Why was Contempt unusual among Jean-Luc Godard’s films?

Contempt (1963), known in French as Le Mépris, was unusual among Jean-Luc Godard’s films because it represented his only venture into orthodox and comparatively expensive filmmaking.1

While Godard is widely celebrated for his improvisatory techniques, such as shooting without a script or using low-budget, independent production methods, Contempt stood apart from this typical approach. Based on a story by the Italian novelist Alberto Moravia, the film notably features the director Fritz Lang playing the role of a film director.1