A Bout de Souffle aka Breathless
Date: 1960
Director: Jean-Luc Godard
Production Company: Les Films Impéria, Les Productions George de Beauregard, Société de Cinématographie (SNC)
Stars: Jean Seberg, Jean-Paul Belmondo, Van Doude, Jean-Luc Godard
Location(s): Bouches-du-Rhône, Paris
Region(s): France
Storyline:
A small-time thief steals a car and impulsively murders a motorcycle policeman. Wanted by the authorities, he reunites with a hip American journalism student and attempts to persuade her to run away with him to Italy.
Additional Information:
With thanks to ‘david.l’ for bringing this film to our attention once more, particularly, as at that time it only appeared by title. As a very early inclusion to the Site it would seem that perhaps its listing was just to ‘keep the numbers up’. It has now been addressed by Richard Lovejoy to include captures in accordance with our current criteria. He was particularly fortunate in the initial stages to find that the film had, not surprisingly, been addressed by our late contributor and friend Roland-François Lack on his Website https://www.thecinetourist.net/a-bout-de-souffle-footnotes-to-the-film.html. His work was of considerable help, and for those interested, by his own admission, Roland-François also addresses the films “minutiæ”. Being able to connect with Roland-François again, as a collaborator, was an additional pleasure.
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If you have any information regarding this production, the locations or, even better, some comparison shots please contact us. Images submitted must be in Landscape orientation, as would be seen on the cinema screen, not Portrait.
We are aware that there are films on the site that were added when the criteria for the inclusion of locations was very different from today and, as a result, there may be scenes missing from some productions. Please do not forward additional screen captures to us but bring the detail to our attention, for we do, and are, 're-addressing' these older entries as time allows.
- Capture 1
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A couple park their car. Vieux Port, Marseille, Bouches-du-Rhône. Between the two buildings is Rue Juge du Palais
- Capture 2
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As they walk away Michel Poiccard?s aka Laszlo Kovacs (Jean-Paul Belmondo) accomplice signals to him. In the background is Église Saint-Ferréol les Augustins.
- Capture 3
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She strolls by the water edge??? Quai du Port, Marseille, Bouches-du-Rhône.
- Capture 4
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?..while Michel steals the car and drives off. Questionable as to whether this is the RN 7 or RN 6.
- Capture 5
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He drives appreciatively through the countryside until he spots two girls hitching a lift. ?But they are dogs?. Unknown location.
- Capture 6
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For some reason the police have reason to chase him and he shoots one of them with a gun found in the glove box. (Later reported in a newspaper to have occurred on the RN.7) He makes a run for it. Quai du Marché Neuf - Maurice Grimaud from Boulevard du Palais. 4e.
- Capture 7
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Crossing the Seine via the Pont Saint-Michel we can look down Saint-Michel Notre-Dame 4e.
- Capture 8
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Michel is unsuccessful in telephoning his ex-girlfriend Patricia Franchini (Jean Seberg). Place Saint-Michel near Rue de la Buchette, 4/6e.
- Capture 9
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So he goes in search of her, starting at her hotel. What was 'Hotel de Suede', but now renamed to 'Les Rives de Notra Dame'. 15 Quai Saint-Michel, 5e.
- Capture 10
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Having grabbed a key to her room from behind a reception desk and finding no money there he goes out for a coffee. What was the Royal Saint Germain café on the corner of Rue de Rennes and Boulevard Saint-Germain, 6e. Now Emporio Armani.
- Capture 11
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With just enough money for a breakfast he pops out for a newspaper while it is being prepared. Corner of Rue de Rennes and Boulevard Saint-Germain 6e looking across to ?Les Deux Magots?.
- Capture 12
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He scans it for news of the shooting and then cleans his shoes with it. Courtyard of 21 Rue du Colonel Moll, 17e
- Capture 13
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He asks around whether people have seen Patricia. Whilst the perspective to the Arc de Triomphe doesn?t seem quite right I believe this to be the Champs-Elysées junction with Rue Balzac, 8e given the word ?CINE?? extreme right and the cinema ?Le Balzac? that remains today.
