En 1984, then 41 years old, Johnny Hallyday confided that he had the impression of shooting his “first film” with Jean-Luc Godard, when his filmography already included a dozen (some good and some less good). Annoyed at receiving too many scenarios in which he plays himself, frustrated at having to sing in all the films offered to him, he puts aside the cinema after the release of Adventure is adventure (1972). His decision is made: if he becomes an actor again, it will be under the direction of Maurice Pialat or Godard.
“They are image breakers, he justifies in Telerama. With them, I knew we would go see a Godard or a Pialat, not a Hallyday. It is the opposite of the Belmondo or Delon system. Besides, a Hallyday film, I don’t know if people would have gone to see it. I had to break the myth, separate my work in the cinema from show business. “It will therefore be Godard, through the involuntary intervention of Nathalie Baye, the new companion of the singer and César for best actress for The balancein 1983.
Johnny and Godard meet near Geneva. While Nathalie Baye shoots the film Our history, by Bertrand Blier, Johnny Hallyday accompanies him, as a simple cinema enthusiast happy to live behind the scenes of this environment which has always made him dream, but which he has never managed to tame. Godard took the opportunity to invite the couple to lunch, to talk to the actress about her next film. For Johnny, it’s a sinister lunch: this director he worships (his favorite film is Contemptwith Brigitte Bardot) does not address him a word or a look.
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However, three weeks later, the landline phone rings at the star couple. Johnny picks up. It’s Godard. The rocker swallows, already ready to hand the handset to his companion, but understands in a fraction of a second that the director has called for him. “Hello, Johnny Hallyday, this is Jean-Luc Godard. Uh, I’m preparing a film with Claude Brasseur and Nathalie Baye, I would like you to do, uh… the role in the film… with them… for me. »The two myths then meet again in the restaurant. Johnny is in his little shoes, anxious as a young first. Jean-Luc Godard orders two steam soles without asking Johnny for his opinion. Neither of them engage in conversation. At the end of the meal, the director breaks the ice:
– It’s good, huh?
– Yes it’s not bad.
– Well, then, we start in two weeks.
Johnny still hadn’t read a single script and didn’t know what Godard expected of him.
During filming, Johnny Hallyday was going to live a rare experience in his life as a pampered and adored megastar. With Godard, no gifts or freebies. “Godard gave us three slices of pages to learn ten minutes before playing,” said Johnny. He comes out of each scene swimming. “Godard never reassures you,” he said to Telerama. He will tell you one morning in front of everyone that he saw the rushes the day before and that you were there to shit. It shrivels you up. You want to hang out. But it is an experience. If he asks me to go back with him one day, I will say yes right away. While on the last day of filming, I found myself saying: Never again ! »
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Under the direction of Jean-Luc Godard, Johnny learned a new, more natural way of acting in front of a camera: “What’s great with Godard is that you don’t have the impression that the actors are acting. It can be a banal scene in someone’s life who doesn’t know it’s being filmed. So the director cuts a scene because he doesn’t like the way Johnny is holding his cigarette:
– In real life, do you hold your cigarette like that?
– No why ?
“Then why are you holding her like that?”
– James Dean does this in his films.
– First of all, you’re not James Dean! Me, I’m not Kazan. Why are you complicating?
Detective does not make a hit in theaters (382,067 admissions), but finally opens the doors of French cinema to Johnny, who will then tour with Costa-Gavras, Patrice Leconte and Lelouch. Johnny will never work with Godard again but will give him an honorary Cesar in 1998.