Movie: The 400 Blows
The movie is about a young boy, Antoine, conceived by a young woman without a husband. Abandoned by both mom and dad, he is raised by his grandmother until her death, after which he comes to live with his mom, now married to another man, a kind and jovial type. The movie shows how Antoine deals with rejections at home and at school by mostly hanging out with his friend René, skipping school, and stealing money or items to distract himself from his worries. Their mischievous acts lead from one to another and cause more trouble for him, ultimately landing him in an institution. There is a scene where he is being interviewed at the institution, where we don't see the interviewer but only Antoine answering questions. Each of his answers reveals something of his past; he is allowing us to glimpse into his past one layer at a time. He has no complaints about anyone. He even smiles when he answers some questions. He doesn't even know what he is entitled to. He simply accepts whatever happens to him. The only time we see his emotions is when he is taken away from the city to the institution. He peers through the window of a van and looks at the streets, buildings, and the places he used to run around with René, and we see his cheeks wet with tears. The next time we see him sad is when a guard at the institution doesn't allow his friend to visit him. He is not only barred from the love, care, and guidance of adults and society but also from his only friend René. So, he runs away from the society that rejects him. We find him running towards an ocean, an empty vast field of sand filled with the sound of waves, with no humans in sight. The movie ends with Antoine turning his head to stare at us as if to remind us to be kind, caring, and, most importantly, to remember his face. And, it is his face, his piercing eyes looking straight at us that stays with us.