Backfire (1964) User Reviews

A Jean-Paul Belmondo - Jean Seberg Revival of Sorts

[Danryd80 · 7/10 · 11 January 2013]

MILD SPOILER AHEAD: Released within a few weeks of "Goldfinger" in late summer of 1964, "Backfire" will have you rubbing your eyes in disbelief. Yes, that is Gert Frobe as the enforcer in a gold smuggling ring -- presaging his villainous character in the James Bond title. Yet even more strange are Belmondo and Seberg transposing their roles from Godard's "Breathless", bringing a good deal of the same chemistry along for the ride. But wait -- there's more. That fiery jazz soaring through much of the film sounds suspiciously like Martial Solal -- who also scored "Breathless." It would be a stretch to call "Backfire" an homage piece or connected to its predecessor in any meaningful way; the two films are leagues apart. However, there are at least two bedroom scenes that will make any "Breathless" fan sit up and say, "Hey, wait a minute! Didn't we hear this same repartee in Godard's famous Chambre 12, Hotel-de-Suede?". While "Backfire" is immensely entertaining, it refuses to take itself seriously. Yes, it's French cinema from the golden age. Yes, it's in glorious black-and-white. Yes, it really is Belmondo and Seberg together again and in their prime. But alas, it's not high art -- or even New Wave. And despite Seberg's apparent treachery throughout, this one ends happily -- in the way a 1960's plot-line often breezily resolved itself. A rarity but worth hunting down.

Lightweight globetrotting caper

[gridoon2024 · 5/10 · 23 March 2021]

Big-name cast mostly wasted on pointless fluff (the ending only confirms the pointlessness), though Jean Seberg is a knockout and there is one good action sequence (the car escape down the mountain). ** out of 4.

Delectable comic thriller

[pstumpf · 8/10 · 20 June 2008]

Lighthearted mixture of thrills, laughs and romance, done in the fizzy style that seems unique to the 60's. Diamond smuggling in a loaded Triumph sports car provides the action, as the protagonists go from Barcelona to Beirut, from Athens to Bremen, accompanied by an exhilarating jazzy score by Martial Solal.

The fun is aided immeasurably by the charisma and chemistry of the two stars: Belmondo, full of bravado and charm, displaying his full star power; and Seberg looking impossibly glamorous and cool, showing toughness and vulnerability. Gert Frobe and Fernando Rey lend their strong personalities to several scenes.

It's astonishing that this heady entertainment is barely known, given that it's a reunion of the stars from the famous "Breathless". A must-see for any fan of 60's caper movies, and of the two stars.

Seen at MoMA, NYC, on June 16, 2008.