One of the most charismatic feature films of the New Wave, A Bout de Souffle (1960) has retained much of its appeal not only as the emphatic statement of a generational break with tradition, but also as Godard's earliest rendition of a set of thematic and stylistic motifs that would become his trademark. Sustained critical attention over almost fifty years has made this a cult film, propelled in part by the memorable coupling of its lead actors,...