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L'Atalante
L'Atalante
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L'Atalante

L'Atalante

1934
Romance, Comedy
1h 29m
When Juliette marries Jean, she comes to live on his ship, on board of which are, besides the two of them, only a cabin boy and the strange old second mate Pere Jules (imdb)

Directed by:

Jean Vigo

Screenwriter:

Jean Guinée, Albert Riéra

Starring:

Dita Parlo, Michel Simon, Jean Dasté, Gilles Margaritis, Louis Lefebvre, Maurice Gilles

Genres:

Romance, Comedy, Drama

Country:

France

Languages:

French, Russian
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L'Atalante

1934
Romance, Comedy
1h 29m
Your probable score
Ratings & Reviews Cast Collections Similar Stats Trailer
Avg Percentile 69.76% from 1060 total ratings
Ratings & Reviews Cast Collections Similar Stats Trailer

Ratings & Reviews

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alex_watkinsAlex Watkins
Rated 03 Jan 2011
3
38th
A pleasant enough look at romance, jealousy et al, but nothing that thrilled me. Vigo's attempts to balance comedy and drama aren't quite as successful as you'd hope. I'm not sure what about this warrants its inclusion among the pantheon. It does, however, sport some nice photography, and, at 85 minutes, doesn't overstay its welcome. A nice little film on the whole.
Rated 03 Jan 2011
bownBown
Rated 30 Apr 2020
77
42nd
Me: yep this is definitely a 1930s-ass movie That one character: these crackers are as dry as the duchess’ pussy! Me: *head fully spins around and flies off*
Rated 30 Apr 2020
magbMagb
Rated 02 Jan 2011
85
73rd
More like L'CATalante, I say. This film is filled to the brim with cats, which may occasionally take on some metaphorical meaning, but are probably mostly included for the cuteness factor. It's a really sweet film. It isn't very special or exciting, but it's short, nice and tidy, and you'll feel pretty good about life after watching it. Probably its strongest point is the visual style, which feels way ahead of its time for 1934.
Rated 02 Jan 2011
kasperlKasperL
Rated 10 Oct 2010
90
97th
The ingenious camera angles. Its humanism and humorous quirks? It's hard to pin down exactly what makes Vigo's only feature length movie so special. For his time, he seemed to possess a unique understanding of what makes his characters interesting as well as an inimitable flair for detailing the relations between them. That he wasn't allowed to keep working is, simply, not fair.
Rated 10 Oct 2010
martintellerMartinTeller
Rated 14 Aug 2007
81
69th
The most exciting thing about watching this movie is wondering where Vigo is going to put the camera next. He rarely goes for the conventional, instead giving us the intriguing and unusual shot after shot. He's almost unable to contain himself, constantly shifting to find a new and interesting angle. It's a real treat. I don't know if I would call it a masterpiece, but it's definitely an excellent work.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
walkaboutwalkabout
Rated 09 Jan 2007
100
99th
The best example of poetic realism... Ever.
Rated 09 Jan 2007
yiannosYiannos
Rated 30 Mar 2017
63
54th
L'Atalante's greatness has always been lost on me. It is a nicely shot film with a few genuinely poetic moments--like the underwater sequence with superimposed images--and there is a breezy free flowing quality to the action that's rather appealing, but Vigo's style sits somewhat uneasily between aestheticism and realism, caught in an embryonic stage of development. L'Atalante was the promise of future greatness from a talented young man that remained tragically unfulfilled due to early death.
Rated 30 Mar 2017
driscarpindriscarpin
Rated 21 Dec 2015
91
89th
Gatos! Gatos! Gatos!
Rated 21 Dec 2015
jakeaestheteJakeAesthete
Rated 27 Nov 2014
56
53rd
The 'poetic realism' holds up well (compared to the relative theatricality of certain other films of it's time, i mean) and one can clearly see the influence it had on later films from Carax (Lovers on the Bridge is sort of vaguely a remake of this) to Kaurismaki (see the deadpan stoicism of the lead actor). Yet even compared to other ultra-archetypical films of the time (Docks of New York or even Sunrise, for example) the protagonist remains oddly ineffectual (i.e. is sort of just a jerk).
Rated 27 Nov 2014
actionbergActionberg
Rated 21 Apr 2013
90
92nd