- Capture 14
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She is pointed out to him crossing the road, also selling newspapers. Exiting Rue Lincoln, 8e
- Capture 15
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Michel calls out to her, ?Come with me to Rome?? and she turns around. Champs-Élysées looking south east.
- Capture 16
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After talking briefly Patricia realises that she should be on Avenue George V and they eventually part. Michel with yet another newspaper walking south on the Avenue George V about to cross Rue Vernet.
- Capture 17
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Within minutes he is witnessing the outcome of an accident. The corner of Rue Vernet and Avenue George V, 8e looking south.
- Capture 18
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Walking away he re-opens his newspaper to see a report on the dead policeman and the fact that ?they? know the name of the man who shot him. Looking across Ave. George V.
- Capture 19
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Michel makes his way to a travel agent to meet with M. Tolmatchoff (Richard Balducci). 41 Ave, George V and collect ?his money? but it is in the form of a crossed cheque!
- Capture 20
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As Michel leaves the agency a police inspector (Daniel Boulanger) visits and learns that Michel has only just left. Meanwhile Michel casually loses the tailing police. Stairs, to the Metro at Georges V on the Champs-Élysées at its junction with Rue de Bassano looking west.
- Capture 21
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But the police are soon to make chase. Champs-Élysées looking down Rue de Bassano.
- Capture 22
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Meanwhile, on the other side of the Ave. des Champs-Élysées Michel casually exits the Metro outside 118 Ave. des Champs-Élysées.
- Capture 23
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We then cut to him standing in front of a film poster for ?Plus dure sera la chute? (The Harder They Fall) and a picture of ?Bogey? (Humphrey Bogart)??he moves off. The cinema is the Cinema Normandie 116 bis Champs-Élysées now known as the ?UGS Normandie?
- Capture 24
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Patricia asks Michel to take her out to dinner, he has no money, but he asks that she allows him to make another call first. Boulevard Haussmann and Rue Chauchat.
- Capture 25
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Having robbed a man in a toilet he catches up with her. Boulevard des Italiens with Rue des Italiens, 9e off to the left.
- Capture 26
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Patricia remembers that she has an appointment with a journalist and Michel offers to drive her there in his car. Place Vendôme looking south, what is now ?Boucheron? behind Michel. There follows various locations seen as part of their journey, in no particular order and sometimes repeated.
- Capture 27
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Rue de Castiglione, 1er. Shortly to pass the junction with Rue du Mont Thabor.
- Capture 28
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Place de Vendôme, 1er. Travelling NNE.
- Capture 29
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Place de la Concorde, 8e The City of Rouen statue is just visible behind Patricia?s head.
- Capture 30
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Cours la Reine, 8e westwards. South face of the Petit-Palais.
- Capture 31
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Cours la Reine westwards, 8e approaching the junction of Av. Winston Churchill, 8e.
- Capture 32
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Cours la Reine with the junction of Av. Winston Churchill, 8e and the Grand Palais in the background.
- Capture 33
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Place de la Concorde, 8e The Statue of Brest behind Patricia.
- Capture 34
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Place François 1er. The background premises are between Rue Bayar and Rue Jean Goujon.
- Capture 35
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Junction of the Rue François 1er and the Avenue George V.
- Capture 36
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Place François 1er Background property between Rue Bayard and Rue Jean Goujon.
- Capture 37
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Grand Palais, Cours la Reine, 8e
- Capture 38
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Avenue George V with Rue Vernet off top centre.
- Capture 39
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Ave. George V into Ave des Champs Elysées, 8e with circa 114 Ave des Champs Elysées in the background.
- Capture 40
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Throughout the journey Michel does his best to stop Patricia attending her meeting but is unsuccessful and draws up to let her out of the car just past ?Quick Elysées? at No.114. Never wanting to see her again.
- Capture 41
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She makes her way to the Grill Room where she meets with Van Doude (Playing himself). The window seat that he has taken provides a clear view of the road opposite. Ave des Champs Elysées.
