Règle du jeu (la)

English title: The Rules of the Game

Genre: comedy drama of manners (in black and white)

With:   Nora Gregor (Christine de la Chesnaye), Roland Toutain (André Jurieux), Jean Renoir (Octave), Marcel Dalio (Marquis Robert de la Chesnaye), Julien Carette (Marceau the poacher), Mila Parély (Geneviève de Marras), Paulette Dubost (Lisette the chambermaid), Gaston Modot (Édouard Schumacher, the gamekeeper), Eddy Debray (Corneille) Pierre Magnier (the General), Odette Talazac (Charlotte de la Plante), Claire Gérard (Madame de la Bruyère), Anne Mayen (Jackie, Christine's niece)

Director: Jean Renoir

Screenplay: Jean Renoir with help from Carl Koch

Release: 1939

Studio: Nouvelles Éditions de Films (NEF)

Rating: for all

MBiS score: 8.8/10

 

Cherchez la femme!* 

 

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Story-line: Paris in the 1930s. Renowned aviator André Jurieux should be ecstatic – he has just accomplished a successful crossing of the Atlantic – but he is profoundly disappointed that Christine, the love of his life, wasn't at the airfield to greet him. And that's the problem with Christine... she's a very popular woman. Octave, André's best friend, is fond of the lady himself and other men also have her in their sights. Luckily for all, this whole romantic entanglement may soon be settled at Robert de la Chesnaye's country estate, where everyone has been invited for a hunting party. In case you’re wondering about Robert, well... he so happens to be Christine's husband… and is romantically involved with Geneviève de Marras.  

Pluses: superior acting all around but especially by Marcel Dalio and Jean Renoir (who shows a knack for comedy), perfect direction, an imaginative and ambitious screenplay loaded with well-drawn characters, precise dialogues, surprising twists  and irony, excellent editing and production values, an astute buildup of tension that leads to a stunning climax.

Minuses: since LA RÈGLE DU JEU is rather slow at first, you may be tempted to bail out early – as I once did – but the story becomes much more interesting after 25 minutes. Its deliberateness is due to the dialogue-driven, novel-like approach needed to depict matters of the heart among multiple characters. 

Comments: as one of the greatest movies ever made and a testament to cinema's brilliance even in its early days, LA RÈGLE DU JEU skilfully illustrates the fickleness of love in high society (and in all social classes for that matter). It follows a sizable group of characters (bourgeois and servants, all of them important in some way) who suffer from being loved too little or too much in a world where marriage is a convenience and real romance seems attainable only out of wedlock. LA RÈGLE DU JEU reminded me of Robert Altman's GOSFORD PARK and one might say that Altman's fine ensemble drama is a tribute to Renoir's masterwork. Rules are rules, movie buffs! 

*By analogy: ‟He must have done this for a woman. Let’s find her.” 

 

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Witness

Genre: crime drama  

With: Harrison Ford (John Book), Kelly McGillis (Rachel), Josef Sommer (Schaeffer), Lukas Haas (Samuel), Jan Rubes (Eli Lapp), Alexander Godunov (Daniel Hochleitner), Danny Glover (McFee), Brent Jennings (Elton Carter), Patti LuPone (Elaine), Angus MacInnes (Fergie)

Director: Peter Weir

Screenplay: Earl W. Wallace and William Kelley (based on a story by William Kelley, Pamela Wallace and Earl W. Wallace)

Release: 1985

Studio: Paramount Pictures, Edward S. Feldman Production

Rating: R

MBiS score: 8.2/10

 

 

‟You be careful out among the English.”

 

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Story-line: while on their way to Baltimore, a recently widowed Amish woman and her young son are held over in Philadelphia when the boy inadvertently witnesses a murder.   

Pluses: commanding performances by Harrison Ford and Kelly McGillis, fine support from a convincing Lukas Hass and a solid cast, discreet but meticulous direction that lets the story unfold naturally, a thoughtful screenplay that delivers several powerful scenes, an unusual but befitting musical score and appropriate production values.

Minuses: none I can think of.

Comments: I avoided WITNESS for a long time − fearing it would be a gimmicky movie exploiting the Amish and their opposition to our secular world − but I was pleasantly surprised by this very watchable film. I should have known better, considering that Peter Weir has also authored FEARLESS and GREEN CARD, two films that could have hit the skids but clearly didn’t. Here, the Amish community is shown in a respectful way and its contribution brings sorely needed nobility to a particularly sordid murder story. Interesting, efficient… this is the kind of film movie buffs deserve.    

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