FILM · 1973 · FRANCE
La Nuit américaine
- Directed by
- François Truffaut
- Runtime
- 116 min
- Studio
- Les Films du Carrosse, Productions et Éditions Cinématographiques Françaises, Produzione Intercontinentale Cinematografica (PIC)
117 archived facts 7 topics 1 source Last reviewed Nov 2026
A committed filmmaker struggles to complete his latest project while coping with a myriad of crises, personal and professional, among the cast and crew.
117 Interesting Facts About La Nuit américaine
Interesting Facts (19)
- #001
- #002
François Truffaut's character Ferrand wears a hearing aid, though he is never explicitly described as deaf; this is partly conveyed by a voice-over noting that the film director is the person everyone on the crew asks questions of. In later interviews, Truffaut explained that the best way to ignore some of those questions was to admit to being hard of hearing.
- #003
The insurance agent is played by the novelist Graham Greene, billed as "Henry Graham." It was later claimed that Truffaut cast him without knowing who he really was, and that Greene only told him the truth when the English actor remarked that he resembled a famous writer. This may be a publicity story.
- #004
- #005
At one point Georges Delerue, who composed the music for this film and many of François Truffaut's films, calls Ferrand to play a piece of music later used in the costume ball scene. It is taken from Two English Girls (1971), an earlier collaboration between Truffaut and Delerue. In fact, the opening scene primarily uses excerpts from the scoring session for Two English Girls.
- #006
While the director listens to music playing over the phone, several books are visible stacked in the shot. All of the books are about well-known directors such as Howard Hawks, Alfred Hitchcock, Luis Buñuel, Carl Theodor Dreyer, Ingmar Bergman, Roberto Rossellini, Ernst Lubitsch, Robert Bresson and Jean-Luc Godard.
- #007
- #008
- #009
Séverine (Valentina Cortese) recalls the days when she and Alexandre (Jean-Pierre Aumont) both made it in Hollywood at the same time, when both were treated as sexy, romantic and exotic, and she implies that they are about the same age. Now, she complains, he still plays romantic leads while she is condemned to play the mother of a child. In fact, Aumont was twelve years older than Cortese.
- #010
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Production Story (47)
- #020
The insurance agent is played by the novelist Graham Greene, who is billed as "Henry Graham". It was later claimed that Truffaut cast him without realizing who he really was, and it was not until he mentioned that his English actor looked like a famous writer that Greene told him the truth. This may be a publicity story.
- #021
The English title refers to a technique for filming night scenes in broad daylight, achieved either by lowering the lens aperture or through the use of filters. The French call it the "American night". Ferrand uses this literal translation when talking about the car crash shooting, but Julie cannot understand what he means. ("What is American night?")
- #022
- #023
- #024
After the film's premiere, Jean-Luc Godard sent François Truffaut a letter criticizing the way the film depicted filmmaking and calling him a liar for it. Godard also criticized him for pandering to the mainstream, faulting filmmakers who had both worked as critics at Cahiers du Cinema for doing so. Godard further said that because the film was not truthful and was a hit, they should make a film together about the production process: Truffaut would produce, Godard would direct, and they would write the screenplay together. Godard's return address was that of Jacques Daniel-Norman, a nearly unknown filmmaker whose films Truffaut and Godard had loved when they were film critics, signaling a return to a simpler time. Truffaut ignored the hint, was insulted by the letter, and replied to Godard that he was contemptible and pretentious and that he acted poor even though he was in fact the wealthiest of their circle of friends. The reply also included a sentence in which Truffaut explicitly called Godard "shit." This quarrel is believed to have ended their lifelong friendship. Godard later regretted writing the letter, especially after Truffaut's early death in 1984, and went so far as to pay a touching tribute to his former friend.
- #025
After the film's release, Jean-Luc Godard wrote a letter to François Truffaut criticizing his approach to filmmaking and accusing him of dishonesty. Godard also claimed that Truffaut displayed the same eagerness to please the mainstream that the two of them had opposed during their days as critics at Cahiers du Cinéma. In his letter, he stated that the film did not reflect reality and that it had achieved box-office success, and proposed that they make a film together about the filmmaking process; Truffaut would produce, Godard would direct, and they would write the screenplay together.
- #026
Godard's use of the nearly unknown director Jacques Daniel-Norman, whom both men had admired during their years as critics, as the return address on the letter implied a longing to return to a simpler era. Truffaut, however, ignored this implication, took great offense at the letter, and accused Godard of being condescending and pretentious and of pretending to be poor when he was in fact the wealthiest of their circle of friends. His reply also included a statement in which he called Godard a "piece of shit" outright. This quarrel is thought to have ended their lifelong friendship.
- #027
- #028
The film was nominated for Oscars in two different years: in 1974 for Best Foreign Language Film, and in 1975 in the Best Director, Supporting Actress (Valentina Cortese) and Screenplay categories. This was due to the eligibility period for the foreign film category differing from that of the other awards and depending on the film's release date in its own country. Academy rules were later changed so that nominations in all categories were confined to the same year.