What a great film that captures the irrationality, the struggle, and most importantly the unhinged wonder & joy of young love. It's romantic, funny, and downright daring in both its craft and its content. I'm having a hard time describing what makes the romance so compelling, as it is both startlingly intimate, like when the lovers hunger for one another in bed when they are separated, and also distant, like when they embrace and whisper to one another but we don't hear what they say.Loved this.
Rated 21 Apr 2013
qvtQVT
Rated 23 Sep 2012
40
48th
At one point it looked like it was going to make a break from the first hour and head into greatness, but really I spent most of the time wishing that all of this experimentation was spent on something, rather than being worthless noodling. This isn't even Joe Satriani, it's Rusty Cooley.
Rated 23 Sep 2012
payenspayens
Rated 20 Sep 2012
84
75th
A beautiful and innocent love story, really good! The scene when Jean drowns in the sea to see his wife is one of the most beautiful I've ever seen. A pity Vigo passed away so soon, he was really talented.
Rated 20 Sep 2012
nobletNoblet
Rated 23 Jun 2012
64
39th
Has its moments, but I never found it to be particularly funny or emotionally involving enough to keep interest. The fancy camerawork makes it worth watching, but I was ultimately disappointed.
Rated 23 Jun 2012
sebbysebby
Rated 04 Sep 2011
75
84th
Almost fantastic. The cinematography is light years ahead of its time. The story, however, is simple, plain, and underwhelming.
Rated 04 Sep 2011
moraesfelipemoraesfelipe
Rated 09 Feb 2010
100
99th
I find it so beautiful and funny that I just can't even describe how I loved this movie.
Rated 09 Feb 2010
jazzalohaJazzaloha
Rated 22 Nov 2009
90
98th
Vigo's magic.
Rated 22 Nov 2009
yilbyilb
Rated 14 Aug 2007
70
79th
Unusual.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
eveeluneveelun
Rated 14 Aug 2007
79
72nd
Some incredibly cool shots and sequences, but the story is pretty fluffy.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
rotaciravrotacirav
Rated 23 Oct 2024
67
81st
Great in cinematography and symbolism, but its flawed characterisation and completely disinteresting way of presentation stand at the beginning of a long dreary line of films where fictionʼs only purpose seems to be to make real life appear more boring than it is, together with the mainstream slop of an off-Hollywood country giving me the belief for years I didn’t like film. Which is just a way to say I don’t get it, I guess.
Rated 23 Oct 2024
dardandardan
Rated 17 Oct 2021
78
83rd
A young girl from a village thereafter not named takes off to the waters, facing a variety of hardships. These are never resolved.
Rated 17 Oct 2021
hotsakehotsake
Rated 27 Jun 2021
60
51st
It's mildly amusing and has a few funny scenes but the film doesn't really go anywhere and the characters don't really have any depth to them and are the same from beginning to the end.
Rated 27 Jun 2021
paulofilmopaulofilmo
Rated 28 Jan 2021
71
69th
spoiled this a bit by watching a german version (unter den brucken 1945 - which is also a nice movie!).
Rated 28 Jan 2021
judo_koalaJudo Koala
Rated 17 Aug 2019
73
44th
Some of the most remarkable cinematography & optical effects of the decade, to be sure.
Rated 17 Aug 2019
nathanbatesNathanBates
Rated 06 Jul 2019
60
35th
I know, years from now, when I'm trying to remember L'Atalante, I'll remember all the cats. While the plot is a little thin, the characters -- including the boat -- give the movie a lot of life. I think I'd have to see this again before placing it in the pantheon of "greatest" films, but it's still a worthwhile watch.
Rated 06 Jul 2019
napolenbradynapolenbrady
Rated 22 Feb 2019
89
69th
89.00
Rated 22 Feb 2019
ottott
Rated 14 Jan 2018
85
87th
On dreams of loveeeee~
Rated 14 Jan 2018
le_mamile mami
Rated 08 Jul 2017
60
51st
Good movie indeed but not as good as some people referred to. It looks like a New Wave movie and it's clear that New Wave directors are influenced too much from Jean Vigo. Overall, L'atalante has some very innovative moments, shots and Michel Simon's acting is fabulous. However, I did get into this film, could not reach its comedy and could not find the combination between comedy and drama. Still romance were satisfactory.
Rated 08 Jul 2017
neonmanNeonman
Rated 31 Mar 2017
63
20th
Its style is impressive and ahead of its time, but the two lovebirds and the tale of romance and heartache they navigate through is nothing new or special to me, and not done in any particularly new or special way. I grew to dislike them and their behaviour and felt more in love with Le père Jules.
Rated 31 Mar 2017
drrobertdr_Robert
Rated 26 Feb 2017
4
77th
