L'Atalante (1934)

100% of critics liked it
(28 reviews)
89% of users liked it
(5,090 ratings)

The most acclaimed (and sentimental) film in Jean Vigo's short career. L'Atalante is the name of the barge owned by Jean (Jean Daste), who marries the lovely Juliette (Dita Parlo) at the film's beginning. Juliette comes to live aboard the barge, for Jean makes his living on the Seine. The arrival of… More The most acclaimed (and sentimental) film in Jean Vigo's short career. L'Atalante is the name of the barge owned by Jean (Jean Daste), who marries the lovely Juliette (Dita Parlo) at the film's beginning. Juliette comes to live aboard the barge, for Jean makes his living on the Seine. The arrival of a woman on board disrupts the small crew, but they do their best to make her welcome. The solitude and boredom soon take their toll on Juliette, so Jean brings her ashore for a night at a cafe in Paris. He becomes jealous of a flirtation between Juliette and a peddler, and when she leaves the ship again later, Jean casts off from the port. This dark love story is also peppered with hallucinations and unusual camerawork. A restored version was made available in 1990. ~ John Voorhees, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 22 min.
Directed By: Jean Vigo
Written By: Jean Vigo, Albert Riera
Genres: Drama, Romance, Art House & International, Classics

In Theaters: Jan 1, 1934 Wide
On DVD: Apr 15, 2003
Studio: Criterion Collection

Critic Reviews

Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader
A major inspiration to subsequent generations of filmmakers, yet no one has ever succeeded in matching it.
Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star Tribune
A landmark of French cinema and one of the most beloved film romances.
A.H. Weiler, New York Times
The action is episodic and diffuse but Michel Simon, as the dour and cat-loving barge hand lends a bit of comic relief to the pallidly poetic proceedings.
Desson Thomson, Washington Post
There is much playfulness and poetry, such visual riches.
Hal Hinson, Washington Post
Rapt, exuberant and as fragile as mist, this passionate tone poem drifts in its own bubble of oddly dissonant, almost fatalistic romanticism.
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
It is on many lists of the greatest films, a distinction that obscures how down to earth it is, how direct in its story of a new marriage off to a shaky start.
Jack Jones, Little White Lies
An exhibition in technical ingenuity and visual storytelling that was way ahead of its time.
Peter Bradshaw, Guardian [UK]
L'Atalante manages to be more modern than anything being made today.
Kevin Harley, Total Film
Generous tides of life and longing flow through this buoyant masterpiece.
James Kendrick, Q Network Film Desk
easily Vigo's most "commercial" film, but it never loses the essence of his more abstract and poetic sensibilities
Jeffrey M. Anderson, Combustible Celluloid
It's hard to imagine what more might have come from this fertile mind, but even with his precious, tiny output, Vigo remains one of the cinema's great masters.
Joseph Jon Lanthier, Slant Magazine
Criterion's loving Blu-ray omnibus of one of cinema's most celebrated martyrs provides three hours of poetic catharsis at 1080 progressively scanned lines of resolution.
Ken Hanke, Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)
The film has a weird kind of poetry and beauty about it that is hard -- perhaps impossible -- to describe.
Dan Jardine, Apollo Guide
One can't help but mourn the films an even more mature, capable and confident Vigo might have made had not TB cut him down at the tender age of 29
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com
Blending naturalism and surrealism, this is a work of unique poetic power, a masterpiece that anticipated neo-realism by a decade; the fact that it's Vigo sole completed feature doesn't lessen his status as one of the world's greatest filmmakers.
Geoff Andrew, Time Out
Originally released in 1934, Jean Vigo's first and only full-length feature is one of the cinema's greatest masterpieces.
Christopher Null, Filmcritic.com
This quiet little French number is a gossamer confection, but for a film of its era, it's gorgeous to look at.
Jamie Russell, BBC
A cine-poem ode to the rhythms of life and love set on a barge travelling along the Seine, Jean Vigo's L'Atalante stands as one of cinema's indisputable masterpieces.
Derek Smith, Apollo Guide
This makes it a film that can be both appreciated by cineastes and enjoyed by anyone looking for a good romance story.
Wade Major, Boxoffice Magazine
Vigo's direction is decades ahead of his time, exhibiting a command of the craft that few, even today, can muster.

