La baie des anges offers a terrifying glimpse into the reality of gambling addiction. Jeanne Moreau cannot stop and somehow manages to lure her young stud into the mesmerizing world of roulette, which, judging from what happens here, will eventually lead to their ruin. The female gambler is clearly older than her naive lover, and one has to wonder when her charm will wear thin. But somehow her frankness in admitting that all she really cares about is gambling entices him even more. If she actually loved him, he'd probably bolt after a few days, but she keeps him hanging on, just as the roulette wheel keeps pulling her back to the casino, over and over again, as she oscillates between opulence and destitution, elation and desperation.
Gorgeous film. Black and white suits it very well.
Gorgeous film. Black and white suits it very well.