Det är svårt att sätta betyg på en film som denna. Den är oerhört ojämn: Vissa partier är ren buskis medan andra delar faktiskt berör. Historien är väldigt enkel, skådespeleriet tidstypiskt (fortfarande ganska mycket stumfilm) och den restaurerade filmens kvalitet mycket varierande. Men ändå gillar jag den i slutändan. Svag fyra.
Rated 26 Feb 2017
francogonzoFrancoGonzo
Rated 23 Feb 2016
18
97th
Star Rating: ★★★★★
Rated 23 Feb 2016
wetwillieswetwillies
Rated 05 Jan 2016
90
80th
So uncompromisingly beautiful, and wonderfully odd, like the greatest dream you've ever had - really, it's the only film in which a surreal detail like a hand in a jar does not conjure up nightmarish feelings. Vigo's gift lies in the way he edits these gorgeous images together - think of the scene which overlays the two writhing bodies of the lovers, separate in space but together on screen. The effect is breathtaking.
Rated 05 Jan 2016
cosmicmonkeyCosmicMonkey
Rated 09 Dec 2015
78
58th
I absolutely hated Zero de Conduite so I was rather surprised when I ended up liking this. There's some really interesting camerawork and a Down-to-Earthness that was ground-breaking in cinema at the time. Though unique, there's nothing that really pushes this film into greatness. The story is shallow, and the captain is too much of a misogynist jerk to be sympathetic. Simon is okay I guess, but I never found his character anywhere near as compelling as everyone else seems to.
Rated 09 Dec 2015
three-questions_ii???
Rated 22 Dec 2014
71
59th
Very Man Ray somehow
Rated 22 Dec 2014
luxnatalisLuxNatalis
Rated 19 Nov 2014
86
96th
One of the most influential films of all time, Jean Vigo's L'Atalante makes you wonder what this director could have achieved if he hadn't died so young.
Rated 19 Nov 2014
gargantuagargantua
Rated 07 Oct 2014
100
99th
kedi, kediler.
Rated 07 Oct 2014
mrkbinghammrkbingham
Rated 25 Jun 2014
70
14th
A day in the life. But one that isn't afraid to explore our need for adventure and the conflict of loving someone you are not exactly like.
Rated 25 Jun 2014
ratedarghratedargh
Rated 12 Jan 2014
80
65th
Worth it for the camerawork, soundtrack, and individual scenes that capture the attention. The overall narrative is not as fulfilling, but many of the pieces make it a mostly satisfying whole.
Rated 12 Jan 2014
lisa_iilisa-
Rated 30 Nov 2013
4
52nd
having trawled through vigo's entire 164 minute filmography, i'm rather unsure how he managed to climb so high upon the pantheon of directing legends, not just because of the minute amount of material he made but also because none of it is particularly great. this is an okay tale of adventure and love with a fantastic cat-loving supporting character, but also features a shallow romance and dodgy pacing & editing.
Rated 30 Nov 2013
oskarhuoskarhu
Rated 20 May 2013
82
83rd
L'Atalante's strengths are its cinematography, the character of Père Jules and the depiction of the first struggles of a young couple. As well as Michel Simon, Dita Parlo also plays her part really well.
Rated 20 May 2013
luna6ixLuna6ix
Rated 12 Apr 2013
74
48th
there are some scenes here and there that get to be quite entertaining, but the movie doesn't really go anywhere. i don't have anything good to say about the acting or the directing, but the writing was pretty decent.
Rated 12 Apr 2013
punqPUNQ
Rated 23 Feb 2013
80
99th
This movie IS Michel Simon! He and his cats, that is! It's very within the mentality for a anarchistic and playful film maker as Jean Vito is to work so broadly with an difficult and unpredictable animal as regular house cats. But it worked perfectly as he was able to throw them and do whatever he needed to to capture the adorable situations. This must be the #1 cat movie of all time! It's also a movie that's extremely easy to enjoy and I have a feeling one that will grow by each viewing.
Rated 23 Feb 2013
caimancaiman
Rated 22 Jan 2013
81
66th
Watching this I was reminded of Murnau's Sunrise. But where that film has an unforgettable emotional punch, this one is a much more mild film. There's nothing wrong with that, it just doesn't leave me with the intense feelings that the other film does. My favorite part of this film is the interaction between Jules and Juliette. His oddness contrasts nicely with her naivete and makes for a couple great scenes. This is a good worthwhile film, it's just not one that resonates too strongly.
Rated 22 Jan 2013
damildamil
Rated 19 Jan 2013
80
90th
It's such a shame that the director of this film died shortly after its release. He was clearly a huge talent. His direction was really impressive, especially for its time. Just as impressive were the actors in this film. They possessed a warmth and humanity I haven't really seen all that much in early cinema. Overall, I thought it was brilliant.
