Stormy Waters

Remorques (English title: Stormy Waters) is a 1941 French drama film directed by Jean Grémillon. The screenplay was written by Jacques Prévert (scenario and dialogue) and André Cayatte (adaptation), based on the novel by Roger Vercel. The film stars Jean Gabin, Madeleine Renaud and Michèle Morgan. It was shot at the Billancourt Studios in Paris and on location around Finistère in Brittany including at Brest. The film's sets were designed by the art director Alexandre Trauner. It was distributed in France by the Paris subsidiary of the German Tobis Film company. After the Second World War it was given an American release by MGM. Plot André is the dedicated captain of a tugboat, his mission being to salvage vessels in distress before competitors do, but his wife Yvonne is weary of being a sea-widow and wants him to spend more time with her. Called out to save a cargo ship in a violent storm, he takes on board most of the crew, including the captain's wife, and is towing the vessel towards harbour when its captain cuts the towline to avoid having to pay for rescue. André returns the crew, except for the wife who refuses to go back, and fells the crooked captain with a punch. The wife takes a room in a hotel, where André calls to make sure she is all right: her name is Catherine and currents flow between the two. As Yvonne becomes more demanding, the prospect of visiting Catherine becomes more appealing and soon André is neglecting both wife and job. The crisis comes when it is revealed that Yvonne's obsessive behaviour is because she is mortally ill. Catherine hastily packs and leaves town, while Yvonne dies in André's arms. Having lost both lover and spouse, all André has left is his boat as he departs in a storm to answer another SOS call.