Jules and Jim Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		5.0
Video		5.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		3.5
Overall		4.5

Jules and Jim Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov May 13, 2022

Francois Truffaut's "Jules and Jim" (1962) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of the British Film Institute. The supplemental features on the disc include archival audio commentary with Jeanne Moreau; archival audio interview with Francois Truffaut; archival program with John Hurt; promotional materials; and more. In French, with optional English subtitles for the main feature. Region-B "locked".

The film begins in pre-war Paris where students Jules (Oskar Werner, The Spy Who Came in from the Cold, Fahrenheit 451) and Jim (Henri Serre, Le Combat dans l'ile, The Fire Within) try to live life to the fullest. Jules is Austrian and Jim French, but both are equally passionate about literature, art, and women.

After a trip to Greece, the two friends are introduced to the free-spirited Catherine (Jeanne Moreau, Elevator to the Gallows, La Notte), who quickly forces them to see the world they live in differently. They begin fantasizing about having families and growing older with someone they love dearly. Initially Jules and Jim are afraid to admit that the special someone is Catherine, but eventually they admit to each other that she is the woman that can make their dreams come true.

Catherine loves both men, but chooses the slightly more conservative Jules and they marry. Soon after, WWI begins and Jules and Jim are forced to head in different directions. During the war they frequently think about Catherine and how horrible it would be if they had to face each other in a battle.

After the war, Jim, now making ends meet as a reporter, visits Jules and Catherine on their chalet on the Reine. Jim is convinced that their union could not be stronger, but Jules quickly confesses to him that Catherine is no longer the woman he once fell in love with -- through she is a good mother, she’s had many lovers and has become nostalgic about her bohemian past. Deeply concerned about his friends and still madly in love with Catherine, Jim decides to stay with them for as long as possible in order to restore the harmony in their lives.

Francois Truffaut’s legendary film does not look or feel as groundbreaking today as it did during the early 60s because for the most part the easiness with which it accepts and celebrates the relationship between its protagonists is no longer controversial. But without it the likes of Bernardo Bertolucci’s The Dreamers, Andrzej Zulawski’s La fidelite, and Xavier Dolan’s Heartbeats undoubtedly would have looked very, very different.

The title singles out the two male protagonists, but the film actually belongs to Moreau’s Catherine. Her quirkiness and passion for life really set the tone for the entire film and force the audience to care about the relationship it chronicles. The lack of moralistic statements makes the film even more attractive.

It is important to clarify, however, that Jules and Jim isn’t a light and breezy romantic period piece. With only a couple of sequences Truffaut effectively captures the ugliness of war and the essence of the insecurity war brings in people’s lives. War also breeds suffocating fear and in Jules and Jim its presence is easily felt.

Truffaut was only 29 when he completed Jules and Jim with the great cinematographer Raoul Coutard (A Woman Is A Woman, Weekend), but the film’s visual style is remarkably mature. The camera moves freely, but the frequently unorthodox close-ups and zooms never feel rushed or disorganized. Some raw documentary footage and different framing are used to enhance the sense of realism, but they do not affect the rhythm of the film. Light and shadow are also carefully employed and balanced.

Throughout the film a narrator also describes events or highlights important facts for the viewer. The technique, which Truffaut admired and used in many of his films, makes the frequent transitions between different periods easy and effective.

Jules and Jim Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 2.39:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Jules and Jim arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of the British Film Institute.

We have done reviews for two other releases of Jules and Jim. The first is this Region-A release from Criterion, while the second is this Region-B release from Artificial Eye. Both arrived on the market in 2014. Both introduced the same 2K restoration of the film that was prepared in France on behalf of MK2.

Early press materials for the BFI release advertised it as being sourced from a new 2K restoration, but it appears that someone at BFI's press department made a mistake because it offers the exact same presentation of the film you would get from the other two releases that are mentioned above. I could not see any meaningful discrepancies on my system. Perhaps there are a few visuals on it that are just a tiny bit darker than what I see on the Criterion release, but the difference is meaningless. The back cover of the BFI release also states that the release is sourced from a new 2K restoration, so this is a mistake as well.

The good news is that the current 2K restoration is really, really good. I viewed BFI's release earlier tonight and at the moment cannot see any room for meaningful improvements. There are a couple of darker scenes where I think that some dark nuances could have been managed slightly better to avoid what appears to be very light black crush, but it might be that this is exactly how these scenes were shot. It is very difficult to tell because there is still plenty of detail and various thick shadows, and the camera moves in very particular ways that appear to be exacerbating some of the darkest spots. Everything else looks either very good or excellent, with the outdoor daylight footage usually boasting the best depth and clarity. The entire film is spotless as well. (Note: This is a Region-B "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-B or Region-Free player in order to access its content).

Jules and Jim Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: French LPCM 2.0. Optional English subtitles are provided for the main feature. When turned on, they split the image frame and the black bar below it.

The lossless track is excellent. The dialog is very clear, sharp, and clean. It remain stable throughout the entire film as well. I think that dynamic intensity is very good too, though as always you need to keep in mind that this film was shot in the early 1960s and it is usually Georges Delerue's soundtrack that is responsible for the most memorable dynamic contrasts.

Jules and Jim Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Trailers -
  
  1. Original theatrical trailer. In French, with English subtitles. (4 min).
  2. 2022 theatrical trailer. Recent trailer for the 60th anniversary of Jules and Jim. With English text. (2 min).

• Francois Truffaut Panel Discussion - this filmed event was part of Francois Truffaut's Cinematic and Literary Influences, a study day that took place at BFI's Southbank on January 29, 2022. It features pre-recorded presentations and in-person discussions with Pasquale Iannone (University of Edinburgh), Marilyn Mallia (University of Malta), Ginette Vincendeau (King's College, London), and Catherine Wheatley (King's College), amongst others. In English, not subtitled. (54 min).

• Screen Epiphanies: John Hurt on Jules and Jim - in this archival video piece, actor John Hurt recalls how he discovered Jules and Jim and the impact the film had on him. The piece was shot at BFI Southbank on January 23., 2010. In English, not subtitled. (9 min).

• John Player Lecture: Francois Truffaut - in this archival audio interview, Francois Truffaut discusses his career and influences. The interview was recorded at the BFI's National Film Theatre in 1972. In French with English subtitles. (53 min).

• Jeanne Moreau in Conversation - in this archival audio interview, Jeanne Moreau discusses her life and career with writer and producer Don Allen. The interview was recorded at the BFI's National Film Theatre on April 5, 1982. (83 min).

• Audio Commentary - this archival audio commentary with Jeanne Moreau was conducted by Serge Toubiana and recorded in 2000. It is also included on Artificial Eye's Blu-ray release of Jules and Jim. In French, with optional English subtitles.

• Stills Gallery - a collection of production stills. Courtesy of MK2. (7 min).

• Booklet - 30-page illustrated booklet featuring essays by Pasquale Innone, Lillian Crawford, and Kieron McCormack, as well as technical credits.

Jules and Jim Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The British Film Institute produced this release to celebrate the sixtieth anniversary of Francois Truffaut's Jules and Jim. Its back cover states that it is sourced from a new 2K restoration, but this information is incorrect. The release is sourced from the same old 2K restoration that was completed on behalf of MK2 in France, which was first introduced by Artificial Eye in the United Kingdom and Criterion in the United States in 2014. I like the restoration a lot, so if you do not yet have a copy of Jules and Jim in your library, consider picking up BFI's release. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.