The Rules of the Game is available to rent on Apple TV.
The original French title, La règle du jeu, translates into Rule (not Rules) of the Game.
This now classic film, directed by Jean Renoir, centers on members of upper-class French society and their servants as they gather in a château in the time leading up to World War II.
The ensemble cast includes Nora Gregor, Paulette Dubost, Mila Parély, Marcel Dalio, Julien Carette, Roland Toutain, Gaston Modot, Pierre Magnier and Renoir.
The film depicts members of upper-class French society and their servants just before the beginning of World War II, showing their moral callousness on the eve of destruction.
Renoir’s portrayal of the wise, mournful Octave anchors the fatalistic mood of this pensive comedy of manners.
At the time, The Rules of the Game was the most expensive French film made: Its original budget of 2.5 million francs eventually increased to more than 5 million francs.
Renoir and cinematographer Jean Bachelet made extensive use of deep-focus and long shots during which the camera is constantly moving, sophisticated techniques in 1939.
Renoir’s career in France was at its pinnacle in 1939 and The Rules of the Game was eagerly anticipated. However, its premiere was met with scorn and disapproval by critics and audiences.
Renoir reduced the film’s running time from 113 minutes to 85, but even then, the film was a critical and financial disaster.
Censorship
In October 1939, it was banned by the wartime French government for “having an undesirable influence over the young.”
For many years, the 85-minute version was the only one available.
However, in 1956, boxes of original material were discovered, and a reconstructed version of the film premiered that year at the Venice Film Fest, with only a minor scene from Renoir’s first cut missing.
The Rules of the Game was generally dismissed by critics and audiences upon release, but it has gained a more positive and influential legacy over time.
The film has since been lauded for its biting satire of the upper class and its criticism of social pretenses.
Sensitive hearts, faithful hearts,
Who shun love whither it does range,
Cease to be so bitter:
Is it a crime to change?
If Cupid was given wings,
Was it not to flitter?
Quotation at the beginning of the film, from Beaumarchais’ The Marriage of Figaro (IV, 10)
It is also known for its early use of deep focus cinematography and complex sound.
The Rules of The Game Score Breakdown
IMDB Score: 7.9/10
Metacritic Score: 98/100
Our Grade: A (***** out of *****)
Critical Status
The Rules of the Game has been called one of the greatest films in the history of cinema. Numerous critics and directors have praised it highly, citing it as inspiration for their own work.
Its influence can also be seen in ensemble-driven American films, such as Kasdan’s 1983 The Big Chill and Altman’s 2001 Gosford Park (his last great film)
It is the only film to earn a place among the top ten films in the Sight & Sound (British Film Institute) decennial critics’ poll for every decade, from the poll’s inception in 1952 through the 2012 list; in 2022, it fell to #13.
