Bay of the Angels (La Baie des anges) stars Jeanne Moreau as a middle-aged Parisian gambling addict who leaves her husband and children and heads for the roulette tables of Nice. There she meets young and handsome Claude Mann--a meeting which coincides with Moreau's first winning streak. She latches onto Mann in the belief that he's a good luck charm, and remains with him even when she starts losing heavily. Mann, emotionally drained, walks out of the relationship. The film ends with Mann
entreating Moreau to return with him to the bourgeois existence that she'd escaped in the first scene. Bay of the Angels was directed by Jacques Demy, just before he achieved international fame with his musical films Young Girls of Rochefort and The Umbrellas of Cherbourg. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
An early chapter of Demy's courtship with the provincial France of his youth, with the most bewitching generation of French actresses, and with movies.
Demy made a film about gambling, a subject that I'm really not that interested in, but I was hooked, as soon as Jeanne Moreau made her first appearance anyway!
Great depth to the film. I love that it was filmed in black and white. Jeanne Moreau is more than perfect, if that''s possible. She was given a great role and
she took it far and beyond what was written, though the writing is another of the film's strengths, there are some really great lines!
Her co-star Claude Mann delivers in his role as Moreau's good luck charm, but pales in comparison.
"The first time I entered a casino...I felt as if it was in church. I had the same emotion. I tell you gambling has become my religion. Money means nothing to me." Jackie Demaistre
No quotes approved yet for La Baie des Anges (Bay of Angels). Logged in users can submit quotes.
Submit a Quote from 'La Baie des Anges (Bay of Angels)'
A quote can be a single line from one character or a memorable dialog between several characters. Please make your quotes accurate. Quotes will be submitted for approval by the RT staff.
Example:
Luke: Alright. I'll give it a try. Yoda: No. Try not. Do or do not. There is no try.
Top Critic
