Bay of Angels

If fate is a key component of the Bressonian universe, chance plays the same role in the world of Jacques Demy, and nowhere more prominently than in his second feature Bay of Angels. A platinum blonde Jeanne Moreau, in one of her most beguiling incarnations, plays Jackie, a compulsive gambler who haunts the casinos of Nice and Monte Carlo. Constantly broke and with an eye for a sucker, she picks up an unworldly office worker in search of adventure, and as the film moves into high gear, the couple spin breathlessly from exhilaration to despair in sync with the roulette wheel. Featuring Demy’s stylish, swift direction and aided by Raoul Coutard’s dazzling images of a sunny Riviera, Bay of Angels is one of the best films ever made about gambling and may be the least screened film by a major French New Wave director. Last shown at LACMA on the opening night of our 1998 Jeanne Moreau retrospective—where Moreau captivated audiences with her stories for almost an hour—this screening is made possible thanks to Agnes Varda and the Film and TV Office of the French Consulate.
Bing Theater |  Included in double-bill, $5 admission for this film only | Tickets: 323 857-6010 or purchase online.