Review of Day for Night (1973) by Ken A — 15 Dec 2012

Perhaps the best movie about making movies. Francois Truffaut playing the director in the film was the perfect way of doing that. It would not have made the same kind of impact as if someone else was in the role.

This could be why none of the others work quite as well. Truffaut being one of the best filmmakers of all time truly understands what it's like to work on a film set, but even though that's the case it doesn't mean he automatically would be able to recreate the experience on screen.

That said, he certainly did recreate it ridiculously well. While on set, all the crew wants to do is get through the next 7 weeks so they can have a finished film on their hands. Everyone asks the director what he wants down to the smallest detail.

Even when he's not asked something he still gives orders, like telling the guy he wants the snow to look a little less white. On the other side, the cast cares more about their personal lives than their jobs.

I love that Jacqueline Bisset and Valentina Cortese were able to take the joke. But it's completely true. It feels like when you're directing you're trying so hard to get each shot on time so you can have a completed film, but there's always some underlying drama with the actors.

Truffaut needed to hire Julie for the role, but Julie can't be covered under insurance because of her mental state. The whole time they're shooting they worry about Julie having a major breakdown.

Then you have the old actress who has become extremely self conscious and gets drunk on set, so she can't open the right door. There's the actor who got his girlfriend a job on set but she's clearly not interested in him, which can only end badly.

Then there is the guy on the crew who brings his wife because she doesn't trust him to be without her. Also, if you get two people sexually attracted to each other on the crew who don't feel important, then you better believe if they find down time on the set they will take your time and have sex with each other.

None of this is done in a bad light. It seems like Truffaut's just saying that this is the joy of filmmaking. This is what he loves so much and he wouldn't give it up for the world. When the actors get upset and say they're done acting because life's more difficult and depressing than the movies we can hear Truffaut saying that's why they make them.

That's why films are so important, because they help us escape our lives, or some films show us the elixir to the problems in our lives. Day for Night is not only one of the greatest movies about making movies, it's one of the best films of all time.