L'Atalante

A French film set on a canal barge. Jean is the master of a cargo barge. He marries Juliette from a village on the bank and takes her straight aboard. They set off after the wedding. Two others are on the barge: an old hand, Père Jules, and a boy. Jules has spent his years at sea; his cabin is full of things brought from everywhere in the world, and he has cats. Juliette has never travelled. She wants to see Paris and the days on the water bore her. When they reach Paris an argument breaks out. Juliette goes into the city alone. Jean does not wait and takes the barge out. From there the film describes two separate solitudes. The woman is left in the city without money; the man becomes unable to do his work. The best known passage takes place under water: Jean opens his eyes in the river to see his wife. The source was an ordinary script; the director changed it entirely. Jean Dasté plays Jean, Dita Parlo plays Juliette and Michel Simon plays Jules. Jean Vigo directed. He was seriously ill during the shoot and died at twenty-nine shortly after the film opened. On first release the company cut it, changed its title and spoiled its music. The original was restored years later. An important production for anyone who likes classic French cinema and poetic narrative. For a viewer looking for plot, the film rests on a very simple story.