The film's title, "The 400 Blows," refers to the French idiom "faire les quatre cents coups," which translates to "to raise hell" or "to wreak havoc." This phrase aptly captures the essence of Antoine's tumultuous journey, as he rebels against the societal norms and expectations that threaten to suffocate him.
The French New Wave movement of the 1960s revolutionized the art of filmmaking, producing a crop of innovative and influential directors who would go on to shape the cinematic landscape. One of the most iconic and enduring films of this era is François Truffaut's "The 400 Blows" (1959), a semi-autobiographical coming-of-age drama that has become a beloved classic around the world. In recent years, the Internet Archive has played a vital role in making this film more accessible to a wider audience, providing a free online platform for viewers to stream and download "The 400 Blows". the 400 blows internet archive