Bay Of Angels (1963) film notes by Tova Gannana for CSA Hitchcock

 

In a casino there is always both kinds of luck. There is picking a number, noting a sign like sitting next to a blonde, a man in a hat, a woman in a pretty dress. There is the roll of the dice, turning over the cards, holding one's breath. There is the waiting for one's luck to change, for time to speed up or slow down. To gamble is to throw in your lot with those who are in the room. In a casino everyone is dressed for night. 

At the beach, Jackie (Jeanne Moreau), in white heels, fluffs her white bob and lights a cigarette. She doesn’t sink in the sand; she teeters on the rocks and pebbles. Jackie seems unwelcome among the families, the sun, the fresh breeze off the sea. She prefers scotch and slots in the mornings. Whatever she has she gambles away, her train ticket, her jewels, any money that she wins. It’s a lifestyle for her; she feels free. At a casino in Enghien, Jackie is tossed out by management to the street. Although she cheated, she calls them the thieves. 

Jean (Claude Mann) has never gambled. He has a nine to five at the bank and lives in Paris with his father. He doesn’t own a car. Jean's friend Caron (Paul Guers) influences him. Caron gambles and lies about it to his wife. Caron invites Jean to play roulette in Enghien. Jean resists, afraid that if he starts he won’t be able to quit. Caron tells him, “You have to try everything to learn who you are. You might be really lucky.” Jean’s father, a watchmaker, believes that "gamblers always lose.” He tells Jean, “If I ever hear you’re gambling you can pack up and get out.”  Jean is cautious with Caron; with his father he is bold. Jean takes his bank pay and goes to Enghein. “I don’t even know the rules,” Jean tells Caron on the way. Jean wins but keeps his head. “Let’s go or I’ll start losing,” he tells his friend. Leaving the casino, Jean is uneasy, “It’s amoral. I won six months' pay in an hour.” 

Not all who gamble are motivated by money. Jean leaves his father's house and travels by train to Nice. It is summer and crowded with people and possibility. The French Riviera sparkles in sunshine and moonlight. Jean crosses paths with Jackie. She spots him across the roulette table. He picks a winning number. Jackie lights a Lucky Strike. She is hooked on his luck; he is hooked on her. Together they know they are not on vacation. They have left behind their lives in Paris. Jackie was the wife of a wealthy industrialist who kicked her out, who kept their three year-old son. “I feel like I gambled him away too,” Jackie tells Jean. Like a casino chip, Jackie is all surface. Jean follows her in a way he wouldn’t follow Caron or his father’s advice. They win big in Nice, buy a car, and drive to Monte Carlo. Jackie changes her white suit for a black backless dress and a feathered boa. The casino in Monte Carlo is the casino of all casinos. Jean, Jackie, and their wad of francs have arrived. 

Bay Of Angels (1963), the story of Jean and Jackie who with every gamble grow closer and yet more alone, was shot in the casinos and on the streets of the French Riviera. Jeanne Moreau said it was exhausting to be watched by so many. She made herself forget they were standing there. The presence of the onlookers can be felt in the film. Jean forgets his father’s warning while he tests himself. When he realizes what his luck can bring he calls him. 

Jackie is not a gambler because of the money. She returns to the table for the thrill. Bay Of Angels musical score by Michel Legrand is emotional; the piano racing like a heartbeat. Jean and Jackie have their fights which are physical. “Smile or I’m switching tables,” she warns him. For a moment Jackie trails another man on the casino floor. Jean is jealous and wins her back. Their relationship becomes circular like a roulette wheel, spinning between hope and hopelessness. Jean tries to get Jackie to return with him to Paris. “I’m afraid of ending up like you,” he tells her. She doesn’t eat, she has no friends, her stockings get a run. To lose all your money by gambling is to not care about your life. Jackie will play til the end or until she decides she doesn’t want to disappear. In her monochromatic wardrobe and platinum hair Jackie is like a ghost; the casino her tomb. When Jean stands up from the table and leaves, the air goes with him; she is sealed in.