At the ripe, young age of 29, Jean Vigo saw the release of his film L’Atalante. It was the last film he would ever make. He died tragically only three months later, leaving behind only a couple shorts and two feature length films. The world can only imagine the kind of films he might have made, but there are few people who have seen it who would say that L’Atalante is anything short of incredible. In this film, Vigo captures the excitement, frustration, and confusion of new love as well as any film ever made.
From the opening scene, we know we are about to see something original. Starting with the wedding of Jean and Juliette, the couple immediately boards their little barge, the Atalante, ready to depart on their newlywed voyage. Along with the couple are Jules, the grumpy, old captain and his first mate. We don’t see much of the first mate, but Jules adds a lot of flavour to the film, and behind his rough exterior we find a heart of gold. He has a number of arguments with Jean, but through his treatment of Juliette and a batch of newborn kittens, you can discern quite a sense of humour.
The main storyline concerns Jean and Juliette – their union, their separation, and finally their reunion. Although this is a “talkie”, much of the story is told through visuals, with the dialogue taking a back seat. The way the characters move, their facial expressions, and the intonation of their voices say more than all of the dialogue put together. As this is a film about emotions rather than actions or plot, this technique works beautifully.
Several scenes that make L’Atalante move poetically are worth mentioning. Near the beginning of the film, Juliette begins walking toward the edge of the boat. The camera follows her as water covers where she has stepped, giving the illusion of walking on water. Two of the most romantic scenes ever filmed are also found here, both occurring after Jean leaves Juliette behind in Paris after the two quarrel. In the first scene Jean dives into the water, searching for Juliette because she had told him that when you open your eyes under water you will always see the one you love. The second scene is a montage sequence that cuts between the two lovers in separate beds as they pine for each other. These wonderful scenes show how effective Vigo is at visually portraying the emotions and mental states of his characters.
In the many years since its release, L’Atalante has been found on as many “greatest films of all time” lists as just about any other film. This is not surprising, since it is one of the most influential early sound films, and an important part of film history, as well as one of the most romantic movies ever made. This makes it a film that can be both appreciated by cineastes and enjoyed by anyone looking for a good romance story.
