Antonius Block Smart, philosophical, cool, sexy, playful, subversive, and perfect to the time period – I just loved 'Masculin Feminin'. There is an indie, impromptu feeling to the film, which is told in chapters, and includes beautiful Parisian street scenes, thought-provoking quotes, and great performances from Jean-Pierre Léaud and Chantal Goya, as well as the supporting cast. It's said that director Jean-Luc Godard didn't have an actual script, and instead used hand-written notes he would come up with the night before. While that could have led to disorganized chaos, here it works, and brilliantly. Sometimes heard with street noise in the background, the dialogue seems natural even when it's provocative, or when characters are in sequences that are essentially interviews. It's not a linear, simple story and that may put some viewers off, but if you think about it, along the way Godard touches on love, sex, homosexuality, politics, the antiwar movement, violence, race relations, pop culture, and of course, the youth of 1960's France, saying a lot in this film. There are surreal elements, and hey, you even get a cameo from Brigitte Bardot. Very entertaining, and on a number of levels.Quotes: "If you kill a man, you're a murderer. If you kill millions of men, you're a conqueror. If you kill them all, you're God.""We went to the movies often. The screen would light up, and we'd feel a thrill. But Madeline and I were usually disappointed. But Madeline and I were usually disappointed. The images were dated and jumpy. Marilyn Monroe had aged badly. We felt sad. It wasn't the movie of our dreams. It wasn't the total film we carried inside ourselves. That film we would have liked to make, or more secretly, no doubt, the film we wanted to live."Madeleine: Do you think one can live alone? Always alone. Paul: No, I don't think one can, it's impossible. Without tenderness you'd shoot yourself."We can suppose that, 20 years from now, every citizen will wear a small electrical device that can arouse the body to pleasure and sexual satisfaction."

Hitchcoc This is about bored kids in Paris around 1965. France has been dealing with Vietnam since it was called French Indo-China. The U.S. has dived in head first. A couple of young men fancy themselves reactionaries. Their actions are silly and innocuous but they feel they should be doing something. What they actually do is talk a lot. They ask endless questions. Paul, played by Jean-Pierre Leaude, the little boy in "The 400 Blows" is a naive brat who wants to be hot stuff but can't pull it off. He imagines himself like Belmondo but can't even master the cigarette trick that the great one used. The women are really in charge here, although they haven't figured things out that well either. One pretty young thing is a gorgeous, though quite wholesome, pop music star. This role doesn't seem to get her much credibility with her friends, particularly with Paul. She is a celebrity but no one can figure out why. They go to movies, hang around a cafe, but can't feel good in their own skins. Jean Luc Godard lets his characters live, but his point is less tactile.

valis1949 Compared to many of his more difficult films, Jean-Luc Godard's, MASCULIN FEMININ, is almost light and lyrical. He presents a callow and unsophisticated collection of characters, and they are portrayed against the backdrop of sweeping cultural change. The film is an attempt to draw attention and elucidate the selfish desires of Capitalism and the communal spirit of Cultural Marxism as they converged upon the nascent Youth Movement of the mid 60's. Although the political dichotomy is ever present, Godard almost playfully delineates the aspirations, dreams, and ambitions of this group of young people on the cusp of adulthood. Although rooted in the Paris scene of 1965, this is a film which would resonate in any era. It is filmed in breathtakingly beautiful black and white, and is a real visual treat.

bobsgrock Compared to his previous works, this is a much more accessible Godard film, that is for the majority of film lovers. Of course, perhaps I am referring to the younger American scene, which I believe is the highest group that goes to the movies statistically. Still, I found this to be a fresh take on the relationship arch that has been done in probably 95% of all movies ever made. Here, the feelings and actions of the characters are very genuine, helped along by the documentary-style shooting that is so the style of Godard.Along the way, we see Godard becoming even more-so political with plenty of references to Vietnam, the American lifestyle and Marxist teachings. However, I applaud Godard for not being overly preachy, but rather simply showing all sides and letting the audience decide from there. The ending is probably the best scene and although some strands of the plot line don't tie up so completely perfect, I think this is a better film than Pierrot le Fou and one that will always be remembered as one of Godard's groundbreaking cinema experiments.