Read all 22 critic reviews

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

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Featured Audience Ratings

Greg S

A young barge skipper brings his new wife to live on board the ship L'atalante with him; confined to the boat, she grows bored, leading to domestic tragedy. Simple and charming, with comic relief and memorable, poetic shots; a minor classic, though fans of sentimental romances… More
A young barge skipper brings his new wife to live on board the ship L'atalante with him; confined to the boat, she grows bored, leading to domestic tragedy. Simple and charming, with comic relief and memorable, poetic shots; a minor classic, though fans of sentimental romances will consider it a must see title in the genre.
Ken S

Super cute early French film from Jean Vigo.
AJ V

I barely remember this movie, I didn't see the whole thing, I'll have to watch it again sometime.
Anthony L

The image of Dita Parlo in a long white dress walking on the deck of a ship at night is one of the most strikingly beautiful ever committed to celluloid. It is her portrayal of an innocent and inexperienced girl and Michel Simon's drunk, well travelled sailor that make this film… More
The image of Dita Parlo in a long white dress walking on the deck of a ship at night is one of the most strikingly beautiful ever committed to celluloid. It is her portrayal of an innocent and inexperienced girl and Michel Simon's drunk, well travelled sailor that make this film a joy to watch. It's amazing what Jean Vigo actually achieved at such a young age but it's also amazing what he got away with! Nearly 30 years later, directors like Pier Paolo Pasolini and Vilgot Sjöman were getting fined, banned and even arrested with imprisonment for a fraction of some of the 'Scenes of Female sexual desire' that are displayed here. Beautiful cinema.
Stella D

a sensuous, poetic love story with exceptional cinematograpy and use of music. shot on location soon after the sound era began, seemingly years ahead of it's time, it became a big influence on the french new wave, especially truffaut. dita parlo is very sweet as the tempted… More
a sensuous, poetic love story with exceptional cinematograpy and use of music. shot on location soon after the sound era began, seemingly years ahead of it's time, it became a big influence on the french new wave, especially truffaut. dita parlo is very sweet as the tempted wife and i especially loved michel simon as drunken père jules with his cats. this was jean vigo's fourth and last film; he died shortly after it's release at age 29, a great loss to the film world
danny d

some films from the early 30's like "M", "it happened one night", and "scarface" just hold up well over time and continue their tradition as masterpices. others dont hold up so well but people like me who are apart of the more knowledgeable critical… More
some films from the early 30's like "M", "it happened one night", and "scarface" just hold up well over time and continue their tradition as masterpices. others dont hold up so well but people like me who are apart of the more knowledgeable critical tradition feel pressure to continue to rate them high because they were masterpieces for so long. this is one of those films i refuse to bow to the pressure with. its not a bad film by any means, having a solid portrayal of jealousy and marital strife that ends with a classic representation of the power of love. but at the same time this film just doesnt hold up so well. its a must watch because of its significance, but a bit slow and far too simple.
William S

When I first saw this at the flics in the 80s I was totally blown away. Along with Jean Vigo's other film, Zero de Conduite, it's one of the most beautiful and purely cinematic films ever made - earthy, gritty, sensual, innocent, romantic and dream-like. Totally beguiling… More
When I first saw this at the flics in the 80s I was totally blown away. Along with Jean Vigo's other film, Zero de Conduite, it's one of the most beautiful and purely cinematic films ever made - earthy, gritty, sensual, innocent, romantic and dream-like. Totally beguiling and never forgotten. It will always be in my top 5 films of all time (if I wasn't so in love with Vertigo it could be my favourite!). To think of the wonders Jean Vigo would have gone on to make if he hadn't tragically died so young! What a waste!
Chris B

A landmark French film and what is considered one of the greatest films of all time, L'Atalante is a masterpiece and shows the talent of Jean Vigo, as it is his crowning achievement. Jean Vigo died making this film due to his poor health and many believe, he in a sense died for… More
A landmark French film and what is considered one of the greatest films of all time, L'Atalante is a masterpiece and shows the talent of Jean Vigo, as it is his crowning achievement. Jean Vigo died making this film due to his poor health and many believe, he in a sense died for cinema itself. What can be said with certainty though, is that the film is a visual masterpiece that is a love story, albeit darker than most in tone, but a poetic and wonderfully filmed piece of cinema that has inspired an untold numbers of Directors! Another essential film to view and as Jean Vigo's only full length feature, a piece of the man and his vision that can be cherished and appreciated decades after his death. This is most definetly a piece of cinema history and is wonderful!
a b

As far as 30's French movies go, this is one of the best, I'm guessing.
Tom S

Watch out. When Jules asks, "Do you want to see my little man?" he's not bluffing.

Read all 10 featured audience ratings

Cast

Dita Parlo
as Juliette
Jean Daste
as Jean
Michel Simon
as Pere Jules

See full cast

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