There are many differing opinions on the work of Jean Vigo but one thing that becomes evident when one sorts through the various critiques and reviews of his films is that it is very difficult to categorize him. Vigo died young and only had the time to make four films, yet each one of them has been given their fair share of academic discourse. However, none have been given more attention than his final film, L’Atalante (1934). Taken at face value the film is about relationships and perhaps seeks to point out the inherent difficulty of maintaining one even when a couple is truly meant to be together. However, beneath the surface this is a film that explores many nuanced topics including an examination of the battle between open space and claustrophobia. When the film ends, it is difficult to say which side wins though, one could argue, it doesn’t really matter. There are two major technical elements that serve to enhance the story. The first is its use of a cinéma vérité style of filmmaking (largely foreshadowing the Italian Neorealist movement still yet to come) and the use of certain surrealist experimental elements that set it apart from some other films being made at the time.
In brief L’Atalante tells the story of newlyweds Jean and Juliette. They start off as a happy couple but quickly digress, becoming angry and argumentative with one another. Their personalities are represented by the barge, (Jean) which is meant to symbolize containment and the normality of day-to-day life, and dry land, (Juliet) which is meant to express freedom and openness. By the end of the film Jean and Juliet realize that despite their differences they’re still meant to be together and a 
joyous reunion ensues. One interesting element that is worth pointing out occurs at the beginning of the film. Although the film opens on what is obviously the tail end of a wedding, it looks more like a funeral procession than anything else. The bride and groom march intently ahead of the rest of the group, all of whom are dressed in black. Furthermore, in the middle of what should be a joyous moment the mother of the bride is crying over the event. This is certainly done intentionally as a means to show the impending doom of their relationship.
As was previously mentioned the use of a cinéma vérité style is one key to the success of the film. There are no studio lights or sets, which consequently give the film a unique look for the time. In his 1951 article, Revaluations 9 – L’Atalante, Roger Manvell discusses this topic by saying that “The main faults of this film are, curiously enough, to a certain extent, asse
ts. The photography is very rough—but how could it be otherwise unless the barge had been made artificially in a studio or every scene shot in special lighting and special weathers. This is an everyday story photographed in everyday lighting, and the narrow interiors do not allow for fancy shots.”[1] In this sense Manvell precisely highlights the point that this film is a direct influence on the Italian Neorealists that would arise in Italy about a decade later. Much like it’s offspring, L’Atalante uses reality to its advantage as a means to underline the core of the film as reality.
Another interesting aspect of this film is its timely use of surrealistic elements as a means to convey the star-crossed relationship of the two lovers, Jean and Juliet. Manvell describes Vigo’s surrealism as the “use of dream-imagery in the representation of experiences difficult or impossible to present directly.”[2] Early in the film Juliet explains to her new husband a legend, which is that when one’s head is under water you see the face of the person you love, saying, “It’s true. It happened to me. That’s how I recognize
d you when you first came to our house (00:15:34).”[3] Shortly after Jean jokingly tries out her theory. He is unsuccessful primarily because he treats the moment as a chance to mock her beliefs. However, later on in the film when Juliet has left Jean and he is distraught over his loss, he leaps into the water in an attempt to see what he once had no desire to even believe in. Now, fully capable of appreciating the love of his wife, he is able to see her in the water and recognize her as his true love. In order to show this transformation, Vigo uses a surrealist technique of superimposing one image on top of another. In this case, he superimposes the image of Juliet as she was on her wedding day, on top of an image of Jean in the water trying desperately to see the one he is meant to be with.
In conclusion the film L’Atalante is as brilliant as it is inspirational. In addition to its influence on the Italian Neorealist movement it was also a big influence on the French New Wave filmmakers, in particular François Truffaut. Sadly, Jean Vigo died tragically in 1934 due to complications from tuberculosis, ironically on the night L’Atalante premiered. His work, however, instantly became timeless and his notoriety and influence lives on to this day.
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