Technically this film is average as others during this time period were moving the camera much more fluidly with better editing and cinematography. The story, characters and almost everything else are totally dull. It also feels like a stage play, which is one of my biggest pet peeves in film. The fact that some people say that this is the greatest film of all time is truly unbelievable to me. Very overpraised.

This is simply a wonderful film. The plot and the relationships of the characters are complex but handled so well that it's never confusing, and visually the film is a delight, with labyrinthine staging and camera movements that move from room to room, following the characters in twisting movements. It's fresh and sublimely elegant. Renoir injects some moments of humor into this, but overall, this film ends on what is, to me, a note of resonant sadness. Brilliant.

The rules of the game is a monumental achievement in ensemble character storytelling. It's truly in a league of its own thanks to its excellent character depth and wonderful subject matter that is dealt with both seriously and whimsically. This is a movie for that ages that anyone can enjoy no matter how familiar they are with film history.

class film from jean renoir. a biting look at the french bourgeoisie, that wonderfully blends satire, madcap humor and twisted love affairs that only the french can dream up!

"The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie"

Equal parts insightful satire, farce and romance replete with witty dialogue from a myriad of masterfully juggled characters. Renoirs camera skips between rooms of the chateau, cutting sparingly, effortlessly following overlapping conversations. Adversely, the 'Lisette Triangle' characters are occasionally annoying and I was baffled at the unanimous infatuation with the dull Christine. Minor complaints for such a intricately layered film.

#3

While the brilliant script of this film is set in interwar France, the question of our specific role in society is timeless. Renoir's Octave, Dalio's Chesnaye, and Toutain's Jurieux all come to accept different truths about their beloved, Gregor's Christine, while Carette's Marceau and Modot's Schumacher battle humorously over Dubost's Lisette. These antics are entertaining, but are also insightful observations about power, indulgence, and love.

Widely regarded as one of the greats, and deservedly so. Renoir excels both behind the camera and in front. This scathing tragic comedy established a lot of techniques we see used in many films today. The elegant roaming shots and a masterful use of depth-of-field immediately come to mind. Renoir's on-screen turn as Octave is but one magnificent performance in a film with a brilliant ensemble cast where no one gets lost. The writing is sharp, dry, and a joy to behold. A masterpiece, no doubt.

Depending on your interpretation, the pilot either followed the rules or broke them throughout, and that is the crux of the film. The moment he stepped off the plane and started to publicly air his laundry, it became a question of when this public intrusion into the game of hush-hush bourgeois thrill-seeking would become his undoing. Examples of Renoir's disgust for the upper class are ubiquitously evident and, in the case of the rabbit-hunting scene, often brilliantly rendered.

An enjoyable farce. It's not the kind of film you can make much of an emotional connection with, and although it's a quality production for its time I don't revere it as a classic like many people do.