i have slowly be collect the film available on dvd of both catherine deneuve and francois truffaut . both actress and director have do some stinker in their time fortunately mississipi mermaid be not one of them . next to the soft skin and coincidentally star deneuve sister ( the late francoise dorleac ) and this would have to be my favourite truffaut film . as well a directing and truffaut also write the screenplay . something that always strike me about truffaut be his almost childlike innocence when present a story one could almost call it naivety . there a scene towards the end of the film where belmondo return to the apartment in lyon with the remains of the loot . he ring the doorbell and deneuve answer wear a negligee . in the time it take belmondo to reach their room from the street and deneuve change into her dress and put on her best pair of stocking and shoe and then lie on the bed and pretend she be asleep . it a scene that could almost come from the mind of a child but that truffaut for you . watch catherine deneuve in her film of the late 60 be indeed a sensory pleasure . she be so extraordinarily beautiful it be almost painful for u to watch . incidentally and for those fan and there be a couple of topless scene of her in this film indeed a sinful pleasure . i disagree with previous poster . i see nothing hitchcockian about the film at all . a for the look of it i love the look of the old film stock use in the 60 . it certainly give film of this period a unique look . highly recommend for both deneuve and truffaut fan .