TLS in French, four onionskin pages, 8.25 x 11.75, personal letterhead, May 21, 1980. Letter to Stanley Hochman, his American translator, discussing several films along with the work of French critic Andre Bazin, one of the leading voices in the French New Wave and co-founder of Cahiers du Cinema. In part (translated): "How many times have I reproached to publishers—above all Americans—to not reply to letters! I had in fact the major excuse to be shooting The Last Metro since January, after that I went to spend two weeks in Los Angeles. Concerning Children of Paradise you can expect great disappointment: Apparently Bazin did not like this film….It has often happened to Bazin not to like a film at first and to be enthusiastic when seeing it again, each time, he has had the honesty to state it in subsequent articles…but no reversal of this type is found in it concerning Children of Paradise and I am even sadder about it when I feel that you adore this film (which is for me the best tandem Carné-Prévert)."
Truffaut then proceeds to answer several questions from Hochman's letter, regarding details of Bazin's writing during the war, and various French releases. Following the list of answers, he continues (in part): "Thank you for sending me Hitchcock by Chabrol and Rohmer…I know that the movie book trade is difficult, even in America, but you work so well that I can only imagine the success for your enterprise…I am happily surprised by the quickness of execution concerning edition of this Bazin-Occupation, I hope that translation work is not too difficult and I am asking myself if I should not have adapted my preface to American readers." Truffaut makes a couple handwritten corrections to the text. Repaired tears and paper loss to upper right corner, otherwise fine condition. Truffaut had recently edited and written an introduction to a compilation of Bazin's writing, which Hochman then translated into English and published in 1981 under the title French Cinema of the Occupation & Resistance. At the same time, Truffaut was likely working on The Cinema of Cruelty: From Bunuel to Hitchcock, another collection of Bazin's work which Hochman would also translate and publish the following year. A fabulous, lengthy letter with choice cinematic content.
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