Trivia

Release date: May 4, 1959

The title of the film comes from the French idiom “Faire les quatre cents coups”. Coup means blow but can also mean stunt or trick. The expression means: Going round and doing what you want in an anarchic sort of way.
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René was based on the real life friend of Truffaut Robert Lachenay (+-1930 - 2005). In their adolescent years Lachenay and Truffaut were partners in crime.
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Truffaut: “The idea of the frozen frame came to me in the cutting room. [] I wanted to be sure the audience would not think he was going to commit suicide in the water. [] But when he came up to the camera, he moved his head around and didn’t give that steady look. [] I realized that I could get a good effect by stopping the film earlier.”
--Source: Film Makers Speak: Voices of Film Experience, Page 468

Truffaut: “The thing that surprised me [] was that I did not realize that the audience would be with the boy against the adults. If I did the film again, the boy would become less endearing and the parents would be made more sympathetic.”
--Source: Film Makers Speak: Voices of Film Experience, Page 470

The movie was based on Truffaut’s life. He was born to a 17 year old mother who turned him over to a wetnurse and later to her mother. In the meantime his mother married Rolland Truffaut. And Francois also took refuge in Cinema and Literature.
--Source: Closely Watched Films, Page 125

Director Kurosawa: “One of the most beautiful films that I have ever seen”