One of the most cherished films among cinephiles, L'Atalante-the simple and engaging story of a young woman's stormy initiation into married life on a river barge-was the sole feature film made by director Jean Vigo, who died at age twenty-nine from tuberculosis just as the work premiered. Under Vigo's sensitive direction, naturalism and surrealist fantasy blend beautifully as everyday life is infused with magical moments: in the ship mate's (Michel Simon) fantastic travel stories; in the strange, plein-air bridal procession; in the young barge captain searching for his sweetheart under water. Poorly received on first showing, the film was badly cut and a popular song imposed on it. Happily, it has since been restored to its original form, and its romantic charms remain fresh and startling.