The 400 Blows (1959): cast, story & where to watch
1959 · Film · ★ 8.1
Released in 1959, The 400 Blows is a drama film directed by François Truffaut, running about 99 minutes. “Angel faces hell-bent for violence.” — that tagline sets the tone.
What it’s about. For young Parisian boy Antoine Doinel, life is one difficult situation after another. Surrounded by inconsiderate adults, including his neglectful parents, Antoine spends his days with his best friend, Rene, trying to plan for a better life. When one of their schemes goes awry, Antoine ends up in trouble with the law, leading to even more conflicts with unsympathetic authority figures.
Who’s in it. The 400 Blows stars Jean-Pierre Léaud as Antoine Doinel, Claire Maurier as Gilberte Doinel, Albert Rémy as Julien Doinel and Georges Flamant as Mr. Bigey, among others.
How it landed. With an audience score of 8.1/10, The 400 Blows sits among the best-reviewed titles in the catalogue.
Where to watch. In US you can stream it on HBO Max Amazon Channel, YouTube TV, Criterion Channel and HBO Max and rent or buy it from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies and YouTube. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch The 400 Blows page.
If you liked it. Fans of The 400 Blows tend to enjoy The Shawshank Redemption, The Godfather, Schindler's List and The Godfather Part II.
Frequently asked
- Where can I watch The 400 Blows (1959)?
- In US, The 400 Blows is available to stream on HBO Max Amazon Channel, YouTube TV and Criterion Channel, and rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and Google Play Movies. Availability varies by country — check our where-to-watch page for every region.
- Is The 400 Blows worth watching?
- The 400 Blows holds an audience score of 8.1 out of 10, and is a strong pick if you enjoy drama. Most viewers rate it highly.
- Who stars in The 400 Blows?
- The 400 Blows stars Jean-Pierre Léaud, Claire Maurier, Albert Rémy, Georges Flamant and Patrick Auffay.
- When was The 400 Blows released?
- The 400 Blows was released in 1959, with a runtime of about 99 minutes.