Le capitaine jaune: A weirdly slow boat trip with Charles Vanel

Is it worth the time?

If you are a fan of old French cinema or you just want to see Charles Vanel looking grumpy on a boat, then sure. It is a slow burn that mostly just flickers. If you want a plot that actually goes somewhere, you will probably hate this within ten minutes. 🛥️

So, I sat down with Le capitaine jaune last night. It is one of those movies that feels like it was filmed during someone's actual vacation. An American millionaire is just living his best life on a yacht. That is basically the whole pitch.

The yacht itself is gorgeous in that 1930s way. Lots of polished wood and people wearing white suits that probably got dirty the second they sat down. I spent a lot of time looking at the background of the shots. You can see the actual waves and the way the light hits the water, which is actually really nice.

It is much slower than something like The Fighting Guide. In that movie, people actually move around and do things. Here, they mostly just stand on the deck and talk about nothing in particular.

Charles Vanel is in this, which is why I watched it in the first place. He has this face that always looks like he just smelled something slightly off. He brings a bit of weight to a movie that is otherwise as light as sea foam. Without him, I think I would have fallen asleep by the second act.

There is this one scene where they are all having dinner. It feels like it lasts for an eternity. You can hear the clinking of the silverware more than the dialogue. It is kind of awkward, but in a way that feels real. Like a dinner party where nobody has anything left to say to each other.

I noticed a weird thing with the editing. Sometimes a shot will linger on a door for three seconds after someone has already left the room. It makes you think someone else is going to walk in, but they never do. It is just a door. 🚪

The actress Andrée Vernon is fine, I guess. She does a lot of leaning against railings. She looks great in the hats, though. Everyone in this movie has incredible hats.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Le capitaine jaune (1930) through its definitive frames.

I kept thinking about L'île enchantée while watching the water scenes. That movie has a bit more soul to it. This one feels a bit colder, like the millionaire's bank account.

Valéry Inkijinoff shows up too. He has such a specific energy. He doesn't even have to say much to make you feel uneasy. He just stares. He is way more interesting than the millionaire guy, honestly.

The title, Le capitaine jaune, translates to The Yellow Captain. I kept waiting for a captain to show up in a yellow coat. Or maybe someone was going to act cowardly? It never really felt like it mattered that much. 🤷‍♂️

There is a cameo by Kiki of Montparnasse which is a neat little history nugget. If you know who she is, it's a cool moment. If you don't, she's just another face in the crowd of rich people.

The film reminds me a bit of A Gentleman's Agreement in how stiff the social interactions feel. Everyone is being so polite while you can tell they kind of want to push each other overboard. Or maybe that was just me wanting them to do it.

The sound quality is a bit rough in the version I saw. There is a constant hiss like the ocean is trying to swallow the dialogue. It actually adds to the atmosphere if you think about it that way. If you don't, it's just annoying.

I liked the scenes in the engine room. It was a nice break from the fancy lounge areas. You get to see the actual work that goes into moving this big floating palace. It felt more honest than the rest of the movie.

Compared to The Brute, this is practically a pacifist's dream. There is no real violence, just a lot of simmering tension that never quite boils over. It is very French in that way. They love a good simmer.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Le capitaine jaune (1930) through its definitive frames.

One guy in the background of the party scene is holding his glass so awkwardly. I couldn't stop watching him. He looked like he was afraid he was going to drop it at any second. It’s these little things that make me love old movies. You see the human mistakes.

Is it a masterpiece? No way. It is a bit of a mess and the pacing is all over the place. One minute they are talking about love, the next they are just staring at a seagull. 🐦

But it has a certain charm. It is like looking at a postcard that someone wrote a very long, slightly boring letter on the back of. You still like the picture on the front.

If you enjoy movies like From the Realm of the Crystals for their visual style, you might find something to like here. Just don't expect a thrilling climax.

It’s a movie about wealth and how it mostly just makes you bored and stuck on a boat with people you don't like. Which is probably pretty accurate.

I probably won't watch it again, but I'm glad I saw it once. It made me want to go to the beach, but maybe just stay on the sand where it's safe and I can leave whenever I want. 🌊

The ending is very abrupt. The screen just goes black and you're left wondering if they ever actually got to where they were going. Maybe they're still out there, floating and wearing nice hats.

Anyway, it's an okay way to spend an afternoon if you have nothing else to do. Just keep your expectations low and your interest in nautical fashion high. It’s definitely better than Once Over, at least in terms of having a budget.