It's a sailors' story; they often sail away and when they return, the first thing they do is searching girls in the harbor. One of them -Jean- is shy and he does not know how to go with women. One day, he meets Yvonne and falls in love with her. But, alas, she prefers his good friend René. Another suitor, Pierre, owns the "À la Belle frégate" a café where Yvonne works as a waitress. Madam(e )Juliette, pretends she helps Yvonne and tries to make her an "entraineuse"(hostess) for less-than -handsome guests. But the girl knows better and will choose one of her suitors.
Acting
Michèle Alfa carries the entire emotional weight effortlessly.
Production
Authentic Marseille harbor atmosphere on a shoestring budget.
Director
Albert Valentin
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Released during Occupation France, this was Valentin's attempt at escapist entertainment that somehow passed German censors while winking at French audiences about compromised choices.
Michèle Alfa was a huge pre-war star whose career cratered after Liberation due to alleged collaboration; this film captures her at peak power before the fall.
FR
