Le Petit Soldat

Director - Jean-Luc Godard

Cast - Michael Subor, Jean-Luc Godard

Distributor - Criterion

Number of Discs - 1

Reviewed by - Scott MacDonald

Date- 01/13/2020

    This seems to be the month Criterion releases films by directors I was obsessed with in film school. I just finished typing out my review of Almodovar's All About My Mother, and here I am back at it with Godard's Le Petit Soldat (The Little Soldier).  I remember being introduced to the concept of the French New Wave with a screening of Breathless in a film history class at the time. I had seen nothing like it at the time. Even though the film was over 40 years old at the time, It felt fresh, it had an attitude that I liked, and it had a rawness that made it feel like it came from a film fan with a camera.

Needless to say I became obsessed with Godard, and quickly saw as much as I could.  This, of course, took me through many great films Band of Outsiders, Alphaville, A Woman is a Woman, Weekend, but then also to his post-1970's output which pushes more political and more avant-garde attitudes. There were still great films in there, but they were fewer, and harder to discern the good from the bad. Still he was never got interesting in his output.

    Le Petit Soldat is technically his second film, shot while Breathless was still making the rounds theatrically. It was made in 1960, but set in 1958, and sees Godard setting a political agenda in a serious way for the first time. The film was banned, and not released until 1963 giving audiences the perception that it was the director's 4th film.

   The film stars Michael Subor as Bruno.  He belongs to a paramilitary organization fighting a war in Geneva against the Algerian government as such he cannot return to France, but he cannot stay in Geneva, as he is considered by multiple groups as a potential double agent.  At the same time he becomes infatutated with a mysterious woman with certain political allegiances played by the now-late Anna Karina.   Which further complicates his already difficult existence.

    Le Petit Soldat blends the spontaneity of Breathless with a more documentary/cinema verite style.   However, it feels like Godard was already refusing to create a "house style" and wanted to create something similar, but also difference from Breathless. That being said it doesn't entirely stray from the path set by the earlier film, as both films have a bleakness in tone that cannot be denied. Both characters feel like they are at the end of their existence on very limited borrowed time, and that creates an odd sensation of suspense to each film.

    Criterion presents Le Petit Soldat in a very solid 1080p transfer supervised by Raoul Coutard.   Everything here looks crisp and solid, very organic and natural without obvious issues. Audio is in French with subtitles, this comes through crisp and clear. Extras include archival interviews with Godard and Subor. RECOMMENDED.