French New Wave cinema is known for many things, but great car movies certainly aren’t among them. However, Jean-Luc Godard, who , might have inadvertently made exactly such a film. It’s a black comedy called Week End, it came out in 1967, and in addition to being a generally great film, it’s got a stellar collection of on-screen cars.

Week End follows a bourgeoise married couple as they travel to collect an inheritance from a father who’s not yet dead. They venture through a post-apocalyptic countryside, witnessing many car accidents before crashing their own and being forced to continue the journey by other means. The movie is way weirder than I make it sound, but I’m trying to avoid spoilers, y’know?

Contemporary critics described Week End as Godard’s vision of hell and, frankly, if I can motor around the French countryside in a Facel-Vega or a or even an Alfa Giulia, then sign me up. It sounds way better than pitchforks and brimstone.

As of the time of publication, Week End is streaming on HBO Max along with another one of Godard’s , Breathless, and a few others. My favorite Godard film, and the subject of is available to rent from or .

So, join me in pouring out a glass of red this evening for one of the greatest to ever direct, Jean-Luc Godard, and his accidentally great car film, Week End.