L'Atalante

Stars: Jean Daste (Boudu Saved from Drowning, The Green Room), Dita Parlo, Michel Simon (Boudu Saved From Drowning, The Train). Hailed by Sight & Sound as one of the ten best films of all time in a 1962 survey, Jean Vigo's recently restored and remastered classic tells the story of a pair of lovers, river captain Jean (Jean Daste) and his newlywed bride Juliette (Dita Parlo) who travel on the barge "L'Atalante" from the countryside to the bright lights of the big city: gay Paree. Once there, the couple visits a cabaret where a peddler flirts with Juliette, and an angry Jean drags her back to the barge. Upset by her lost chance to see Paris, Juliette sneaks out that evening, and Jean--discovering her absence--fires up the barge and leaves. The separation wears on both Jean and Juliette, and director Vigo overlays a series of daring (for its time) scenes in which each of the lovers is seen unable to sleep, consumed by unrequited passion. Nearly 10 minutes of lost footage have been restored, including an outrageous comic scene in which the barge's mate Pere Jules (Michel Simon) unhooks his overalls to show the young missus his impressive tattoo collection (including a face around his bellybutton into which he inserts a smoking cigarette). A beautiful, naturalistic ode to love, L'Atalante remains one of the great cinematic achievements. Audience: A must see for fans of classic cinema.