"How amazing the country is, dozens of tiny things under each blade of grass, living and moving. We risk crushing them with each step."
Jean Renoir's films really scratch the academic part of my brain. the social commentary is so deeply embedded into the characters: the way they act, and the way they talk, the way they treat each other. everything is a reflection of the wider society and it makes it so interesting to analyze their actions and what they represent.
and obviously, when you take this approach to class consciousness, it leads to characters being... not exactly likeable. it's probably why a lot of people these days are not a fan of The Rules of the Game. even though that film is very entertaining to me, you have to look beyond the surface to understand why it is considered one of the best films of all time. but what's interesting to me is that even though most of Renoir's films can be approached with the same methodology, they are still very unique. the dynamics between the characters in Grand Illusion and The Rules of the Game and in this film are completely different. a lot of films take a similar approach but end up boiling down to "look at these rich assholes and these nice working class people." and of course, rich people being portrayed as assholes isn't something i have a problem with, but from a storytelling perspective, that kind of writing usually tends to run thin.
this film, just like the other films i've mentioned, is quite brilliant. it looks beautiful and there are some very memorable shots. but it's hard to fully appreciate it in its unfinished state. the father and the son-in-law characters did seem a bit like caricatures but they were very funny so i don't really mind it. but that one scene did leave a bitter taste.
"How amazing the country is, dozens of tiny things under each blade of grass, living and moving. We risk crushing them with each step."
Jean Renoir's films really scratch the academic part of my brain. the social commentary is so deeply embedded into the characters: the way they act, and the way they talk, the way they treat each other. everything is a reflection of the wider society and it makes it so interesting to analyze their actions and what they represent.
and obviously, when you take this approach to class consciousness, it leads to characters being... not exactly likeable. it's probably why a lot of people these days are not a fan of The Rules of the Game. even though that film is very entertaining to me, you have to look beyond the surface to understand why it is considered one of the best films of all time. but what's interesting to me is that even though most of Renoir's films can be approached with the same methodology, they are still very unique. the dynamics between the characters in Grand Illusion and The Rules of the Game and in this film are completely different. a lot of films take a similar approach but end up boiling down to "look at these rich assholes and these nice working class people." and of course, rich people being portrayed as assholes isn't something i have a problem with, but from a storytelling perspective, that kind of writing usually tends to run thin.
this film, just like the other films i've mentioned, is quite brilliant. it looks beautiful and there are some very memorable shots. but it's hard to fully appreciate it in its unfinished state. the father and the son-in-law characters did seem a bit like caricatures but they were very funny so i don't really mind it. but that one scene did leave a bitter taste.
