Richmond Arms (Richmond)

Francois Truffaut

Tonight 'Inside The Actors Studio' comes to you from Richmond in London - England, and we have for you a very special episode, dedicated to a true movie legend. Tonight, ladies and gentlemen, we are talking to celebrated and Innovative 'Nouvelle Vague' French Film Director - Francois Truffaut. The man behind the classic Antoine Dionel series of films. 'Le Cycle Doinel'. Mr Truffaut welcome.

Bonsoir.

Bonsoir indeed. Mr Truffaut it is a priviledge to have you here.

Merci.

May I ask what brings you to London?

I am ere researching locations for my next film. And yourself?

Award ceremony.

Ah, I see.

Mr Truffaut, I know that you are not an 'actor' per-se, but we are using our 'artistic licence' here tonight by having a director on.

Hahahaha! Pot Pourri.

Let's focus our discussion, if we may, on your infamous lead character - Antoine Doinel.

D'accord.

Antoine Doinel, the enduring personality who's development you track throughout your initial oeuvre. From being a troubled boy from a broken Parisian home, your cycle follows Doinel as he becomes secondly, an angst ridden rural teenager and then lastly an urbane complex and troubled young man. Where does the character come from? Is he based on anyone in particular?

Well err,..non,…Doinel is,…….Doinel is,..how you say, 'unique'. He is based on no one. No one at all.

Ok,..but surely in some part, Doinel's childhood in Paris, which you portray vividly in 'Les quatre cent coups (de metier)', is based in a loose fashion on your own experience, coming, as you do, from Paris? And also, what with you being a French bastard? By that, I mean, that you yourself were born out of wedlock?

Well,..err yes,..I never knew mon pere. And yes, I am a Parisian bastard. This is correct. But this is where the similarity ends. I was, as you probably know, 'ead boy en ecole prive and I was captain at Rugby. Scrum half. I was nothing like ze young Antoine. 'Coups de metier' is purely a work of fiction. A creation of the mind.

Ok,..but err,..if we analyse the next film in the Doinel cycle - 'Tirez (beaucoup) sur le (visage de la) pianist', we find an adolescent Antoine,…riddled with angst and pubes. Err,..I mean, riddled with angst and 'Pubescent' insecurities. Weren't you yourself a famously angst and pube ridden teenager?

Zis is true,..but,….

And subsequently Doinel becomes a very troubled young man. As portrayed in 'L'enfant sauvage', for instance. Isn't it again true that you yourself spent a lot of your twenties in therapy for depression. Confused!

This also is correct. I am happy to admit that my life has not necessarily been plain sailing……..mais,..

Is Doinel, in essence, you Francois?!

Certainly not. Doinel is not remotely like me.

It's just that, it is often said that the Doinel films are somewhat auto-biographical. The troubled childhood for instance, the uprooting from Paris, the broken home and let's not forget the love triangle,..oh, and the amibiguous sexuality in your more recent films. One has't only to look closely at 'Jules et Jim'…..

That film gets taken out of context!! I like girls.

But you yourself,….

How dare you! Of course not. What are you trying to say?!

Well, in 'Ou est le poof?',…which you released last year, to mixed reviews, you….

Arretez!

And your most recent project, which you have chosen to set in Richmond, England, I believe, is provisionally entitled 'Lavabo engage',……..

I'm not fcking gay right!!

No?

Certainment! Have you not seen my film 'L'Homme qui aimait les femmes'?

Yes, but I'd always assumed that this was 'tongue in cheek'?

Are you coming on to me?

Truffaut's rating for the Richmond Arms - 10 / 10

Rolosocosy

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