English Title: The 400 Blows
Les Films du Carrosse
Starring: Jean-Pierre Léaud, Patrick Auffay, Claire Maurier
Directed by: François Truffaut

Synopsis: Truffaut’s classic film about a boy named Antoine (Jean-Pierre Léaud) whose struggles to get by in school, at home and with life in general begin to lead him down a delinquent path.

Cat Cattle Call: At one point in the film Antoine goes home with his best friend René (Patrick Auffay).  René’s home is far more disfunctional that Antoine’s as evidenced by his mother’s alcoholism and absenteeism and his father’s laid-back almost milquetoast manner.  When they enter René’s room, the first thing Antoine sees is a life-sized horse, upon which sits a long-haired grey cat.

Actually there are numerous long-haired grey cats around the room.  A basket indicates that they are possibly a litter of kittens which have grown.

Throughout the scenes in René’s house, the cats can be seen, like when René takes money from the family’s secret stash.

And when Antoine is sitting in René’s room and is brought some bread there is a cat upon his lap.

The cats do not interact with the actors other than these few scenes and are never mentioned by anyone in the film.

Final Mewsings: Who wouldn’t want to escape to a house full of cats?

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