Truffaut's innovative cinematography and direction added to the film's emotional impact:
The film’s emotional core is the tragedy of a child who falls through the cracks. Unlike Hollywood films of the era that often sentimentalized childhood, Truffaut portrays it as a time of confusion and arbitrary punishment. The question the film poses is: Is Antoine a delinquent, or is he simply reacting to a lack of affection? the 400 blows
The camera follows Antoine through the winding alleys and bustling boulevards of Paris, making the city a living character. making the city a living character.