- Capture 42
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An alternative angle provides a further view. Ave. des Champs Elysées.
- Capture 43
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After lunch they walk to Van Doude?s car. 116 Ave. des Champs- Elysées in the background.
- Capture 44
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After the meeting they drive off in Van?s Jaguar XK120 Roadster. Circa 144/146 Ave des Champs Elysées. It would seem that the cinema, UGC George V, does not appear to have survived COVID and has now closed.
- Capture 45
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Michel watches them kiss before they drive off. Ave des Champs Elysées
- Capture 46
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A cut and pan to the right and a view of the Eiffel Tower as Patricia catches a bus home.
- Capture 47
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Patricia alighting from a bus and making her way home???. Boulevard Saint-Michel.
- Capture 48
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?????. treading only on the white discs as she crosses a road. Place Edmond Rosland ? Boulevard Saint-Michel, 6e
- Capture 49
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She smartens herself in a shop window before entering her room at Hôtel de Suède, to find Michel waiting for her. The hotel is now known as ?Les Rives de Notre Dame?. Unknown location.
- Capture 50
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An aerial view of the Louvre Museum quickly followed by???.
- Capture 51
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??????an aerial view of Notre Dame. Their importance to the film is not apparent to me.
- Capture 52
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The following morning they go to a café for breakfast, Michel is indecisive as to whether his car is to hand, it?s in a garage he says. What was the ?Le Notre-Dame? on the corner of the Quai Saint Michel, 5e and Place du Petit-Ponts.
- Capture 53
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Michel leaves quickly to pick it up. Place du Petit-Ponts looking towards Notre-Dame out of shot left.
- Capture 54
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In reality he goes in search of a car to steal. 37 Rue de la Bûcherie in front of the 'Mistral' bookshop (renamed Shakespeare and Company in 1964).
- Capture 55
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First he tries a Triumph TR2 ? Rue Saint-Julien le Pauvre
- Capture 56
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Then he sees a driver leaving his car, a Ford Thunderbird, and promptly follows him?......... The corner of Rue Galande and Rue Lagrange, 5e.
- Capture 57
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???.onto the Rue Dante and into a building where they ride together in the lift.............. Rue Galande looking down Rue Dante.
- Capture 58
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??..having seen where he lives he takes the lift back down and quickly exits??..Unknown location.
- Capture 59
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???and back to the car. Rue Lagrange looking across to Rue des Trois Portes and down Rue de L?hotel Colbert.
- Capture 60
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To return to Patricia. Rue du Fouarre, 5e with Notre Dame in the background.
- Capture 61
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Michel pulls up outside the café and Patricia walks towards him. Corner of the Quai Saint Michel, 5e and Place du Petit-Ponts.
- Capture 62
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After getting into the car they drive off south down Rue Saint Jacques, 5e.
- Capture 63
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Very soon Patricia asks Michel to buy her a dress as they pass Dior?s. 9 Rue François 1er.
- Capture 64
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?You don?t buy dresses at Dior, you make calls. There are twelve free call boxes?. 30 Avenue Montaigne.
- Capture 65
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Michel pulls over ??..Rue de Berri, 8e.
- Capture 66
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??..to stop opposite the offices of ?New York Herald Tribune? at 21 Rue de Berri where Patricia works. Since redeveloped.
- Capture 67
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After she changes her dress he takes her on to Orly airport for her press conference with the author Mr Parvulesco (Jean-Pierre Melville). Unknown journalist centre, Patricia half out of shot left.
- Capture 68
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Whilst Patricia is at the press conference Michel takes the car to sell to a dealer. Unknown location but there is a sign elsewhere in this sequence that reads ?GRAVIER DEVES?.
- Capture 69
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Michel will have to wait a week for his money, the dealer disables the car, but Michel robs him of cash to hire a taxi and collect Patricia from Orly. ?Step on it!? ?Step on it!?. East along Quai del la Mégisserie.