- #029
The person who plays the insurance agent in the film is the novelist Graham Greene, credited as "Henry Graham." According to later accounts, Truffaut cast him without knowing his real identity, and Greene revealed the truth when the English actor said he resembled a famous writer. It is also said, however, that this story may be a publicity fabrication.
- #030
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- #035
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- #041
- #042
- #043
The idea behind François Truffaut giving the character Ferrand a hearing aid is that a director is the person on set exposed to everyone's questions. The voice-over hints at this, and in later interviews Truffaut said that the best way to ignore certain questions is to appear hard of hearing.
- #044
When Séverine (Valentina Cortese) forgets her lines and ruins take after take, Ferrand places written notes where she can see them but the camera cannot catch them. Although the trick does not work very well here, Truffaut used the same method for himself on Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) when he had trouble remembering his English lines.
- #045
- #046
The film's English title refers to a cinematic technique used to shoot night scenes in daylight, achieved by stopping down the aperture or using filters. The French call it "American night"; Ferrand uses this literal translation when talking about the car crash scene, but Julie does not understand what he means.
- #047
- #048
Georges Delerue, the composer who scored this film and many of Truffaut's films, plays Ferrand a piece of music in one scene; the piece is later used in the costume ball scene. It is in fact a theme from Two English Girls (1971), on which the two had previously worked together, and the opening sequence consists largely of pieces left over from that film's recording sessions.
- #049
- #050
- #051
- #052
Séverine (Valentina Cortese) reminisces with Alexandre (Jean-Pierre Aumont) about the days when they both arrived in Hollywood at the same time and were both seen in exotic and romantic roles, implying that they are the same age. Now she complains that while he still plays romantic leads, she has been reduced to roles as young people's mothers. In reality, however, Aumont was twelve years older than Cortese.
- #053
After this film was released, Jean-Luc Godard wrote François Truffaut a letter criticizing his approach to filmmaking and accusing him of dishonesty. Godard also claimed that Truffaut was displaying the same eagerness to please the mainstream that the two had opposed when they worked as critics at Cahiers du Cinéma. In his letter, stating that the film did not reflect the truth and that it had been a box-office success, he proposed that they make a film together about the filmmaking process; Truffaut would produce, Godard would direct, and they would write the screenplay together.
- #054
Godard giving as his return address in the letter the nearly unknown director Jacques Daniel-Norman, whom both had admired during their years as critics, implied a longing to return to a simpler time. But Truffaut ignored the implication, took the letter very much to heart, and accused Godard of being condescending and pretentious and of pretending to be poor when he was in fact the wealthiest of their circle of friends. His reply also included a phrase in which he called Godard directly "a piece of shit." This quarrel is thought to have ended their lifelong friendship.
- #055
- #056
The film was nominated for Oscars in two different years: in 1974 for Best Foreign Language Film, and in 1975 in the Best Director, Supporting Actress (Valentina Cortese) and Screenplay categories. This was because the eligibility period for the foreign film category differed from that of the other awards and depended on the film's release date in its own country. The Academy rules were later changed to limit nominations in all categories to the same year.
- #057
The person who plays the insurance agent in the film is the novelist Graham Greene, credited as "Henry Graham." According to later accounts, Truffaut cast him without knowing his real identity, and Greene revealed the truth when the English actor said he resembled a famous writer. It is also said, however, that this story may be a publicity invention.
- #058
- #059
- #060
- #061
- #062
- #063
While Ferrand and cinematographer Walter look at Julie Baker's publicity photos, they say they remember her from 'that car chase film.' This is a humorous nod to Bullitt (1968), in which Bisset played Steve McQueen's girlfriend five years earlier and which became famous for its groundbreaking car chase.
- #064
As the director listens to music on the phone, a stack of books appears on screen. All of these books are about master directors such as Howard Hawks, Alfred Hitchcock, Luis Buñuel, Carl Theodor Dreyer, Ingmar Bergman, Roberto Rossellini, Ernst Lubitsch, Robert Bresson and Jean-Luc Godard.
- #065
- #066
Behind the Scenes (13)
- #067
Séverine (Valentina Cortese) reminisces about the days when she and Alexandre (Jean-Pierre Aumont) hit Hollywood at the same time, both treated as sexy/romantic, exotic, implying that they are about the same age. Now, she laments, he is still playing romantic leads, and she is relegated to playing the mother of the juvenile. In fact, Aumont was twelve years older than Cortese.
- #068
- #069
- #070
- #071
François Truffaut's decision to give the character Ferrand a hearing aid stems from the idea that a director is the person on set exposed to everyone's questions. The voice-over hints at this, while Truffaut later said in interviews that the best way to ignore certain questions is to appear hard of hearing.
