The Rules of the Game

La Règle du jeu

France, 1939

Drama, Comedy

Synopsis

At the onset of World War II, a weekend at a Marquis’ country château lays bare some ugly truths about a group of haut bourgeois acquaintances. The Rules of the Game is a scathing critique of corrupt French society, cloaked in a comedy of manners.

The Rules of the Game Directed by Jean Renoir

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Awards & Festivals

Venice Film Festival

1947

1956

1959

Berlin International Film Festival

1989

International Film Festival Rotterdam

1976

Village Voice Film Poll

1999 | 2nd place: Best Film of the Century

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Cast & Crew

Articles from the Notebook

Critics reviews

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BBC

Renoir let his cast improvise during the shoot, and the dichotomy between the chaotic narrative and meticulously-planned long takes gives the picture the documentary feel that Altman film would emulate.

Ali Arikan

October 30, 2018

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Jean Renoir’s masterpiece remains the gold standard against which all ensemble dramas are measured. Renoir juggles a number of major characters and honors each one’s perspective, resulting in a group portrait in which every character is sympathetic while remaining poignantly fallible.

Ben Sachs

October 05, 2018

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Renoir’s operettalike confection is booby-trapped; stupefied revellers fixing their gaze on a player piano as it rattles out the “Danse Macabre” take their place among history’s passive victims.

Richard Brody

April 27, 2015

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What are people saying?

Jérémy Poirier's rating of the film The Rules of the Game
Jérémy Poirier

A perfect film. A rare comedy with incredible depth of characters and a simple but complex story. They are all very colorful and well acted characters. It is hilarious, sad and extremely entertaining. The dialogues are meticulously well written and the camerawork really immerse you into this interplay of characters "stealing" each other's wife. Lying is one of the rules of the game
March 22, 2019 04:24
- 4
- 0
ASHES IN THE HOURGLASS's rating of the film The Rules of the Game
ASHES IN THE HOURGLASS

By all means, this film may just possess the most fluid camerawork in cinema which effortlessly immerses the viewer into the comedy. However, I am sad to inform that I am not the biggest fan of comedies of manner as their jolliness can sometime rub me the wrong way as is the case with this film's first third. As such, the best moment, for me, are the more quiet and tender that follow and they are what I will remember
March 22, 2019 04:24
- 10
- 0
kopello's rating of the film The Rules of the Game
kopello

I think it's impossible to dislike this. I remember watching it in my film class (by then I had already seen it), and even the typical people in the class who hate silent/b&w films (which annoyingly, was nearly everybody in the class besides me and the professor) enjoyed it.
March 22, 2019 04:24
- 3
- 0
francisca bacon's rating of the film The Rules of the Game
francisca bacon

3,5 Don't know what neoclassical gauge of stern virtues the erstwhile bourgeoisie used to judge itself against or projected outside as desired appearance to cause the film raise such a ruckus back then, but I could bet the situations mounted here would warrant a class's confused and endearingly maladroit humanity nowadays. It persuades one for a spell that the 'gaya scienza' of relationships is a truly French affair.
March 13, 2019 21:09
- 2
- 1
Ethan's rating of the film The Rules of the Game
Ethan

This is hands down one of the greatest films ever made and also one of the most entertaining. Brilliantly crafted by Jean Renoir, this comedy of manners moves like a bullet and never lets up until the end credits roll. This is what true filmmaking looks like.
March 22, 2019 04:25
- 4
- 0
Duncan Gray's rating of the film The Rules of the Game
Duncan Gray

Seen on 35 at the Metrograph, and I realized for the first time how much, quite apart from a rich masterpiece, this is also a robust audience movie. What does it mean? First, that pure heroism has no bearing in how we lead our lives. Second, that upper- and lower-class people are both human beings like anyone else—only, when "accidents" happen, one side will have to pay and one won't. Them's the rules. Essential.
March 22, 2019 05:47
- 8
- 0
smndvdcl's rating of the film The Rules of the Game
smndvdcl

Altman tried to emulate this with Gosford Park, and even that multistory master couldn't quite match Renoir's scathing satirical incisiveness of the bourgeois elites. Technically, it's a marvel up there with Citizen Kane. The narrative is almost Shakespearean in scope, and the intent is potent (at the cusp of WWII). French Cinema deserves its acclaim. Renoir (along with Vigo) set the precedent. Outstanding.
January 24, 2019 17:59
- 5
- 0
Scottie Ferguson's rating of the film The Rules of the Game
Scottie Ferguson

A perfect film. It's easy to see why this movie influenced Altman, but it may be greater than anything he ever made. It's such a fascinating drama, and I think it will reveal even more greatness upon further viewings. Easily one of the best movies I've ever seen.
January 24, 2019 17:06
- 2
- 0