Tuesday, September 04, 2007
FARCE WITH AN EDGE
Today's NYTimes Best 1176 Film was Jean Renoir's
La Règle du jeu / Rules of the Game (1939)
This nearly lost (the masters were destroyed in WWII) masterpiece of cinematography is restored by Criterion.
It is not easy to cuddle up to.
First, it is farce on French terms. We are not in that culture.
Second, it is farce based on life in France just prior to WWII so it is really social comment with a slice of propaganda from another time and place.
It is still enjoyable at a certain level but it has timed out.
The cinematography, however, is a smash.
There are a lot of stunning long hallway shots and off-in-the-distance scenes particularly on the obligatory hall of doors (which open and close with people careening in and out).
And other stuff like that.
There is enough to stay amused with it.
Ebert's review at the link gives a lot more background.
I was happy to see it and to check it off as a bow to cinema history but I won't be stopping again any time soon.
I will give it a 3 out of Netflix5 for historic value. Like a bit of good medicine for appreciation of the art.
Labels: best films
