Review – The Rules of the Game (1939)

The Rules of the Game [La Règle du jeu] (France, 1939) dir. Jean Renoir. B&W, 35mm.

Rules of the Game uses innovatively-constructed visuals and sound in a fashion years ahead of its time to tell a bizarre and critical tale of the complex love triangles within a group of aristocracy and their servants at a grand mansion in the countryside. The fights that result from these love triangles are truly entertaining and quite brilliant satirically; one unfolds in brilliant counterpoint to carnival-like music emanating from an upstairs “performance” of a mechanical organ. The music in particular is entirely source, coming from within the world of the film, altered in volume and quality to reflect the location of the character groups outside of the party. It helps to link many of the scenes and provide interesting commentary in a uniquely subtle and realist manner. Symbolism, too, abounds in the film’s constant use of objects as commentary (many of which come from one character’s collection of mechanical musical devices) and gorgeous cinematography. Renoir was using deep focus and long takes within large and sumptuous rooms of the mansion several years before Welles in Citizen Kane, and this film’s great influence on Welles is easy to see. Particularly interesting are the scenes of the hunt, a stunning combination of sound, image, and montage.

Unfortunately, Rules of the Game has a long and fairly complex narrative, and its highly realist style slows the pace of the film considerably. I have enjoyed some other realist films with slow pacing in the past, (and quite a few with near-incomprehensible plots as well). Famed realist-lover Bazin calls Rules of the Game a film that rewards repeat viewings, revealing itself

“only gradually to the spectator, even if he is attentive.”

Andre Bazin “The French Renoir.”

Even so, I felt that this film lacked a narrative and characters enthralling enough to hold my attention for the entire film, even with the gorgeous uses of sound and image. Though there are quite a few fascinating and entertaining moments (especially in the servants’ love triangle), and The Rules of the Game was incredibly advanced for the time it was made, it remains somewhat of a “film theorists’ film” that is not very accessible to a large audience.

Rating: 7/10

Availability: (English subtitled editions): Region 1 special edition DVD from Criterion, VHS from Homevision, special and standard edition laserdiscs from Criterion. I (unfortunately) saw the VHS version of the film, which doesn’t really do justice to the gorgeous cinematography. The newer Janus Films/Criterion restoration, on the other hand (which can be seen in the trailer) really looks superb. I don’t know about the quality of the laserdiscs.

Trailer: http://youtube.com/watch?v=p5tV3wRwc_A

—-Recca 6/14/08