Bay of Angels
Director: Jacques Demy
Year Released: 1963
Rating: 3.0
Callow banker Jean (Claude Mann), tired of his 'career,' finds some excitement in gambling (goaded on by a co-worker) - against his father's wishes, he takes a holiday to 'travel' and play roulette, where he meets fellow addict Jackie (Jeanne Moreau) and they proceed to enable each other. Though inherently flighty and breezy - ah, the life of a drifter, scrounging for that next victory and defeat! - Moreau's complex degenerate (she lies, she cheats, she uses men, she's only invested in herself and 'luck') adds a good deal of weight to it: Mann's character is a simple fool there to follow her around, hit her (and then apologize) and fall in love with her. The ending suggests an 'optimistic' conclusion to their tale (small victory: he gets her to leave!) ... though I question whether he can 'fix' her permanently.
