An international co-production between France and Sweden, the film stars Chantal Goya, Jean-Pierre Léaud, Marlène Jobert, Catherine-Isabelle Duport and Michel Debord.

Despite markedly different musical tastes and political leanings, the two soon become romantically involved and begin a ménage à quatre with Madeleine's two roommates, Catherine (Duport) and Elisabeth (Jobert).

[2] At times the main story is interrupted by various sequences and subplots, including a scene paraphrased from LeRoi Jones' play Dutchman.

[3] The film contains references to various pop culture icons and political figures of the time, such as Charles de Gaulle, André Malraux, James Bond, and Bob Dylan.

As the French presidential election of December 1965 approaches, Paul turns 21 years old and becomes romantically involved with Madeleine.

Paul helps Robert put up posters around Paris and paint the phrase "Peace in Vietnam" along the side of a U.S. Army car.

He interviews a young woman named Elsa, asking her about subjects such as politics, birth control and love.

One day, a man borrows a box of matches from Paul, and uses them to self-immolate, leaving behind a note that says "Peace in Vietnam".

[9] Godard did not have a shooting script; instead he relied on a spiral notebook filled with ideas, sketches, and dialogue he had handwritten the previous evening.

[10] Godard was interested in working with singer Chantal Goya because she was neither a film nor stage actress when she was introduced to him by Daniel Filipacchi on 7 November 1965.

[13] Due to the portrayal of youth and sex, the film was prohibited to persons under 18 in France—"the very audience it was meant for," griped Godard.

"[17] American critic Pauline Kael said that it was "that rare achievement: a work of grace and beauty in a contemporary setting.

"[20] Bosley Crowther gave a negative review of the film and called it "entertainment of only the most loose and spotty sort.

The website's critics consensus reads, "A '60s time capsule stuffed with ideas about politics, pop culture, and the battle of the sexes, Masculine-Feminine is one of Godard's classic black-and-white films.

"[22] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 93 out 100, based on 14 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".