Un battito del cuore.

This article presents an analysis of Christian Metz’s study of the editing of Jacques Rozier’s film Adieu Philippine. The initial section illustrates how Metz’s analysis of montage can elucidate the aesthetic value of Adieu Philippine which François Truffaut characterized in terms of spontaneity. The second part puts forth the proposition of supplementing Metz’s language-based theory of editing with a phenomenological account that focuses on the experience of the cut between two shots, as opposed to the larger units that Metz refers to as “syntagms.” This prompts a reconsideration of Adieu Philippine in light of Jean-Luc Godard’s conceptualization of the cut as a heartbeat.