- #072
When Séverine (Valentina Cortese) forgets her lines and ruins take after take, Ferrand places written notes where she can see them but the camera cannot catch them. Though this trick does not work here, Truffaut used the same method for himself on Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) when he struggled to remember his English lines.
- #073
- #074
The film's English title refers to a cinematic technique used to shoot night scenes in daylight, achieved by stopping down the aperture or using filters. The French call this "American night"; Ferrand uses this literal translation when discussing the car crash scene, but Julie does not understand what he means.
- #075
- #076
Georges Delerue, the composer of the music for this film and many of Truffaut's films, plays Ferrand a piece of music in one scene; that piece is later used in the costume ball scene. In fact, it is a theme from Two English Girls (1971), on which the two had previously worked together, and the opening sequence consists largely of pieces from that film's recording sessions.
- #077
- #078
- #079
Characters & Cast (6)
- #080
When Nathalie Baye first heard that Billy Wilder had asked François Truffaut whether he was using a real script girl for the role of Joelle, she felt a little hurt because she had worked so hard to be a proper actress. She later admitted it was the best compliment she could have received.
- #081
As Séverine (Valentina Cortese) has increasing difficulty remembering her lines (requiring several takes), Ferrand eventually writes her lines on pieces of paper that can be stuck around the film set out of the camera's view so she can read them. It does not really work here. However, François Truffaut himself used the same trick when he had trouble remembering his English lines in Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977).
- #082
- #083
Nathalie Baye was a little taken aback when she first heard Billy Wilder's question about whether she had used a real script-girl for the role of Joelle, because she was doing her utmost as an actress. In time, she came to accept that this question was the greatest compliment she could receive.
- #084
- #085
Séverine (Valentina Cortese) reminisces about the days when she and Alexandre (Jean-Pierre Aumont) arrived in Hollywood at the same time and were both seen in exotic and romantic roles, implying that they are the same age. Now, however, she complains that while he still plays romantic leads, she has been reduced to roles as the mother of young people. In reality, though, Aumont was twelve years older than Cortese.
Easter Eggs & References (7)
- #086
In "Meet Pamela", the film-within-the-film, Pamela (Jacqueline Bisset) explains that she met Alphonse's character after the girl he was supposed to be with in England came down with chicken pox. This is a reference to Bisset's first movie role, in Stanley Donen's Two for the Road (1967), where architecture student Albert Finney ends up traveling through France with English girl Audrey Hepburn after the girl he was supposed to travel with (Bisset) comes down with chicken pox.
- #087
- #088
While the director is listening to music play back over the phone the image shows several books being stacked. All the books are about well known directors including Howard Hawks, Alfred Hitchcock, Luis Buñuel, Carl Theodor Dreyer, Ingmar Bergman, Roberto Rossellini, Ernst Lubitsch, Robert Bresson, and Jean-Luc Godard.
- #089
- #090
- #091
In the film-within-the-film "Meet Pamela," Pamela (Jacqueline Bisset) explains that she met Alphonse's character after the girl he was supposed to be with in England came down with chickenpox. This is a nod to Bisset's first film role in Stanley Donen's Two for the Road (1967), in which the architecture student played by Albert Finney travels through France with the English girl Audrey Hepburn after the girl he was supposed to travel with (Bisset) comes down with chickenpox.
- #092
Deeper Meaning (10)
- #093
- #094
- #095
- #096
In the film-within-the-film 'Meet Pamela,' Pamela's story of meeting Alphonse salutes Jacqueline Bisset's first film role. Bisset had entered cinema with a small role in Two for the Road (1967), stepping in for a girl who had come down with chickenpox and thereby changing the course of the story.
- #097
While looking at publicity photos of Julie Baker, Ferrand and cinematographer Walter say they remember her from 'that car-chase film.' This is a witty reference to Bullitt (1968), in which Bisset played Steve McQueen's girlfriend five years earlier and which became famous for its groundbreaking car chase.
- #098
- #099
As the director listens to music on the phone, a stack of books appears on the screen. All of these books are about master directors such as Howard Hawks, Alfred Hitchcock, Luis Buñuel, Carl Theodor Dreyer, Ingmar Bergman, Roberto Rossellini, Ernst Lubitsch, Robert Bresson and Jean-Luc Godard.
- #100
- #101
- #102
Career & Awards (15)
- #103
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- #110
The film was nominated for Academy Awards for two years: As best foreign language film in 1974, and director, supporting actress (Valentina Cortese), and screenplay in 1975. This happened because the eligibility periods for foreign language film is different than other awards, and is dependent on the film's release in its originating country. Academy rules have since been amended, limiting nominations in all categories to the same year.
- #111
- #112
- #113
- #114
The film was nominated for Oscars in two different years: Best Foreign Language Film in 1974, and Director, Supporting Actress (Valentina Cortese) and Screenplay in 1975. This was because the eligibility periods for foreign-language films differ from those of other awards and depend on the film's release in its country of origin. The Academy's rules were changed so that nominations in all categories were limited to the same year.
- #115
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