- Capture 70
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Collecting Patricia, Michel explains that the Thunderbird had been involved in an accident. They travel north on the Rue Guynemer, 6e.
- Capture 71
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They pass where Michel says that he was born. 58 Rue de Vaugirard, 6e.
- Capture 72
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He complains at the eyesore that had been built opposite. Rue Bonaparte/Rue de Vaugirard.
- Capture 73
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We now see the ?eyesore? building as the car travels north on Rue Bonaparte.
- Capture 74
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Touching Patricia?s chin he says that he has a ?feeling for beauty?. Cinema Bonaparte, 76 Rue Bonaparte can be seen in the background. The cinema closed in 1987.
- Capture 75
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The remainder of their journey is backed by a montage of locations that follows no meaningful order relative to what might be an expected route. ?If we?re late it?s your fault? Michel tells the driver. East along Quai del la Mégisserie, also seen in Capture 64.
- Capture 76
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?Overtake that Peugeot?, Michel instructs the driver. East along Quai del la Mégisserie
- Capture 77
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?Don?t change gears!?. Cours la Reine approaching Rue François 1er.
- Capture 78
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?Don?t brake for a 4CV?
- Capture 79
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?Take the next left?. Quai de la Mégisserie approaching Place du Châtelet.
- Capture 80
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The car stops ? ?Wait - I?ll be back?. He goes to speak to two prostitutes on the Rue du Ponceau, Rue Saint Denis, just north of the Place du Châtelet.
- Capture 81
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?He left five minutes ago?. Rue du Ponceau ? stopped at the Rue Saint Denis.
- Capture 82
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?The friend who owes you money??. Boulevard Poissonnière, 2e
- Capture 83
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?Overtake that 2CV?. Boulevard Sebastopol, 1e
- Capture 84
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?Where you going?? ? ?To the New York Herald?. Boulevard de Bonne Nouvelle 2e
- Capture 85
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?Eyes on the road?. Boulevard Sebastopol, 1e
- Capture 86
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Cours la Reine approaching the Rue Francois 1er, 8e Circa 1960
- Capture 87
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?Stop here? Believed to be Cours la Reine, just after the Pont Alexandre lll.
- Capture 88
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Michel runs from the car???.. Believed to be Cours la Reine, just after the Pont Alexandre lll.
- Capture 89
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????to demonstrate to Patricia what he had been saying to her about what the sort of Paris girls made him want to do.
- Capture 90
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Shortly after they arrive at 9 Rue Lord Byron. The junction with Rue Balzac upper right.
- Capture 91
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Michel grabs Patricia?s hand and leads her through a passageway that links Rue Lord Byron and the Champs Elysées.
- Capture 92
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They say ?Ciao? and go their separate ways. 122 Av. des Champs Elysées.
- Capture 93
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Michel leaves his tailor?s sporting a new hat and a light suit. 12 Rue de Berri opposite Patricia?s office.
- Capture 94
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The police, Inspector Vital (Daniel Boulanger) had meanwhile spoken to Patricia about her relationship with Michel and when she would be seeing him again. Being somewhat noncommittal, the police watch her offices. Rue de Berri.
- Capture 95
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Shortly after, she leaves, and is followed by both the police and Michel. Champs Elysées crossing Rue Washington.
- Capture 96
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The trio continue along the Champs Elysées. Circa No.116
- Capture 97
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Patricia?s pace quickens as she sees an opportunity to give the police ?the slip? amongst the crowds that are there to see the cavalcade of President Eisenhower in September 1959. Mac-Mahon cinema 7 Avenue Mac-Mahon
- Capture 98
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She does manage to lose the policeman and escapes out of the cinema to meet up with Michel. Avenue Mac-Mahon looking north.
- Capture 99
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They go to the Napoleon cinema at 4 Avenue de la Grande Armée, 16e
- Capture 100
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Michel now appears to have ?acquired? a car, a 1957 Peugeot 403. They pull up at ??.
- Capture 101
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??..the Champs Elysées Drugstore where Patricia buys a newspaper. No 133 now redeveloped.