Rated 19 Jan 2013
nepetaNepeta
Rated 10 Jan 2013
90
90th
The film has a grimey aesthetic to it. You feel like you're on the boat among all the muck which, in turn, makes the poeticism of the film all the more striking, as well as making two moments that break down the realism - a hair raisingly magical underwater sequence, and a scene where Jean and Juliette seem to have have sex with one another though they are apart - all the more effective.
Rated 10 Jan 2013
taumpytearstaumpytears
Rated 06 Dec 2012
55
13th
Such a disappointment. I bet if Jean Vigo hadn't died immediately after this movie, no one would ever talk about it today. The story is boring. The characters' motivations are inexplicable. There is only one reasonably interesting character. It's good visual style does not make up for its other glaring flaws.
Rated 06 Dec 2012
davidthomsonDavidThomson
Rated 02 Sep 2012
98
90th
This is not so much a masterpiece as a definition of cinema - and thus a film that stands resolutely apart from the great body of films. Vigo is a poet, and it would not have been possible for anyone on his film to miss the way in which every image was both a sufficiency and a metaphor. Père Jules is a monster of eternity, bestiality, and death, all those things the lovers fear and ignore. Desire makes the story work, yet the film is filled with vulnerability and the immanence of loss.
Rated 02 Sep 2012
nathan_sNathan S
Rated 07 Jul 2012
3
45th
Vigo's previous films are New Wave precedents, but L'Atalante is something more classical; a tortured love affair that screams Poetic Realism.
Rated 07 Jul 2012
astrakhanastrakhan
Rated 26 Mar 2012
77
49th
Despite a few funny and memorable scenes I wouldn't say this has many of the hallmarks of a classic. The narrative is often muddy and the film has no real direction until everything happens in the final quarter. The husband character is never explored so it's essentially a two-hander between Dita Parlo and Michel Simon. The dynamics of this pair/triangle don't come through quite clearly enough. I wouldn't say the film was a waste of time but I did find it rather flawed, if intriguing.
Rated 26 Mar 2012
hulothulot
Rated 17 Jan 2012
100
96th
watched: 2012, 2014
Rated 17 Jan 2012
theyshoot11theyshoot11
Rated 30 Nov 2011
99
98th
#17
Rated 30 Nov 2011
mrcarmadyMrCarmady
Rated 29 May 2011
77
30th
Not as poetic or moving as I thought it would be, but still good.
Rated 29 May 2011
seanberndorffSeanBerndorff
Rated 18 Jan 2011
60
39th
Charming, but also a bit pointless. Would recommend Sunrise, which has a similar plot, to watch instead or if you want to see some poetic realism; then Quai des Brumes is very good.
Rated 18 Jan 2011
theyshoot10theyshoot10
Rated 13 Jan 2010
99
98th
16
Rated 13 Jan 2010
sellissellis
Rated 26 Jun 2009
85
75th
Weakest element is the central character, who varies from emotionally-illiterate brute to spontaneous romantic seemingly at random. The second mate Jean is miles more fascinating. I agree that this is most notable for its transcendent moments and impact on later films, but it's a pleasant little lovesong in its own right.
Rated 26 Jun 2009
mentaculusMentaculus
Rated 16 Mar 2009
81
75th
I get it, I just don't absolutely adore it. I love the plot with the separate lovers, the side characters and a few memorable scenes; but I feel the pacing is consistently inconsistent.
Rated 16 Mar 2009
theyshoot08theyshoot08
Rated 19 Dec 2008
99
98th
16
Rated 19 Dec 2008
theyshoot07theyshoot07
Rated 01 Mar 2008
99
98th
#14
Rated 01 Mar 2008
peaceanarchyPeaceAnarchy
Rated 10 Sep 2007
75
44th
I can see this movie's worth all the way through, the commentary on society and marriage and all that. Unfortunately, it's told in a rather disjointed way with the emphasis in all the wrong places and the attempt to balance comedy and drama didn't work for me at all. Definitely worth watching but doesn't really hold up as well as it should.
Rated 10 Sep 2007
djrossdjross
Rated 14 Aug 2007
82
93rd
Score based on distant memory.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
spookyjonspookyjon
Rated 14 Aug 2007
81
64th
Needed more cat throwing; otherwise an excellent film.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
moribunnyMoribunny
Rated 04 Aug 2007
68
70th
The character of Pere Jules is brilliant and I don't say that just because I'm a sucker for cats.
Rated 04 Aug 2007
theyshootpicTheyshootpic
Rated 17 Apr 2007
99
98th
# 16
Rated 17 Apr 2007

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