Bed and Board (1970, François Truffaut) (Patreon)

60/100

Second viewing, last seen 1999. Might've made a difference that I watched it just a week after Stolen Kisses this time (six years elapsed between my initial encounter with each); that film's final scene recontextualizes the whole, making it feel less slight, whereas Bed and Board's cutesy ending actually cements that feeling. Mostly, though, I'm just a bit uncomfortable with the way that Truffaut exoticizes Kyoko, portraying her throughout as the embodiment of Western stereotypes about Japanese women. (Her name also seems designed to equate her with Yoko Ono, who was being demonized as a homewrecker at the time. I'd feel more confident of that intention were this an American film; not sure Truffaut would have paid much attention. Still, it's significant that Kyoko's the aggressor, kicking her roommate out and putting a "Do not disturb" sign on the door.) Antoine reconciling with Christine by repeatedly phoning her during a date with Kyoko, complaining that she's driving him nuts, would be a lot more charming were Kyoko's ostensible sin something other than silently smiling. That's Ed, I will brook no criticism of Christine's magnificent "J'accuse!", which consists of her just sitting there in a kimono and Japanese makeup when Antoine walks through the apartment door. Lots of in-jokes—a Mr. Hulot homage, Antoine leaving a message for Jean with "Madame Eustache" (though the Criterion Channel's subtitles omit the surname; only caught that because I'm just fluent enough in French that I actively listen to the dialogue)—and random goofiness (the neighborhood "strangler" who turns out to be a comedian), with a nicely subtle Machiavellian undercurrent in e.g. the battle over the baby's name, Christine ultimately calling him Alphonse without some big scene in which she acquiesces. I think Truffaut should have waited more than two years to return to these characters, though. Unexpectedly cogent socio-economic analysis, courtesy of a sex worker: "There used to be clients until the 23rd. Now everyone's broke by the 15th."