“We played with life and lost.” – Jim (Jules and Jim 1962)

When most people, myself included, speak of a favorite film, they often begin by saying, “the first time I saw [insert favorite film].” This is natural, of course, because cinema is the art of moving images, but what about the sounds? In the case of Truffaut’s masterpiece, I couldn’t help but proclaim, “the first time I heard Jules and Jim.”

To capture the cool, ephemeral free-spirit of Catherine; the reserved compassion of Jules; the impatience of Jim, all in the form of a music score, is nothing short of brilliant. It musters such an array of emotions that it adds the element of color to a B&W film; a celebration of life, youth, and free will.

A native of Roubaix, France, Georges composed over 350 scores in his lifetime. To say he was illustrious is an understatement. He created the music not only to specific films, but to a movement; a wave that changed the shores of cinema forever. He was nominated for numerous awards, ranging from BAFTA to the Australian Film Institute. In 1979, the french composer won an Academy Award for best original score (A Little Romance).

In addition to film and television, Georges Delerue composed Arias, Operas, Ballets, Sonatas, and pretty much any other form of classical music. The sweet melancholy of his music reminds me of Schubert and Chopin.

Georges composed he music track to Godard’s ‘Le Mepris ‘

A final thought, next time you go for a walk, let Georges Delerue be the music track. As you pass the eclectic stores and people, you’ll feel like a character who walked out of the frame of a French New Wave film.  Trust me, I do it all the time.