REVIEW: Romantic gambling on the ‘Bay of Angels’
Photo: Bay of Angels recently played the Film Forum in New York City. Photo courtesy of © Peter Aaron/Esto. All rights reserved. / Provided by Film Forum press site.
Bay of Angels, the 1963 film from writer-director Jacques Demy, is an intimate look at romance and gambling on the French Riviera. Featuring wonderfully layered performances from leads Jeanne Moreau and Claude Mann, the classic romance holds up well in 2018 as a cautionary tale of obsession bordering on addiction.
Mann plays Jean Fournier, a bank worker who is invited to a casino by his good friend, Caron (Paul Guers). Despite warnings from his father that gambling will lead to nothing in life, Jean takes the offer and walks away from the roulette table with half a year’s salary.
His newfound riches sends him to the French Riviera with its enticement of bigger, glitzier casinos. He checks into a hotel, heads for the waterfront and eventually runs into Jackie Demaistre (Moreau), a fellow gambler who immediately catches his eye.
The two set out on a whirlwind jaunt through the casinos and boardwalks of the local towns, including Monte Carlo and Nice. When on a winning streak, they win capital worth millions of francs, and when on a losing streak, they bring their earnings down to almost zero. As they play roulette, they talk about the game as if there were a strategy (rather than luck), as if choosing numbers was an action tied to fate.
As they continue to play, and continue to see their financial limits tested, it becomes clear that they are unable to escape the tables. They are addicted, or at least obsessed, with the prospects of winning. Jackie says it has nothing to do with the money — after all, she’s willing to lose everything time and time again — and everything to do with the thrill of the hunt.
The black-and-white visuals of the French Riviera are beautifully lensed by Demy and his team. The boardwalks, outdoor cafés and the interiors of the casinos will bring viewers back to a slower, bygone era of extravagance and nonchalance. The opening shot, featuring the camera peeling away from Jackie walking on the boardwalk, is characteristic of the atmosphere and scenery that is to come.
The acting is wondrous, especially from Moreau. She’s a character in denial. She’s a strong woman in power. She’s a person obsessed. Jean becomes trapped in her orbit, attracted to her bombshell looks and interested in exploring how far they can take their holiday at the beach. The fact that she’s so interesting is largely because of Moreau’s spot-on portrayal. The character never lets on what she is truly thinking, and that leaves her with a simultaneous pull of mystery and reality.
Mann is quite good as Jean. He’s young and inexperienced in the high-stakes game of life and gambling. Jackie shows him the ropes and opens his eyes to the wonders of disposable income. He also has a darker side, one that can turn violent and brooding. Mann plays the part almost like Bay of Angels is a coming-of-age story; this is his journey to learn about life and love.
Guers pulls in a winning performance in the supporting role of Jean’s good friend, who seems to be 10 years ahead in the gambling life.
Demy’s film is a powerful evocation of what happens when two people become obsessed with each other, obsessed with a certain lifestyle and obsessed with the promise of something better in the future. It’s a 90-minute exploration of slow self-destruction, with many romantic pitstops along the way.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
Bay of Angels (1963), written and directed by Jacques Demy, stars Jeanne Moreau, Claude Mann and Paul Guers. Running time: 90 minutes. In French with English subtitles. Rating: 
Recently played New York City’s Film Forum and now available from the Criterion Collection.
