Film Review: The Rules of the Game (La Règle du jeu, 1939)
1939 was annus mirabilis for Hollywood, famed for unusually high number of films that became beloved classics withstanding the test of time. It was also supposed to be annus mirabilis for French cinema, which was at the time giving Hollywood a run for its money. New prestigious film festival was about to open in Cannes and Jean Renoir, one of the most celebrated film makers at the time, was about to make another record at box office with another film masterpiece. His film The Rules of the Game instead became major disaster before, in a twist of fate so loved by film historians, slowly building earning reputation of one of the greatest films ever made.
The film begins when aviator André Jurieux (played by Roland Toutain) lands at Le Bourget airport after breaking new record with transatlantic flight. Instead of being happy over his achievement, Jurieux is devastated to learn that Christine (played by Nora Gregor), woman who had inspired him for his feat, didn’t come to greet and make his feelings known to everyone during radio broadcast. Christine is married to wealthy Marquis Robert de la Chesnaye (played by Marcel Dalio) who is apparently aware of Christine flirts, while himself having extramarital liaison with Geneviève de Marras (played by Mila Parély). André’s best friend Octave (played by Renoir) arranges for him to be invited for the weekend gathering at Robert’s large country estate. There the Robert’s stout gamekeeper Edouard Schumacher (played by Gaston Modot) catches Marceau (played by Julien Carette), a poacher. Robert is, however, so impressed with Marceau’s rabbit-snaring skills that he gives him a job at his estate. Marceau after that begins to flirt with Lisette (played by Paulette Dubost), Christine maid who also happens to be Schumacher’s wife.
With 2.5 million francs of budget (which more than doubled during the production), The Rules of the Game became the most expensive film in history of French cinema by that time. Any hope Renoir had of getting that money back was crushed after disastrous premiere, when audience reacted with open hostility, followed by apparent lack of enthusiasm of the critics. Renoir tried to save his studio from bankruptcy by drastically cutting running time to 80 minutes, but it was in vain. Few months after premiere Second World War started and French government considered The Rules of the Game, just like many great films of the period, to be too “demoralising” and had them banned. Renoir has soon afterwards left for Hollywood where he would continue career for the rest of the war. His film was nearly lost, with negative being destroyed in Allied bombing during Nazi occupation of France. Only after the war copies became available, creating great enthusiasm by small but influential group of cinephiles, which led British magazine Sight & Sound to name him one of the best 10 best films in its famous ten-year poll, a position which, unlike any other film, it kept to this day. In the meantime, Renoir was working on reconstruction, resulting in 106 minute version released in 1956, and which is considered definite.
Enthusiasm for The Rules of the Game among cinephiles can be best explained with its modern and polished visuals which makes it look like a film way ahead of its time. A lot of credit for that should go to slick black-and-white cinematography by Jean Bachelet and use of deep focus, innovative technique that would two years be put to even better use by Orson Welles in Citizen Kane. Renoir, who co-wrote script with Carl Koch, has also extensively used moving camera, especially in the scenes that take place within Robert chateau and follow large number of protagonists during their chaotic and humorous interactions. He also shows great skill with rapid editing, especially during the hunt scene.
Renoir’s talent were followed by large and diverse cast, which included some actors who had worked with him in his previous films. Marcel Dalio, who plays Marquis, is one of the best known of them, probably on the account of playing croupier in Casablanca few years later. Julien Carette, popular vaudeville entertainer who appeared in The Grand Illusion is great in the role of comic relief. Same can be said of Paulette Dubost, young comedienne whose role of coquettish maid rose during the shooting because Renoir was so impressed with her performance. Renoir, despite being critical towards himself in later interviews, actually delivers more than solid performance in the role of Octave. Not all casting decisions were perfect. Role of Christine, woman who inadvertently becomes femme fatale and object of contention among three men, is played by Nora Gregor, Austrian Jewish actress who had escaped Anschluss and whom Renoir met by accident and, according to some sources, have fallen in love with. Gregor, whose real life background was written into her character, tries hard in her role, but simply doesn’t look that glamorous and irresistible to convince audience that can cause such mayhem. Anne Mayen, who appears in the small role of Christine’s niece, serves mostly as eye candy.
Ironically, the reason why The Rules of the Games flopped at the box office was exactly the same reason why it was lauded afterwards. Renoir originally envisioned it as farcical romantic comedy with some mild social commentary in tradition of classic French plays like Beaumarchais’ The Marriage of Figaro (which is actually quoted at the beginning) and The Moods of Marianne by Alfred de Musset (which served as inspiration for the early version of the script). Although the actual production was, by all accounts, very happy occasion for all involved, Renoir’s mood began to be affected by escalating political tensions in Europe and apparently unstoppable rise of Fascism – defeat of Spanish Republic and Hitler’s takeover of Czechoslovakia. Increased likelihood of new world war reflected on the script, which was getting more serious and darker tones. That included scene of the hunt, depicted as brutal massacre of helpless animals, scenes of semi-comical violence that escalate to less comical forms as film goes on and lead to tragic finale, wrapped by bitter irony in the last scene. Renoir, known for his leftist beliefs, tried to capture general mood of its country, being especially critical towards his upper classes, whose selfishness and shallowness he considered to be responsible for the rise of fascism in Europe and increasing threat for his own country. Representatives of French elite are shown as shallow, hypocritical, corrupt and obsessed with “the game” or, to be more precise, maintaining illusion of their superiority. Renoir, on the other hand, is also critical towards lower classes, represented by Robert’s staff, which, when dining together, indulge in remarks that show their anti-Semitism. It is those characters and their inability to play “the game” that makes final tragedy possible. Renoir’s criticism reflects in André, character who is supposed to be national hero, being portrayed as pathetic near-suicidal wreck. French public, needless to say, wasn’t very happy with the way their society was portrayed, and that reflected in its initial rejection of the film. Ironically, after the German occupation and other traumatic experiences of the war, The Rules of the Game became prophetic and convenient cinematic explanation of social mores that made national humiliation possible. As such, reputation of Renoir’s film quickly grew and by 1950s it became major inspiration for new generation of film makers of the French New Wave. Although some viewers might find it not as grand as such reputation might suggests, many who view it today might find that at least some of that reputation, if not the most important part, was quite justified.
RATING: 8/10 (+++)
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