Product Details

• Actors: Jeanne Moreau, Claude Mann, Paul Guers, Henri Nassiet, André Certes
• Directors: Jacques Demy
• Format: Anamorphic, Black & White, DVD, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
• Language: French (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono)
• Subtitles: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: Fox Lorber
• DVD Release Date: December 9, 2003
• Run Time: 90 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B0000CDL9F
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #203,421 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
• For more information about "Bay of Angels" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Editorial Reviews

Lovingly restored by his widow, Agnès Varda, Jacques Demy's brilliant second feature - long unavailable to American audiences due to print damage - can now be seen in its original glorious form.
One night while on vacation, Jean Fournier (Claude Mann), a bank employee, is introduced to gambling by a friend and soon becomes hooked. Intoxicated by winning large amounts of money, Jean abandons his normal middle-class existence and moves to the South of France where he meets Jackie (Jeanne Moreau), a compulsive gambler. Jean is fascinated by Jackie's insolent beauty and a feeling of complicity is soon established between them - but there is also a misunderstanding. Jean is sincerely in love with Jackie, whereas Jackie only puts up with Jean out of superstition; she believes that he brings her luck.
Together, they win and lose considerable sums at the table, but Jean soon grows tired of this rootless, chaotic life, as well of being the "mascot" of Jackie, for whom it seems that life itself is just a game of chance.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars GAMES OF CHANCE....., November 28, 2003

By 

Mark Norvell (HOUSTON) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Bay of Angels (DVD)

Little seen Jacques Demy film restored by his widow is a lovely New Wave look at chance. Stiff, young unmarried Jean (Claude Mann), who works in a bank, is introduced to gambling by a co-worker. When Jean wins a bundle on beginners' luck, he impulsively defies his father's warning of the evils of gambling and heads for a resort town on the Bay of Angels to start a new life...as a gambler. There he meets bleached blonde Jacki (Jeanne Moreau) who gambles recklessly and compulsively. She's split from her husband and young son because of her need to gamble. She slyly moves in on Jean in his hotel room because she's broke and has nowhere to go. Jean then becomes her lucky charm at the casino tables. They win big together. They also lose big together. But Jean is in love with Jacki even though to her he's more of a good luck piece. But Jacki isn't as tough as she seems. Lush b&w filming of a deceptively short tale (79 min.) is easy to watch and enjoy. Moreau is a stunner as Jacki---a woman caught in a haze of addiction but nevertheless upbeat even though her heart is breaking. Young, inexperienced Jean is repulsed by what Jacki sometimes does to get money or chips but he's like a gangly lovestruck puppy tagging along. He's caught in the gambling web, too, but is willing to take the chance to get out. Jacki LIVES on chance...but she's too scared to take that kind. How two unlikely people find each other and Jacki finds such a strong supporter is also pure chance. Like the roulette wheels they play, every day is a game of chance. Michel Legrand's score is loaded with dramatic piano flourishes rising at key moments and moody jazz flavors at others as the couple roam from casino to casino, hotel to hotel, high times to low times. Moreau, cigarette dangling from her full lips, her hip swinging worldly walk and hand brushing her teased platinum hair isn't easily forgotten. For film lovers---this is a find. Enjoy.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars terrific Jeanne Moreau film from Demy, til now hard to find, December 12, 2003

By 

Film Buff Chris (Doylestown, PA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Bay of Angels (DVD)

I had heard of Jacques Demy's "Bay of Angels"; and Pauline Kael gave it a favorable review that made me want to see it, saying Jeanne Moreau blond gambling bombshell was the New Wave equivalent to some of Bette Davis' intense 30s portrayals. But it never played anywhere I knew of, it's never been on tv, it seemingly dropped off the face of the earth. I just came across the dvd in a store the other day, saw that Demy's filmmaker wife restored it -- and it's gorgeous in the dvd edition -- and I bought it and watched it. It's strange and peculiar but thoroughly engrossing. Most of Demy's work is very stylized ... and in this Moreau has white/blond hair and white/blond clothes and I guess black/addict's soul. I was surprised how powerful, in its off-hand way, the film was about gambling as addiction... Moreau seemed to live in a kind of hell, but also loved being in it. She's very good in the film, and very unlike many of her other roles (where she's also great). Very worth watching, memorable. And the visuals are really stunning. (By the way -- I did manage to see Demy's "Lola" with Anouk Aimee years ago, loved it, and will probably get that dvd too. Also has been hard to find.)

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Nigtmare of Gamblers, November 28, 2004

By 

R. Crane (Washington, DC United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Bay of Angels (DVD)

While this is a remarkable film, the story is about addiction to roulette gambling and the devastating impact gambling has on the lives of the gamblers. So much of the film was spent watching the balls roll around the roulette wheel, that it felt sufficating, but not to the gamblers. The actors were marvelous, but the story is very depressing. Brillantly filmed.