La Chienne
Directed by Jean Renoir
Written by Jean Renoir from a novel by Georges de La Fouchardière and a play by André Mouëzy-Éon
1931/France
Les Établissements Braunberger-Richebé
IMDb page
Repeat viewing/Criterion Channel
One of 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die
Le juge d’instruction Desrumaux: You know, Mr. Legrand, liaisons like that are dangerous at our age and as a rule they end badly. It’s best to just stay quietly at home.
The first time I saw this film it ranked as a top favorite of its year. I can’t see it coming off anytime soon.
A mild-mannered henpecked cashier and Sunday painter (Michel Simon) falls head over heels for a woman he rescues on the street. She and her pimp set out to take him for every sou he can steal from his employer. Then they find out that his paintings have a market and cash in.
The film is introduced by puppets in a Punch & Judy show. One says the story is a morality play, a second says it is a comedy of manners, the third that it is about ordinary people and has no point. In fact, it is all three but I found it predominantly to be a pitch black comedy. Simon is wonderful and the direction, of course is superb. I love the way Renoir plays with art dealers and the way he uses music. Most highly recommended.
Fritz Lang remade this film as “Scarlet Street” in 1945. I reviewed that film here.
Trailer (no subtitles)
