252. La Carrosse d'Or

La Carrosse d'Or
The Golden Coach
1952
Directed by Jean Renoir

I was super excited to watch this film; it has been awhile since we had a good Jean Renoir film (the last one being in 1939).  He actually won the Oscar on this blog for best director in the 30s.  This is probably the most coveted honor that a filmmaker can achieve.

This movie centers on a rather unpleasant actress.  Three different men fall in love with her (I hate it when that happens).  Hilarity ensues.

So first of all, elephant in the room: why do they all like her so much?  She is not particularly pretty, she is loud, and she is obnoxious.  It doesn't make sense.  In addition, the acting was pretty bad.  This is not entirely the actors' fault since it must be hard to speak in a foreign language and act at the same time.  Still, that doesn't make it any less painful to watch.

Overall, I was extremely disappointed.  Jean Renoir should not try to direct musical comedies.  It is like if Quentin Taratino tried to direct a children's movie.  Disturbing and unnatural.

RATING: **---

Interesting Facts:

Shot in Rome in French, English, and Italian.  Jean Renoir was said to prefer the English version.

130. La Regle du Jeu

La Regle du Jeu
The Rules of the Game
1939
Directed by Jean Renoir

I am falling in love with French films.  I don't know who I love more: Jean Renoir or Jean Gabin.  Jean Renoir shows himself to be a competent actor as well as a director and writer in this movie.  Of course, Jean Gabin is really cute and charming.  DON'T MAKE ME CHOOSE!!!!

Sorry, I am pretty wound up today.  This was a great movie and one that I knew I would love from the very beginning.  The story centers on a bunch of different characters who are entangled in each other's lives through various connections.  It reminded me of those modern romantic comedies like He's Just Not That Into You (shut up; that was a great film).  It also contained a few comments on French society which led to it being banned from France. I recently read an amazing novel, The Elegance of the Hedgehog, which carried a similar message about the French bourgeoisie.  Check it out!

Anyway, this has movie as been referred to as the birth of modern cinema (alongside Citizen Kane).  I don't think I would go that far, but it certainly was witty and entertaining.


RATING: ****-


Interesting Facts:


People hated this film when it first came out.  One disgruntled audience member even tried to light the theater that was playing it on fire.  I felt the same way whenever I saw Valentine's Day.


The first production of Les Nouvelles Editions Francaises which was a company that Jean Renoir and his nephew started after the success of La Grand Illusion.

Trailer:

106. La Grande Illusion

La Grande Illusion
The Grand Illusion
1937

I have been on such a French kick lately.  I just finished Nana and am starting Les Miserables, I went out to a French restaurant (goat cheese!!!), and I watched this.  The restaurant led to one of those oh-that-was-so-good-let's-leave-oh-my-god-I-forgot-my-wallet-let's-make-a-run-for-it-or-ask-the-lady-next-to-us-for-money-yay-I-found-a-twenty-in-my-purse-and-we-have-a-groupon-but-not-enough-for-a-tip situations.  i am still enjoying my phase, though.


Anyway, this was a pretty decent film.  This was one of the first prison break movies (we 1001ers know that before this there was A Nous la Liberte or I Am a Fugitive From the Chain Gang).  This film is about two Frenchmen who struggle to break free from a German prison camp.  This was a pretty risky move considering Hitler was in his prime at the time.  In fact, this film was banned during World War II (it didn't help that a Jew was in the film).  It is very artsy; but what do you expect from a Jean Renoir film.  Check it out!

RATING: ****-


Interesting Facts:


Woody Allen's favorite movie.


First foreign language film to be nominated for Best Picture.


Trailer:

94. Partie de Campagne

Partie de Campagne
A Day in the Country
1936

Today was one of those days when I hate everyone and anything.  I was a little bit nervous to watch this movie because I was afraid that I would rant about it even if it was decent.  Much to my surprise, however, I did genuinely like it.


This film will make you want to cry and not just because Anatole can't get rid of his hiccups!  This movie made an early use of the epilogue which is really tragic.  This film is only forty minutes long and it is available on YouTube so I would definitely recommend it.  It will remind you of your own experiences with young, impractical love.  My one complaint would be that 60% of the film is centered around conversation that I didn't really care about.  It wasn't boring but with the film being so short, I would rather hear about the love story.  Still great, though.


RATING: ****-


Interesting Facts:


There is no trivia on the IMDb web page.  Let's try Wikipedia...


Nope, still nothing interesting.  Sorry!


Full film:

63. Boudu Sauve Des Eaux

Boudu Sauve Des Eaux
Boudu Saved from Drowning
1932

I have to review like four movies after this since I am ahead so forgive me if I am a bit short.  This is another good French comedy.  Now that we are getting away from silent movies, there have been a lot less propaganda films and a lot more slapstick comedies.  I don't have a whole lot of complaints about that.

This movie is about a tramp who (spoiler alert!) is saved from drowning.  He strongly resembles Charlie Chaplin's character but I found Michel Simon a lot more charming.  He gets accepted into a nice bookseller's house but like in most comedies, the bookseller gets more than he bargained for!

This movie is very entertaining.  The dialogue is witty, the acting is excellent, and the plot is different enough to be really intiguing.  Very nice.

RATING: ****-

Interesting Facts:

Why don't I just write the reviews ahead of time?

The guy on the bench is the assistant director.  I know that is not very interesting, but the trivia page on IMDb is not exactly overloaded with knowledge.

Available on YouTube but again for some reason I can't put it up. 

60. La Chienne

La Chienne
The Bitch
1931

Amazon has really been fucking with me lately.  I had to buy this movie and through no fault of my own (aka I didn't look closely at the product description), they sent me the Japanese version.  This movie is completely in French and my version only had Japanese subtitles.  If you have read my earlier posts, you probably heard me bragging about how I know French (roughly translated that sentence is vous probablement avez ecoute <bragging> de comment je sache francais; see?).  As you may have surmised, I had a hard time understanding this film.

But I got the gist of it!  I also followed along with the Wikipedia synopsis. I think an artist killed a prostitute and someone else got blamed for it.  I guess I liked it.  I am pretty sure it was pretty edgy (did I hear dormi avec moi?) and edginess is always appreciated.  I am also almost certain they didn't condemn any of the villianous acts committed.  They just kind of reported it, like Ovid.

RATING: ***-- (I am probably completely wrong about everything I just said)

Interesting Facts:

See?  There was a benefit to taking French.  Impratical, my ass!

Jean Renoir was Pierre-Auguste's son.

This is a really obscure film so no video, sorry.