Bed & Board: Domicile Conjugal (1970)

The fourth film in François Truffaut's quasi-autobiographical Antoine Doinel cycle finds the idealistic child-man (played by Truffaut's alter ego and French new wave icon Jean-Pierre Léaud) married to his sweetheart Christine (Claude Jade) and still plugging away at odd jobs. When his experiments in the florist trade burn his bouquets to a smoky black ruin, he decides that it's time for another trade, and lands a job sending radio-controlled toy boats around a miniature harbor mock-up. It's about that time that he learns of his impending fatherhood, but he throws a monkey wrench into his new happiness when he becomes obsessed with a beautiful young Japanese woman (Hiroku Berghauer). Truffaut enlivens Doinel's courtyard apartment with the bustle and business of neighbors, creating a warm sense of community reminiscent of the works of Jean Renoir. He also pays homage to comic auteur Jacques Tati in meticulously constructed comic bits and a hilarious cameo by Tati's famous character, M. Hulot. However, he tempers the giddy screwball kookiness that characterized the previous film in the cycle, Stolen Kisses, with a less forgiving disposition toward Antoine's passionate irresponsibility and emotional impulsiveness. In one of Truffaut's finest moments ever, he plays out a conversation between the separated but still in love couple with a hard-earned sense of reflective maturity: "I love you," she confesses, "but I don't want to see you." It's a comedy with serious edges as Truffaut decides it's time for Antoine to grow up. --Sean Axmaker Amazon.com

Light Romance but Nicely Done

I read a recent article in "The New Yorker" about the relationship between Godard and Truffaut. It was an interesting account of how their common interest in the cinema led to collaberation and mutual support. However, around 1968, they went their seperate ways. Without rewriting the article here, I was impressed how Godard expressed his dissatisfaction with Truffaut's movies. I forget the exact words he used to describe Truffaut's movies but it was along the lines of simplistic and/or apolitical...something to that effect. I mention this because a couple of days after finishing the article, I had a chance to watch "Bed and Board" and I, too, was surprized by the simplistic love story that unfolds in the movie. It has a lot of nice touches to it and I found it easy to watch. Afterwards I thought of it as a sort of "Barefoot in the Park" with a better script, better acting, and better direction. While I have a somewhat more reserved opinion of Francois Truffaut than others, I must admit "Bed and Board" was an excellent production. However, if it had been directed by some unknown or lesser known person, I wonder if I'd even give it enough thought to write a review. I'm glad I watched "Bed and Board" but I'm not sure I'd go out of my way to recommend it to anyone else; including you. May 18, 2008

Bed and Board

The fourth installment of Truffaut's Antoine Doinel cycle, which began with "The 400 Blows" (featuring Léaud as a child), this bittersweet romantic comedy is full of smartly observed details that will ring true to anyone who's ever cohabited with a cherished mate. Léaud is charming as always, and Jade's a dreamy vision. Hiroko Berghauer also enchants as the object of Doinel's potentially housebreaking infatuation. Watch for famed French comic-director Jacques Tati in a brilliant cameo as M. Hulot. A simple, artful take on the growing pains felt in love and marriage. July 3, 2007

Love on the Rocks

Francois Truffaut is one of my favorite directors. His films all have likeable characters and lighthearted material that one can simply smile while watching an entire film.

The "Antonie Doinel" series has given us some great films. My favorite would be "400 Blows" followed by "Love on the Run" and "Stolen Kisses" but for some reason "Bed & Board" just didn't live up to my expectations.

I had to search a long time to find this film, because I didn't want to buy it first without seeing it, as I waited my expectations grew higher and higher.

"Bed & Board" has Jean-Pierre Leaud and Claude Jade married and expecting a child. Life seems perfect. They are one of those extremely happy young couples, you know, the kind you hate to see in public. We suspect they are deeply in love. He even likes her parents!

But soon after their baby is born domestic problems ensue for the Doinel household. Antonie has started an affair with someone he met from work, Kyoko (Hiroko Berghauer).

There was something about the way this situation was presented that bothered me. First of all, we don't really know why he did it. If you want to shrug it off as "one of those young dumb mistakes" why doesn't the movie push that idea more?

The movie doesn't explore the situation to its fullest and show more hardships faced in young love. The movie goes easy on Doinel and doesn't make Jade seem real. She seems all to understanding.

"Bed & Board" is enjoyable, especially if you are already a Truffaut fan, but I don't think these characters here are as enjoyable to watch as the ones in 'Love on the Run" or "Stolen Kisses". Their is a lightness that is missing. A certain charm.

Leaud and Jade are perfect in the beginning of the film. They play their character correctly and do bring out that sweetness so it's disappointing when their characters begin to lose some of that likeability because the script written by Truffaut, Claude de Givray, and Bernard Revon seem to lose focus with these people.

Watch "Bed & Board" if you've seen the other Doinel films and honestly tell me those other films were not satisfying. Fans will enjoy the movie, as do I, but on a small scale because I know Truffaut has done better.

Bottom-line: Not one of the best films in the "Antonie Doniel" series, but than again it's hard to top films like "400 Blows" and "Love on the Run" still worthwhile for Truffaut fans. August 18, 2004

Simply Love This Film!

I simply love this film! Everything in this film (music, dialogues, lighting, angles, actors/actresses, costumes, locations)fits perfectly. Claude Jade is beautiful in the film. By coincident, I saw this film right after a long trip from France. Made me relive my whole French experience all over again. April 16, 2003

Claude Jade is brilliant in this bitter Doinel-Adventure.

It's one of the best movies, I'll ever seen. The couple of "Stolen Kisses", Jean-Pierre Léaud and Claude Jade, is brilliant. You want to the how a director MUST work with actors? See this bitter comedy about the marriage. June 28, 1999

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