Review of Day for Night (1973) by Chris D — 10 Dec 2013

The opening credits - the literal soundtrack - we're looking outside the frame and hearing the composer speak. This perfectly sums up the movie. "The world beyond the frame." The title of the film tells us it's all about the magic of making movies. The tricks filmmakers use to create the illusion of movies. Interestingly, many of the characters play themselves. Actors playing actors, crew members playing their roles, assistant directors, etc, and of course Truffaut himself. It's worth noting that for a cast and crew, the enjoyment of the finished film has little do with its quality and more to do with reminding them of the journey they took with their colleagues. Day for Night is all about memory and the nostalgia that a film crew has once the movie is finished. Truffaut always worked with people that were close to him. Family on the set was a substitute for the family he never had. It's a family drama as well as being an accurate reflection of filmmaking. Not an industrial undertaking but rather a family affair. Also, despite all the character's flaws, they are at their best while working (the score celebrates this).

Regarding the actresses, during the scene where Severin keeps opening the pantry/closet over and over again, her performance is so convincing. She makes us believe. Such a great and self-effacing portrayal! Also, when Truffaut steals lines from the actress in "real life" to use in the movie- re-writing dialogue the night before - it came from a real-life incident (Jeanne Moreau in Jules & Jim). Art imitating life. In the end, it's not just about cinema but it's about life. Truffaut often said movies enhance life. "Cinema is not more important than life but it gave me a life." All the little faults in the film both visual and sound are revealed. We are constantly seeing the flaws. Life is never perfect, yet it can be beautiful in its imperfection. We see the secrets of the magician, yet the tricks are still magical.