In Marseille, a young thug Michel Poiccard steals a car and kills the motorcycle cop who was chasing him. In Paris, on the Champs Elysées, he encounters Patricia, a young American girl who sells...

In Marseille, a young thug Michel Poiccard steals a car and kills the motorcycle cop who was chasing him. In Paris, on the Champs Elysées, he encounters Patricia, a young American girl who sells the "New York Herald Tribune". He talks her into going with him to Italy... Shot in less than a month based upon a script by Francois Truffaut, "A Bout de Souffle" remains with its freedom of tone, pace, and action the signature film of the French New Wave cinema.