La Chienne

Directed by Jean Renoir, 1931

Written by Jean Renoir and André Girard

Cast

Try to pay attention, in this film, not just to the story--the narrative--itself, but to the way in which the story is conveyed to us. To what extent is the film naturalistic in its presentation, and to what extent is it theatrical and self-consciously artificial?

How does Renoir present the action to us? How is the film edited? How often are close-ups used, and how often long shots, which let us see the whole action at once? What is the effect of using real-life settings for the most part, instead of studio sets? What is the significance of the various choices the director has made?

Closely consider the murder scene. What do you notice about the editing and camera movement in this scene? How does it differ, or stand out, from the rest of the film?

What is our attitude towards the three main characters? Sympathy and identification? Distance and impartiality? Does the film consistently focus on one point of view, on one character's perspective, or does it shift between viewpoints? What about the great variety of social milieus depicted in the course of the film?


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