In the fog-bound port town of Le Havre, army deserter Jean hopes to escape by boat to Venezuela. However, his plans soon run aground when he falls for 17-year-old Nelly; an object of lust admired by her boyfriend Maurice, supposed protector Zabel, and local gangster Julien. But how can Jean protect her if he’s headed abroad?
Le Quai des brumes is a wonder of collaborative artistry with a typically astute script from Jacques Prévert’s, melancholic mists and shadows conveyed by Eugene Schufftan’s camera, and discreetly stylish costume design from Coco Chanel. The bittersweet atmosphere of fatalistic romanticism is brilliantly portrayed in this moody thriller; seldom has the seedy side of life seemed so utterly seductive.