SOURCE: "François Truffaut: Saved by the Cinema," in The New Criterion, Vol. 9, No. 1, September, 1990, pp. 35-43.

In the following review, Simon considers Truffaut's life and philosophy about filmmaking.

There are good, questionable, and bad reasons for wishing to read someone's collected letters. The sound reason is simply wanting to know that remarkable person better; to become, at least vicariously, a confidant and friend. The more dubious reason is wanting to impress people who haven't read the book with juicy anecdotes—human, all too human. The unsound reason is trying to derive some previously secret formula for success and fame. No one became lastingly famous for aping someone else: originality is the minimum requirement.

Readers embarking on François Truffaut: Correspondence 1945–1984 will be foiled utterly in their baser expectations. Not only is there no formula for success, there isn't even much gossip. For the latter, the reason is...