La chienne

I do not know what else to add to the previous two reviews before mine. The movie begins as two puppets argue about the theme of the movie we are about to see. One swears it is a comedy. The other avers that it be a tragedy. Both are slapped out of the way by another who says it is neither. Let us be the judge. The tale of a sad sack bank employee who sweats his whole life in a job he hates and falls for a low-life woman has similarities to the Dietrich classic Blue Angel but this movie has bigger themes and issues on its mind. His hilarious deduction and situational comedy as the man tries to outwit his way out of his marriage and the calamity that befalls him diagnoses the gray line that is life. And the bitter sweet ending endorses that in life, we may not get what we want but we might revel in what we need; and true happiness is a figment of mere necessity. A wonderful movie that must be seem. P.S. For those who appreciate the art of movies, you cannot but marvel at the directional technique of Renoir. The man understands cinema. His transitional shots are sublime and ridiculous in a good way propelling the movie along. And a murder scene is so effectively staged, it reminds that it might have been executed by Hitchcock himself. Long live great cinema and great directors who enrich our empathy for it!!!

"La Chienne" is a tragic crime drama and one of the pioneers of sound film in French cinema.

The plot follows Maurice, a kind-hearted banker who is also a talented amateur painter. He is in an unhappy marriage with his abusive wife, Adele, whose husband died during World War I. One evening, after a company celebration, Maurice notices a man's violent behavior towards a woman on the street. He decides to help this attractive woman, named Lulu...

The thematic focus of this film revolves around the interpersonal relationships of the protagonists, who find themselves in an emotional and social conflict. In addition, their options for escaping their life situations are very limited. The film also addresses themes of passionate desire, manipulation, revenge, and social decay.

Director Jean Renoir skillfully uses the plot to reveal the most intimate emotions in a decaying and corrupt circle of human relations. He sets a trap for the main protagonist, who, in fleeing from an unhappy marriage, enters a manipulative relationship filled with moral ambiguity and deceit, even though all Maurice seeks is a bit of affection and love. This leads him to play his manipulative game.

The atmosphere of the film leans towards tragic melodrama, and the relationships between the protagonists are complex. The camera work constantly emphasizes the emotional struggles, especially in the main character. Here, the grimness of morality is highly evident. Renoir insists on portraying social realism, which leaves a mark on character development.

Michel Simon plays Maurice, a man who emotionally exhausts himself in the search for attention and love. His character, although insecure and introverted, believes in a certain spark of love, through which he fails to see the truth. Janie Marese portrays Lulu, a beautiful and seemingly innocent yet manipulative prostitute, who seeks to satisfy the ambition of her pimp (Dede), played brilliantly by Georges Flamant, a malicious and selfish character only interested in money.

Then there is Magdeleine Berubet (Adele), Maurice's emotionally cruel and abusive wife. The performances are very strong.

This is a good melodramatic crime film that shows where a person can be led by the need for love and affection. The psychological aspects and portrayal of the darker side of intimate relationships were, in my opinion, spot on.

The meek cashier of a company and aspirant painter Maurice Legrand (Michel Simon) is married with the abusive widow Adèle (Magdelaine Berubet) that mistreats him. After a celebration in the company where he works, Maurice stumbles upon a man called André "Dédé" Jauguin (Georges Flamant) hitting a young woman called Lucienne "Lulu" Pelletier (Janie Marèse) on the street. Maurice protects Lulu and brings her home. Lulu, who is a prostitute, tells to the naive Maurice that Dêdé is her brother but he is actually her pimp. Maurice rents an apartment for Lulu and she becomes her mistress. Soon he brings his paintings to the apartment since Adèle intends to throw them away. But Dêdé sells the paintings to an art dealer for a large amount telling that Lulu had painted them using the alias Claire Bloom. When Maurice stumbles upon Adèle's former husband that was supposed dead in the war, he plots a scheme to get rid of Adèle. He succeeds in his intent and surprises Lulu and Dêdé on the bed during the night. He leaves her apartment and in the morning he returns to talk to Lulu. She discloses that she loves Dêdé and humiliates Maurice, telling that the only reason she stayed with him was his paintings and the money. Maurice kills Lulu and leaves the apartment with no witness. What will happen to him?

"La chienne" is a dramatic film ahead of time directed by Jean Renoir with an amoral story of triangle of love, greedy and perfect crime. For a 1931 film, the production and the conclusion are excellent. In 1945, Fritz Lang remade this drama as "Scarlet Street" with improvements and many differences in a film-noir style but an extremely moralist conclusion maybe because of the Hayes Code. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): 'A Cadela" ("The Bitch")

Plain actors (PC) with presence and talent are dramatic shortcuts.. Harry Baur, Max von Sydow, Gene Hackman, Paul Douglas, Ralph Richardson, Louis Jouvet, Raimu add authority, craziness and humanity to film. It may be ungallant to list women but what about Frances McDormand, Anna Magnani, Olivia Colman. Here, Simon is expressive in part due to his looks. He uses them as an artist in the service of a near-great film.

If you're someone who likes the films of Jean Renoir this is a must-see – that's my highest praise. It's pretty essential in the history of French cinema too, although the keeping of it in perspective is now absolutely essential thanks to the onslaught of Time. As someone who has loved the works of Renoir all my life I don't know why it's taken me decades to get round to La Chienne - I've had it to watch for years, but at least I've finally managed it. Advice: don't leave it too long.

Timid art-loving bank clerk with a scold for a wife who carries a torch for her dead previous husband falls in love with a woman who carries a torch for her rather violent waster of a boyfriend. Everyone is on the make, everyone is dislikeable, and everyone gets what they deserve – with one apparent exception. Michel Simon as Legrand acted his heart out surrounded by the circling human sharks, both direct and in the case of all the art-dealers, indirect. In Boudu he became a rather shabby shark. Janie Marese also had an intensely realistic part in the Tart without a heart Lulu – a tragedy that she died in a car crash on the way to the film's premiere. The gleaming photography was inventive for the time, almost magical in its spareness, and you're utterly immersed the world of 1931 its atmosphere, its people and their mores. The sound was a bit primitive, but it is in real life.

Marvellous stuff - the realism is complete, it's either a human tragicomedy or not, or a simple dark moral tale or not or nothing at all, or not. Anyway, imho it's most definitely a perfect companion piece for the classic Boudu which was to follow the next year from Renoir.