Yes, everyone says 'L'Atalante!' and this is unmistakably not to be avoided.
Käutner had never been more than a good director, but here he excels himself. The movie is simply L'Atalante, with a different plot, but the identical means to generate the ambiance of a life aboard a ship cruising rivers.
Two third Jean Vigo and one third Käutner make a really remarkable movie here.
(I spare my usual drill on the problem of Hollywood and the comparatively too high esteem of its products.)
At part it is close to a 10, but a 9 throughout. In the end, it got an 8 from me, for the only weakness, the last 5 minutes. Vigo - to my surprise - also ended happily, though convincingly. In this one here, the ending is clearly a quick and dirty - or shoddy - filming off the probably politically infused happy end.
Convincing acting, display of social and emotional stress. all totally fine. Most remarkable is the play on black and white tones in the scenes, the lights and shadows.
It amazes me that this movie isn't a regular here or there on TV?
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