Michel Poicard (Jean-Paul Belmondo), driving a stolen car, shoots a police motorcyclist who tails him on a country road. Wanted by the Parisian police, he moves in with his girl-friend, Patricia Franchini (Jean Seberg), an American student and aspiring journalist. He tries to raise money to go to Rome with her. After a night together, she betrays him to the police, and although she warns him, he is hot.

Barr, Charles. “À Bout de Souffle.” Ian Cameron 11-16

Angela (Anna karina), a stripper, wants to have a baby and get married. Her lover, Emile (Jean-Claude Brialy) does not. On a day when conception is most likely, Emile reaffirms his unwillingness and she goes for help to their friend Alfred (Jean-Paul Belmondo). By the time Emile has decided to let her have a baby, it is too late to do more that ensure that any resulting child cloud be his.

Edgardo, Cozarinsky. “Une Femme est une Femme.” Ian Cameron 26-31

Nana (Anna Karina) works in a record store. Unable to pay her rent, she drifts into prostitution, at first casually and then professionally, taking up with a ponce (Sady Rebbot). She tries to break away from him to live normally with a young man, but is killed in a shooting accident.

Perkins, V.F. “Vivre Sa Vie.” Ian Cameron 32-39

Bruno Forestier (Michel Subor) is a deserter from the French Army who works in Switzerland for a right-wing terrorist organization (in effect, the O.A.S.). He is ordered to kill Palivoda, a broadcaster with Arab sympathies. Bruno meets, photographs and falls in love with Veronica Dreyer (Anna Karina), not knowing that she works for the other side, i.e. the F.L.N. After his first, reluctant and abortive attempt to kill Palivoda, he is captured and tortured by the Arabs. To earn freedom for himself and Veronica in South America he kills Palivoda, only to find that his side had captured Veronica and tortured her to death.

Winkler, Richard. “Le Petit Soldat.” Ian Cameron 17-20

Michel Ange (Albert Fuross) and Ulysse (Marin Mase) are called up to fight for the King. Assured that they will be be able to do what they want to the enemy and that they will become rich, they go off to fight and occasionally write home to their wives, Venus (Genevieve Galea) and Cleopatre (Catherine Ribeiro). After some years they return home with pictures of their conquests. Each receives a medal as a token of what he has earned and will receive when the war is over. Bells and fireworks mark the end of the war, but the King has lost and the country is in a state of civil war. While Michel Ange and Ulysse are searching for the King so that they can collect what they have earned they are shown into a cellar and machine-gunned.

Cameron, Ian. “Les Carabiniers.” Ian Cameron 40-53

Paul Javal (Michel Piccoli) is working on the script of a version of “The Odyssey” which is being directed by Fritz Lang for producer Jeremiah Prokosh (Jack Palance). Paul and his wife become increasingly estranged, but she goes with him when the unit moves to Capri. She catches him making advance to Prokosh’s secretary (Georgia Moll); later she allows him to see her kissing Prokosh. Paul announces that he is leaving the film, but Camille goes first, driving back to Rome with Prokosh. The two are killed in a car crash. Lang goes on to complete the film.

Guarner, Jose Luis. “Le Mépris.” Ian Cameron 54-60

Odile (Anna Karina) has told Franz (Sami Frey), a fellow student at language school, that M. Stolz, a mysterious lodger with the aunt and guardian Mme Victoria keeps a large amount of money in his room. Franz and his friend Arthur (Claude Brasseur) plan to rob the house and persuade Odile to cooperate. Arthur’s criminal relative hear of the job and want to take over. The robbery committed by Arthur and Franz becomes a tragic farce. Mme Victoria seems to have suffocated by a her gag. They finally get into the room and find the money is gone. As they are leaving, Arthur goes back  and discovers it in a dog’s kennel, only to be shot when his relatives arrive. After the felons have departed, Stolz returns and is greeted by an unscathed Mme Victoria. Odile and Franz take a boat to South America.

Wood, Robert “Bande À Part.” Ian Cameron 61-71

The film follows Charlotte (Macha Meril) during twenty-four hours, at the end of which her lover, Robert (Bernard Noel), an actor, is leaving to play a part in the provinces. Her husband, Pierre (Philippe Leroy, a pilot, returns from Germany with a passenger, Roger Leenhardt, whom they entertain to dinner. In the morning, she attends  a photographic session and visits her doctor who confirms that she is pregnant. She drives to Orly and makes love with Robert before his  ‘plane leaves.

French, Philip “Une Femme Mariée .” Ian Cameron 72-82

Juliette (Marina Vlady) lives in a a new apartment block in a Paris suburb. Her husband (Roger Montsoret works in a garage. To pay the bills of her comfortable middle-class life, she engages in prostitution.

Bjorkman, Stig “Ou 3 Choses Que Je Sais D'elle.” Ian Cameron 140-146