After being misinformed about the availability of the film in many a good bookshop, I finally procured a copy of the Godard film Breathless. I have often waxed lyrical in a wanker-like way at parties on the classic, timeless qualities of the film and its unrivalled ending. Well, one of them. Being a French film, and myself unable to say more than “I would like to buy an apple, please”, I am at the mercy of the subtitles; your trans-language guide to the film. Fine, if not wonderful, as long as some sort of consistency is maintained. My magic ending is only one of three translations available. “It makes me want to ‘Puke’” is treated as somehow equivalent to “It is a little bitch” and “you are disgusting”; which in the final moments of a film has substantially varied impact and implications.
That many endings
The difference may seem trivial to some, but that final statement reflects upon the entire story and character arc. It would be like finding out that in the ‘original’ Citizen Kane; ‘rosebud’ was a reference to his lethal rose allergy. If you haven’t seen either, well you’ve probably seen a lot of other good films or filled your time doing other, perhaps even more interactive or creative activities. (Revised ending to the post). When you do get a chance to see ‘breathless’ though, make sure you get the ‘puke’ version.
Also, if you do intend to see it and you should, don’t watch the video below; it is literally every available ending to the film.
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