For those with a real interest in the great figures of cinema there’s a classic coming to Dewsbury’s community cinema at The New Picture House on 6 December.
La Regle du Jeu (The Rules of the Game) has often been called one of the greatest films in the history of cinema. Numerous film critics and directors have praised it highly, citing it as an inspiration for their own work. A must see for those who would like to compare the classics of cinema with the fare available from their subscription TV service.
The Rules of the Game is a 1939 French film directed by Jean Renoir. The film is a comedy of manners that 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 impending destruction.
The Rules of the Game was the most expensive French film up to that time, with its original budget of 2.5 million francs increased to five million.
When directing the film, Renoir and cinematographer Jean Bachelet made use of deep-focus cinematography and long shots during which the camera is constantly moving, both sophisticated cinematic 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 both 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. In October 1939, it was banned by the wartime French government for “having an undesirable influence over the young”.
Certificate PG
Check out more details on the Event page