Jules and Jim was the first French New Wave film that I watched, so naturally I mostly paid attention to the plot and beautiful scenery. However, after doing some more research, thanks to the internet, I re-watched the film and discovered the genius behind Truffaut's camera work. Truffaut used wide camera angles, and jump cuts to symbolize moods within each scene. Jump cuts are a crude way of editing where the film just skips to another scene without any transition. When I say wide camera angles I mean the difference between a close up and a 180 degree panoramic shot.  Truffaut set the tone for the rest of the French New Wave movement with these editing skills. So, like I said earlier, the director used these two techniques to demonstrate a certain mood, or vibe within the scene. For example, when Jules and Jim both meet Catherine for the first time the audience can clearly see the awe and daze in the two men's eyes. However, Truffaut also makes the audience feel confused, and bewildered because of the way the scene and shots play out. Flashback to the beginning of the movie where Jules and Jim become infatuated with the beautiful statue of a women smiling. The audience remembers the quick, disconnected close ups on the statues face and the long slow seemingly breathtaking shots of the statue garden. The shots are jumpy, and often do not move in a linear up and down or side to side fashion. The audience clearly is confused. Truffaut then makes this confused connection once again in the scene where the men meet Catherine by having quick jump cuts and slow close ups on Catherine's face exactly like they were on the statue. Truffaut is showing the viewers how it feels to be caught off guard completely amazed, and in a euphoric daze. 

Another example of Truffaut using his camera to manifest certain feelings is during the scene with Thèrése, a one night stand. It is a happy, playful time is Jim's life and the scene clearly shows it. The camera does a complete 360 around the two as Thèrése puffs smoke out her mouth like a steam engine. With each puff, the camera seems to make a playful jump, not as sudden as a jump cut, but physically moving it up and down like two giddy young girls playing "ring around the rosey" . The two seem to be in complete happiness and are placed in the center of the room, while as I said earlier, the camera rotates around. In direct contrast, Truffaut shows Jim and another lover, Gilbert, sitting miserably in the corner of a room. Gilbert and Jim are stuffed in a tiny bed in the corner. They are filmed slowly and smoothly with shots moving left to right which makes it feel boring and sad for the audience. Placing them in the corner also shows the audience that Gilbert is not in the center of Jim's life. There are many more examples to be found in Jules and Jim see if you can find some.  I highly recommend the film, not just because it is a classic, and started off the movement with a bang, but also because it tells a bizarre but touching love story and who doesn't love that. 

In the simplest of terms François Truffaut's film Jules and Jim is about a love triangle between two best friends, Jules and Jim, and a lovely girl, Catherine, that lasts a lifetime. The movie begins with Jim, a shy writer, and Jules, an extrovert Austrian, meeting and hastily becoming great friends. The setting is Paris, France before World War I so the two strut around and enjoy all the activities and women the city has to offer. On one of their journeys they come across a goddess like statue with a mesmerizing smile. Later that day they come across  a girl who reassembles this goddess like statue, Catherine. Both Jules and Jim are immediately infatuated with her; however, Jules is the first to "claim" her. Jim never protests, or becomes jealous which seems strange. Their love for Catherine never affects their friendship. Jules and Catherine move to Austria to get married, and soon World War I starts. Jules and Jim are separated and actually fight on opposite sides fearing they will accidently kill one another. Even during the war their friendship is strong. But, Catherine and Jules separation did not go as smoothly. During the war Catherine had multiple affairs to punish Jules for the separation. They have a daughter Sabine, but the marriage is failing and Catherine torments Jules.  Despite this Jules is still head over heals in love with her. Once the war ends Jim comes for a visit. Jim had never forgotten how much he liked Catherine and once they are reunited it seems inevitable that they will go behind Jules back to be together. Yet, Jules takes Jim aside and gives him permission to marry Catherine. Jules is afraid Catherine will leave him forever, so hopefully with this marriage she will stay and they all could live together. For awhile the 4 live happily in the same chateau in the Black Forest, but trouble arises when Catherine and Jim have trouble getting pregnant. Frustration builds and Catherine asks Jim to leave. Jim returns to Paris and begins to see his old love Gilberte. Letters come in to Jules from Catherine saying she is finally pregnant. Jim prepares to leave, but the receives a final letter from Jules saying how the baby miscarried and Catherine is extremely upset. The three go a long time without seeing one another, until one day in Paris Jim runs into Jules. Jim is taken to their new house in France and Catherine attempts to win Jim back, and when he rebuffs her she pulls on a gun him. Jim escapes and after a time sees the two again in Paris one day. They all decide to  catch up at a local café. Catherine takes Jim aside for a car ride to tell him something, but instead she drives the car off a broken bridge killing them both as Jules watches. The movie ends with Jules standing by his two friends ashes.  Catherine destroys both the friends lives whether it be death or loneliness.