Fahrenheit 451

François Truffaut's only English-language film is an underrated adaptation of Ray Bradbury's science-fiction novel about a dystopian future where books are burned. Rebels fight back against the regime, speaking of books as if they were the dead—endowed with souls that suffer as they go up in flames. Oskar Werner plays Montag, a dutiful fireman married to Linda, the perfect model citizen who obediently conforms to the political order. Under the influence of a questioning young woman (Julie Christie in a dual role), Montag begins to doubt everything and is eventually driven to rebel. Truffaut never quite felt at home during this British production, and his discomfort lends this oddity within his filmography a unique charm. The fetishistic treatment of the bright red fire trucks makes it feel at times as though the story takes place in a toy town—an impression reinforced by Nicolas Roeg's vivid, high-contrast cinematography. As Roeg recalled: "When we discussed the look of the film, Truffaut said he didn't want reality—he wanted a Doris Day movie in shining colours."