For over half a century, Jean-Luc Godard has proved durably quotable on film, including his memorable commandment that “a movie should have a beginning, a middle and an end, though not necessarily in that order.”

Another maxim is voiced by Bruno Forestier, the protagonist of Mr. Godard’s second feature, “Le Petit Soldat”: “Photography is truth. And cinema is truth 24 times a second.”

Less remembered, though, is the stream of musical criticism that comes later that scene, in which Bruno takes photos of another character, Veronica Dreyer. When Veronica asks which of her records Bruno would like to use as the soundtrack for their afternoon shoot, he lets loose with a series of judgments.

“Bach?” she asks.

“No, it’s too late,” he answers. “Bach’s for eight in the morning.”

Soon after, she suggests: “Mozart? Beethoven?”