- Capture 102
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?What does it say?? Champs Elysées.
- Capture 103
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?The police are closing in on Michel Poiccard?. Av. des Champs-Elysées about to enter Pl. de la Concorde.
- Capture 104
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As they drive into the Place de la Concorde Michel decides to change cars. Looking over Pont de la Concorde to the Palais Bourbon.
- Capture 105
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He turns off into a quiet side road???See next capture.
- Capture 106
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?????.and into a multi-story garage. Roland-François found that it is now a long gone garage at 39 Rue de Lyon, 12e
- Capture 107
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Patricia suggests that they steal the Cadillac, a Series 2 1954 convertible and they soon drive past a building with advertising signs on the Place Saint Lazare, with Patricia driving. The corner of Place Saint-Lazare and Rue de Rome 8e.
- Capture 108
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The camera pans downwards. The corner of Place Saint-Lazare and Rue de Rome 8e.
- Capture 109
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They drive past the Royal Saint Germain, 149 Bld. Saint Germain 6e, turning right from the Boulevard Saint Germain into Rue de Rennes
- Capture 110
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Did she spot him? It would seem so. 149 Bld. Saint Germain looking NNW.
- Capture 111
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And onwards to the ?La Pergola? on the Rue du Four. Time to put the roof down. Place d?Acadie on the corner of Rue du Four and Rue de Montfaucon.
- Capture 112
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In the ?La Pergola? Michel learns that the man he is looking for is in Montparnasse so they drive there.
- Capture 113
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Pulling over, Michel immediately recognises and calls out, ?Karl? [Zumbach] (Roger Hanin). Outside ?La Coupole?, 102 Boulevard du Montparnasse, 14e. Although much changed it remains to this day.
- Capture 114
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Karl gets up and goes to the car to talk to Michel who asks, ?Antonio?s not with you??. ?There he is?, Karl points. Kerbside ?La Coupole?, 102 Boulevard du Montparnasse, 14e.
- Capture 115
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Antonio Berruti (Henri-Jacques Huet) is crossing the road with a girl. Boulevard du Montparnasse looking across to Rue Vavin and ?Le Select? 99 Boulevard du Montparnasse, that also remains.
- Capture 116
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Michel and Patricia make their way down the Boulevard du Montparnasse, past ?La Rotonde?, 105 Boulevard du Montparnasse and ?Le Dôme? towards the Rue Campagne-Première where they are to stay the night in the apartment of Antionio?s Swedish girlfriend.
- Capture 117
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Michel sends Patricia out to buy a newspaper and some milk. She returns via the Boulevard du Montparnasse (113) passing west to east in front of the Rue de la Grande Chaumière.
- Capture 118
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Continuing to walk in the same direction she passes a lottery ticket stand. 138 Boulevard du Montparnasse.
- Capture 119
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She calls in at a bar, 17 Rue Campagne-Première for a whisky but they don?t have any, a coffee then. From here she telephones Inspector Vital. It would seem that besides being remodelled the bar has now been renamed to ?A Boute De Souffle?.
- Capture 120
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Upon returning, Patricia tells Michel that she has called the Inspector and shortly after Antonio Berruti arrives with Michel?s money. The bystanders are at 11 Rue Campagne-Première.
- Capture 121
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Antonio doesn?t stop and so Michel has to chase after him. Rue Campagne-Première.
- Capture 122
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Eventually he draws up and hands over the money. The doorway behind Michel?s head is that of 12 Rue Campagne-Première.
- Capture 123
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It is not long before the police are on the scene. Rue Campagne-Première looking north.
- Capture 124
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Antonio throws a gun to Michel that he had previously refused. 10 Rue Campagne-Première in the background.
- Capture 125
- 27 Jan 2024
The police manage the first shot and Michel stumbles off injured passing the Art Nouveau style building of André Arfvidson. Rue Campagne-Première.
'david.l' provides the first comparison shot.
- Capture 126
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And finally collapses at the junction with Boulevard Raspail.