Spine Number
216
Details:
Released in 1939. Written & Directed by Jean Renoir. Starring Marcel Dalio, Nora Grégor, Jean Renoir.
André is having an affair with Christine, whose husband Robert is himself hiding a mistress. Christine's married maid is romantically entangled with the local poacher. At a hunting party, the passions of servants and aristocrats dangerously collide.
Had You Seen It?
Yes. This is the first film that I’ve seen fully and remember almost nothing about it. I do know I didn’t much care for it when I saw it in my 20’s and was actively dreading this rewatch, though!
What Did You Think?
The description on the back of Criterion’s disc of the film begins with the words, “Considered one of the greatest films ever made…,” which is a pretty steep expectation to set for the film right away. One that I think colored my viewing the first time I saw it. It’s described as a scathing satire, but of a time and place that felt far away and hard to grasp for a 20-something in the Obama era; the film felt like a trifle until the suddenly deadly ending, and I remember shrugging and moving on. But the world and myself have changed, and this film’s exploration of the trivial but engrossing lives of the rich and the servants who can’t help but get caught in their web feels suddenly relevant again. The class distinctions and explorations feel fresh and important, and watching the characters “dancing on a volcano” (as Renoir described it) remains much more engaging than I gave it credit for years ago.
The exploration of class is almost hard to discern in the first movement of the film, with it’s quick character introductions and swift drawing of various relationships and marriages and affairs. But it also quickly delineates between the classes by showing the central marriage and all the other various lovers, friends and servants as being in service to them. Even while seemingly making a decision to be more committed to each other, it’s the lower class characters’ jobs to concern themselves with (and even facilitate) their affairs with other people. This is all pulled off with panache, and a visual style that makes all of these various machinations feel breezy and glamorous. Once the action moves to the couple’s château for a hunting weekend, the class lines become distinct in so much that there are those served and those serving, with the conversation among the servants being completely about their masters and the dramas they are involved in; their own needs barely worthy of a mention, but their masters salt preferences being of great importance.
You can’t help but think about our current celebrity obsessed culture, and the amount of digital ink spilled to chronicle, comment on and deride the famous and their various entanglements while the world falls apart around us. The film makes an even more blunt point with the rabbit hunt centerpiece. The servants roots out the rabbits and pheasant of the countryside as the ruling class shoots them indiscriminately, the camera and editing moving at a rapid pace to undercut the brutality of the acts. This sequence, and the violent last act of the film that results in a shocking death, undercuts who really has the power, and how casually that deadly power can be wielded. The film was made before the breakout of WWII, among the rise of fascism and the bourgeoisie’s reluctance to call it out, and it feels almost too close to what’s happening in this country. We can tell ourselves we’re more self aware and can engage in the speculation and worship of celebrities and still pay attention to the horrors of our country, but it’s a fine line that everyone (including myself) can get lost in. And while I have no interest in lecturing anyone on what they consume, this film remains a warning of sorts of the dangers of minding our masters before ourselves.
How Ashamed Are You That You Hadn’t Seen It On a Scale From 1-10?
Not applicable since I had seen it! Any guilt I have is because I didn’t appreciate it for what it was trying to do, but I can’t get too mad at myself for being young and dumb and unable to understand the political underpinnings of a pre-WWII French farce.
Asides:
The massive sets are impressive, and Renoir’s ability to keep the frames filled with people and activity in all planes of the frame is pretty exciting! Really undercuts the entanglement of the various social classes.
Lotta real rabbit death going on here!
This is one of the only booklets I’ve seen be filled with praise from critics and other filmmakers (in addition to the essays). MVP goes to Robert Altman who said “The Rules of the Game taught me the rules of the game.” Well said, Bobby!
Renoir invented Bears when he put himself (a fat man) in a bear costume and complains about sweating. I owe him a debt.
Feel like I keep writing about how some of these films reflect our current times, but I can’t help but view them through that lens when there is a lot of shitty things happening in the world!