Coups de roulis: A Quirky, Slow Sail Through Old French Cinema

Okay, so *Coups de roulis*. If you've got a soft spot for those really old French movies, the kind that feel like a dusty postcard from another era, then yeah, maybe give this one a shot. It's got a certain charm, if you're in the right mood.

But if you're looking for, I don't know, *action* or anything that moves faster than a slow boat, you'll probably want to steer clear. This one's for the patient folks, the real film archeologists. 🚢

The story, what there is of it, seems to center around a boat, naturally. A passenger ship, maybe. You get this feeling of people just *being* on a journey. Not a grand adventure, just… existing at sea.

There's a lot of milling about on decks, some worried looks at the horizon. You know the drill.

One guy, I think it was Robert Brummel, he has this really distinctive mustache. *Very* neatly trimmed. It almost steals the scene sometimes, honestly.

Every time he adjusted his hat, I just kept looking at it. Such precision.

The whole thing feels like a stage play sometimes. Like they just pointed the camera at a set and told everyone to do their thing. The dialogue, when you can catch it, is often delivered with this almost *too* clear enunciation.

It’s charming, but also a bit stiff.

There's this one moment where a seagull flies by, and the camera just *sticks* with it for a beat too long. Like someone in the editing room just forgot to cut away. It's not important, but it stuck with me.

The lighting, oh man. It's all very flat. Indoors, it often feels like one bright lamp was just switched on. No real shadows or mood.

But then you get a shot of the ocean, and for a split second, it's actually quite beautiful. You see the waves just *roll*.

Someone spilled tea, I think. During a lunch scene. Not a big deal, just a little stain on the tablecloth that they don't even try to hide. Small, messy details like that actually make it feel more real, paradoxically.

The character played by Lucienne Herval, she's got this habit of always touching her hair. Even when she's supposed to be distressed, her hand goes right to her curls. It's a little tic, but you start noticing it every time.

The pace is what you'd expect. Leisurely. *Very* leisurely. You could probably make yourself a cup of coffee during one of the longer establishing shots and not miss much. Maybe even two cups.

There's a scene with a musical number, I think, very brief. Someone playing an accordion, badly. It's so short, you almost wonder why it's even there. It just… happens.

It's not trying to be a big dramatic thing. It's just a snapshot. A window into a different time, really. The clothes, the way people move. It's all a bit formal, even when they're supposed to be relaxed.

Some of the acting is a bit over-the-top, even for the era. Like, a shocked face means *really* wide eyes and a hand over the mouth. You can almost feel the director saying, 'More! Give me more!' 😲

The sound quality isn't great, obviously. You get that crackle and hiss. Sometimes the music swells randomly. Just a little. Then it dips again. It's not *bad*, just… noticeable.

I kept waiting for something *big* to happen. A storm, a secret, a grand romance. But it never really lands. It just kind of drifts to an end. Which, for this kind of film, is probably the point.

Didja notice?

• The ship’s whistle sounds exactly the same every time. A recorded loop, probably.
• Someone wears the same scarf for like, three consecutive days in the film. Not very realistic for a long journey.
• One extra in the background is clearly looking directly into the camera. *Hilarious*.
• The waves in the background sometimes look a little too… painted. Especially in the close-ups.
• The captain, Pierre Magnier, he has this really dramatic eyebrow raise. He deploys it for everything, from a slight disagreement to bad weather.

So, yeah. *Coups de roulis*. It's a curiosity. A quiet journey. Not a masterpiece, but it's got its moments. For what it is. And you won't find another movie that makes a man's mustache quite so compelling, I bet.