Breathless

American audiences may have little interest in European or world cinema, but American studios closely follow what can be monetized and eagerly produce remakes of successful films, particularly French ones. Typically, these versions are far from as good as the originals, but American audiences appreciate the presence of familiar faces and American English. Naturally, Godard had something completely different in mind than his American counterpart. The label "crime" is quite misleading, as is the presence of the gallery members on screen, because the director was making a psychological drama focused on the character of his protagonists, not on action. In the American version, the basic story and its characters remained intact, but it became a common product of mass culture, a mediocre affair with a hint of romance that has almost nothing in common with the intellectual depth of its source. If you enjoyed the original Godard film, don't bother watching the remake, and the same applies in reverse. Both films have completely different audiences. Of course, there are also differences in the actors' approaches; Belmondo's crook represented a completely different type of character than his later likable adventurers, and Gere lacks his charisma and acting range. Overall impression: 40%. (06/06/2011)