Breathless (1983)

He’ll break rules, he’ll break laws and he’ll break your heart. It’s all or nothing with Richard Gere in Breathless.

Richard Gere (American Gigolo and Days of Heaven) is electrifying as Jesse Lujack, a small-time criminal obsessed with the rockabilly tunes of Jerry Lee Lewis, the Silver Surfer and Monica (Valérie Kaprisky, Andrzej Żuławski’s La Femme Publique), the beautiful French exchange student he spent a passionate couple of nights with in Vegas. High-tailing it to Los Angeles to rendezvous again with Monica, Jesse steals a fast car and accidentally shoots and kills a highway patrolman. Now the most wanted fugitive in L.A., Jesse should get across the border to Mexico as soon as possible, but Monica leaves him breathless…

Co-writer and director Jim McBride (David Holzman’s Diary and Great Balls of Fire) and co-writer L.M. Kit Carson (Paris, Texas and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2) boldly set out to create an American version of Jean-Luc Godard’s groundbreaking debut Breathless and the result is a wildly energetic and imaginative neo-noir romance that has become a cult classic. The spirited supporting cast includes memorable character players John P. Ryan, Garry Goodrow, Art Metrano, James Hong, Miguel Pinero, William Tepper and Lisa Jane Persky. With its rockin’ and atmospheric soundtrack, candy-colored cinematography by Richard H. Kline (Body Heat) and production design by Richard Sylbert (Chinatown), as well as the uncommonly strong sexual chemistry of its leads, Breathless is truly a cinematic feast for the senses. Ahead of its time when released, viewers have finally caught up to Breathless and now it’s been restored in 2K from its 35mm interpositive and presented with an alternate ending that’s been unseen for decades!

directed by: Jim McBride
starring: Richard Gere, Valerie Kaprisky, John P. Ryan, Art Metrano
1983 / 100 min / 1.85:1 / English DTS-HD MA 2.0