Une femme est une femme by Jean-Luc Godard is a refreshing, quirky, screwball comedy that deviates from the stereotypical mid-of-the-century musical. It could’ve well been intended as a retort to “An American in Paris”.

Godard depicts a G-rated striptease dancer who purposely woos the best friend of her boyfriend to make him jealous because of his unwillingness to have a child. With the occasional wink to the camera, the actors invite the audience as an accomplice to their story and maybe even luring it to take a side. This “musical” lacks in singing —and sometimes even talking— what it abounds in choreography (as in synchronized movements of the participants and not intentional dancing). Yet it’s ironic to call it a musical, since the score and soundtrack at times give the impression of having been done by an amateur with scratched LPs.

In the climax of the film’s ludicrousness, the couple choreographs a confrontation with each other by carrying a floor lamp while going from one library shelf to the other, selecting a series of books with a suitable title, and manifesting those titles to the other —like a script so as to express the “unspeakable”. This turns out to be more of ludic quarrel than a hostile one. A true joy for the spectator.

With Une Femme est Une Femme Jean-Luc Godard has fun with the musical. It’s a lot of intellectual fun with singing, dancing and Anna Karina. But with Godard he doesn’t just make a film, he also makes a film about cinema and he plays with the conventions of filmmaking to always let you know that you are watching a movie. The musical soundtrack will come in and out depending on what the characters are saying. People talk to the camera and wink at us. There are tons of references to the early New Wave films and Jeanne Moreau shows up to tell Belmondo that things are going well with the shooting of Jules et Jim. There are some great scenes that are silent as well where characters communicate using titles from stacks of books that they choose from a bookcase. It’s technically impressive, playful and fun for cinephiles.