Small Change: A Film Novel by Francois Truffaut

by François Truffaut

Small Change , shot in the French Provinces, is a story about children. Truffaut has captured the essence of each age group – the verbally precocious three-year-old who pushes the family cat out the window only to follow it nine stories to the ground, the teenage boy yet to experience his first kiss, but hopelessly infatuated with his best friend's mother, the uncooperative eight-year-old daughter of the local policeman who, when left alone as punishment, uses her father's bullhorn to complain to the neighbors she is starving, the brothers who, having insufficient pocket money to buy a stolen compass, cut a younger classmate's hair and borrow his barber money.

Small Change contains precise and moving descriptions of the various stages of a secure childhood, of the fun and freedom one experiences as a child, but throughout the film, Truffaut makes a stunning comparison with another child who lives in the same town, who attends the same school. He compares the life of Julian, who is hated and abused by his mother, whose mere existence is despised because he is a child. In Small Change , Truffaut makes an eloquent and traumatic appeal for the rights of children.

Genres: France

191 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1976

About the author

François Roland Truffaut was an award-winning and influential filmmaker, critically acclaimed worldwide. He was also a talented and sought-after film critic in France (most notably, his work for Cahiers du Cinema), and one of the founders of the French New Wave and the auteur theory; he remains an icon of the French film industry. In a film career lasting over a quarter of a century, he was also a screenwriter, producer or occasional actor in over twenty-five films.

Reviews

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Note: The copy I own is the First Black Cat edition (First Printing) published by Grove Press in 1976.

"[L]ife is arranged so that one cannot get by without loving or being loved." That line is uttered by a school teacher as he addresses a classroom of boys before the first day of summer vacation in Small Change (otherwise known as L'Argent de poche). In many ways, Small Change feels like the flipside of Truffaut's 400 Blows. Both films feature a young boy who faces tragic hardships in his domestic life. However, Small Change is much more a celebration of childhood and less an indictment of adulthood's cruelty. The overarching story in Small Change revolves around the children of a small French town and their (mostly) benign misadventures.

I should mention that the covers and the title page refer to Small Change as a "film novel." In truth, the book is most likely a translation of Truffaut's highly literate script. No "chapter" lasts more than a few pages. Many black-and-white stills taken from the film accompany the text. The combination results in a quick read. Both the book and the film are highly recommended.

[Amelia Hess · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not my usual MO, but it was a nice break. A cute time capsule of French adolescent culture with pictures. Would recommend for someone who wants to read but needs a break from normal books.

[D Sibilant · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok