Tirez Sur le Pianiste / Shoot the Pianist (1960 François Truffaut)

Amusingly written by Truffaut and Marcel Moussy, based on the novel 'Down There' by David Goodis.

With a sad Charles Aznavour, Marie Dubois, Nicole Berger (his wife), Michèle Mercier (prostitute), Serge Davri & Claude Mansard (amusing gangsters), le jeune Richard Kanayan, Albert Rémy.

Stunningly shot in the very lowest of lights by Raoul Coutard (in DyaliScope) and edited like lightning by Claudine Bouché (who "stood in for Cecile Décugis at the last minute" who is also credited: Truffaut, de Baecque & Toubiana); music by Georges Delerue.

Certain amazing sequences e.g. when he tries to take her hand, kidnapping, the edits of the couple in bed.

Described by Truffaut as a 'musical', and with the intention of being completely unlike Les Quatre Cents Coups, we end up with this most amusing film noir romance comedy thriller, with a pace and style unlike almost all other films, and raising the question, why do other people not make films like this any more? It certainly succeeds in being immediate and real (all on location). It's extremely fresh, lively, romantic, sexy, funny and sad. Perhaps it is pulling all that off in one short film which is the tricky bit.

Loved it when I first saw it, on TV, 16 February 1979. The kid had class.

Paris locations in Levallois-Perret and a brasserie at the Porte Champerret.