Rent L'Atalante on Amazon Video (paid link)
Written by: Jean Guinée (scenario and, adaptation &, dialog &), Albert Riéra (adaptation, dialog)
Directed by: Jean Vigo
Starring: Michel Simon, Dita Parlo, Jean Dasté
Rated: NR [G]
Watch the trailer
Plot
In this French language film, newly married couple Juliette and ship captain Jean struggle through marriage as they travel on the L'atalante along with the captain's first mate Père Jules and a cabin boy.
Verdict
It's over ninety years old. Just as culture that long ago seems very different compared to now, movies are a reflection of that. I get why people would like this, and maybe part of it was the acclaim of the director. Marriage strife remains a timeless foundation for a story. At this point I just can't find the appeal, other than the overall story beats. The way it tells the story is outdated.
Skip it.
Review
A newly married couple exits the church, having just wed. The guests wonder why Juliette (Dita Parlo) didn't marry a local man instead of barge captain Jean (Jean Dasté). The couple plans to live on his boat, which immediately seems like a bad idea. It's an adjustment for everyone with a woman on board. It doesn't seem like a tenable situation; there's no way this setup doesn't lead to issues between them.
The very first night Jean pilots the boat while she's alone in their cabin. The first mate Père Jules (Michel Simon) relieves him, but why would he leave her alone? She's bored, and it's no surprise why.
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| Dita Parlo, Jean Dasté play Juliette, Jean |
When Juliette explores the boat and wanders into Père Jules cabin, she marvels at all the trinkets he's collected on his voyages. Jean finds her in Père Jules room and throws a fit, destroying items. I don't know why Père Jules doesn't confront him unless he needs the job.
Juliette dreams of Paris, but that's circumvented. When she finally makes it to the city, Jean has another jealous fit. He forces her back to the boat, but she's obviously unsatisfied and sneaks back to Paris. He punishes her by leaving her stranded in the city.
What helps this endure is that marriage strife is timeless. The couple probably thought that love could conquer all, but it has a difficult time overcoming the barge. I'm sure too, many people have a proverbial barge in their marriage and are unwilling to adapt or change to the new life that is marriage. This movie came out only a few years after silent films were popular, that had to add to the popularity.
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| Title Card |
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