"The Rules of the Game" (1939)

Jean Renoir has a lot of affection for human beings and human behavior; his view of humans is somewhere between delighted, bemused and frustrated. The Rules of the Game is gently mocking its characters but there's still an odd sense that Renoir sort of still loves them all the same. If it's not initially clear that this is a send up than the film's wonderful third act makes that point very clear. Renoir allows the whole proceeding to devolve into one giant farce. So absurd and hilarious is this sequence that a character even exasperatedly comments at one point "What is this a farce!". But the whole joke really is that it is a farce; far before we get to the breathless sequence where character's paths endlessly intertwine and escalate to dizzying heights of exhilarating silliness the film is treating everything we see as a figurative farce. The literal farce is just a recognition of how petty and stupid the lifestyles of the French aristocracy are. The oh-so-noble and heroic Andre responds to Christine finally admitting she loves him by saying "But darling the rules ..." He's noting the titular "rules of the game" which in one sense is the charade that passes for codes of romance and love amongst the upper class -- a honor code with so many contradictions and general hypocrisies that it can hardly qualify as a set of rules. But in another sense it refers to the rules of society that determine what's appropriate for the different social classes. At the crux of The Rules of the Game is a strong critique of classism. And yet there's still the affection for humanity in spite of societal strictures; Renoir's signature, naturalistic style is so warm and tender in the way it observes the characters. The camera glides with such effortless gracefulness and Renoir's renowned use of deep focus allows for him to capture the many stories simultaneously which proves a vital asset as the plot leaps into its delirious, heady final stretch.

Grade: A