COMPARISON OF BREATHLESS AND DOUBLE HAPPINESS.

             The narrative closure of Breathless and Double Happiness, are quite different. The definition of closure: The degree to which the ending of a narrative film reveals the effects of all the causal events and resolves (or "closes off") all lines of action . Therefore it"s clear that the plot is over there are no questions left unanswered. In both the films Breathless and Double Happiness the narrative closure is only partial. In both these films we are left wondering of certain events that are left unresolved. Although the film, Breathless leaves us confused and unsettled. Double Happiness is far less confusing and unanswered.

             Jean-Luc Godard produced Breathless, in 1959. It was created during a period in film history called the French New Wave. This film is about a car thief, named Michelle. He kills a motorcycle police in the first scene of the film, and flees to Paris in order to get money to escape to Italy. He also goes to Paris to try to convince Patricia, an American art student, with whom he had a brief affair to flee to Italy with him. She is very indecisive and after a few days she decides that she loves him, and that she will flee .

             with him. They plan their escape and just as Michelle is about to receive the cash from his friend Antonio, that he needs to flee; Patricia calls the police and reports him. We are uncertain why Patricia turned in a man she claimed to love. When they arrive the authorities shoot Michelle. The very last few scenes are rather puzzling. They are of Michelle dying. Patricia looking down at him. He slowly makes the same faces at her that he had made before, during one of their long conversations. And mutters, "That"s really disgusting", then he dies. Patricia then asks the detective what he said. And the detective responds "You are really a little bitch"- which is wrong. But, we are left wondering what Michelle felt was disgusting: Patricia"s betrayal, his own fear to flee without her, or simply his death.