Gide Nouvelle Vague.

Steel, D. A. (2002) Gide Nouvelle Vague. In: Gide aux miroirs: le roman du XXe sie?cle. Me?langes offerts a? Alain Goulet. Presses Univ de Caen. ISBN 2841331644

Abstract

Starting from the coincidence of Gide's death in 1951 with the beginnings of Nouvelle Vague film theory and practice, this invited chapter newly explores the debt of Godard and Truffaut to Gide. An assiduous cinema-goer, Gide, one of whose novels was filmed by Delannoy, was mentor to cine-director Marc All'gret and joint producer with him of their silent Voyage au Congo (1926/7)- in short no stranger to filmic practice. Several young directors held Gide in high regard. Affinities are outlined between Gide's fictional principles and New Wave auteur policy of camera-stylo - personal impetus for a film as poem/novel, authenticity as target, experimentation with narrative technique, preoccupation with the gratuitous or ludic in behaviour. The directors also inherit from Gide the concern for specular technique; Godard - less so Truffaut - believing that the proper focus of cinema was cinema. Godard's A Bout de souffle is analysed from a Gidean perspective, especially in connection with 'Les Caves du Vatican' - criminality, psychology of inconsistency, ludicity, onomastic coincidence. A Gide dictum provided Truffaut's life credo. The thematics of 'Les Mistons' and 'Les Quatre cent coups' reprise Gidean concerns with childhood education, delinquency, sexuality, fuguism, illegitimacy ' the 'lost' child. La Peau douce is Truffaut's filmic homage to Gide. The article offers detailed analysis of the multi-layered section of 'La Peau douce' - strategic centre of the film - concerned with the film-within-film showing of 'All'grets Avec Andr' Gide', demonstrating how Truffaut vicariously offers his own memories of Gide while skilfully using specular technique to illuminate his central character's dramatic personal situation. Various fits/misfits between the dual filmic strata are highlighted. Cinematic mise en ab'me reunites Gide and Truffaut around their common life motto, quoted in the film. The conclusion also highlights the two artists' preoccupation with pedagogue-prot'g' scenarios.