L'Atalante

L'Atalante
1990 re-release poster by Michel Gondry
Directed by	Jean Vigo
Produced by	Jacques-Louis Nounez
Written by	Jean Vigo Albert Riéra
Based on	an original scenario by Jean Guinée
Starring	Michel Simon Dita Parlo Jean Dasté
Music by	Maurice Jaubert
Cinematography	Boris Kaufman
Edited by	Louis Chavance
Production company	Argui-Films
Distributed by	Gaumont Film Company
Release date	Preview: 25 April 1934 Initial release: 12 September 1934
Running time	65 minutes (original French release) 89 minutes (restored version)
Country	France
Language	French
Budget	₣1 million

L'Atalante ([la.ta.lɑ̃t]; also released as Le Chaland qui passe, ("The Passing Barge"), is a 1934 French film written and directed by Jean Vigo. Jean Dasté stars as Jean, the captain of a river barge who lives with his new wife Juliette (Dita Parlo) on the barge, along with first mate Père Jules (Michel Simon) and the cabin boy (Louis Lefebvre).

After the difficult release of his controversial short film Zero for Conduct, Vigo initially wanted to make a film about Eugène Dieudonné, whom Vigo's father (famous anarchist Miguel Almereyda) had been associated with in 1913. After Vigo and his producer Jacques-Louis Nounez struggled to find the right project for a feature film, Nounez finally gave Vigo an unproduced screenplay by Jean Guinée about barge dwellers. Vigo re-wrote the story with Albert Riéra while Nounez secured a distribution deal with the Gaumont Film Company with a budget of ₣1 million. Vigo used many of the technicians and actors that worked with him on Zero for Conduct, such as cinematographer Boris Kaufman and actor Jean Dasté.

It has been hailed by many critics as one of the greatest films of all time.

Jean, the captain of the canal barge L'Atalante, marries Juliette in her village. They decide to live aboard L'Atalante along with Jean's crew, Père Jules and the cabin boy.

The couple travel to Paris to deliver cargo, enjoying a makeshift honeymoon en route. Jules and the cabin boy are not used to the presence of a woman aboard. When Jean discovers Juliette and Jules talking in Jules's quarters, Jean flies into a jealous rage by smashing plates and by sending Jules's cats scattering.

Arriving in Paris, Jean promises Juliette a night out, but Jules and the cabin boy disembark to go see a fortune teller. This disappoints Juliette because Jean cannot leave the barge unattended.