crime. Living at her aunt's house she lets out the info that a roomer has some embezzled cash on hand. This intrigues two of her male friends, played by Sami Frey and Claude Brasseur, as much as she herself does, so they hastily hatch out an amateurish plot to steal the money and head for some more exotic locale. Some of the plot is perhaps a bit stretched, but its all in good fun, especially when the three dance The Madison together in a small club, a scene that the actors rehearsed for two weeks in their spare time. Don't expect anything deep here, but a well photographed black and white crime caper. Ranked #374 on our film survey.