A French Master: Jean Renoir in the 1930s
The best in world cinema is showcased in City Cinematheque. Hosted by Professor Jerry Carlson and co-produced with the Department of Media and communication Arts of The City College, CUNY, each film is followed by lively discussion with scholars, film professionals and critics.
Saturday & Sunday nights at 9:00 PM, repeated the following Friday night at 12:00 MidnightLa Chienne
March 24-25/31
(1931, France, 1h 35min , b&w, drama, In French with English Subtitles)
Director: Jean Renoir
Writers: Georges de La Fouchardière (novel), Jean Renoir (adaptation)
Stars: Michel Simon, Janie Marèse, Georges Flamant
Cashier Maurice Legrand is married to Adele, a terror. By chance, he meets Lucienne, “Lulu”, and makes her his mistress. He thinks he finally met love, but Lulu is nothing but a streetwalker, in love with Dede, her pimp. She only accepts Legrand to satisfy Dede’s needs of money.
Discussion guest: Anne Kern, Purchase College SUNY.
Boudu Saved from Downing (Boudu sauvé des eaux)
March 31- April 1/7
(1932, France, 1h 25min, b&w, comedy, In French with English Subtitles)
Director: Jean Renoir
Writer: René Fauchois (play)
Stars: Michel Simon, Marcelle Hainia, Sévérine Lerczinska
Boudu, a tramp, jumps into the Seine. He is rescued by Mr Lestingois, a gentle and good bookseller, who gives shelter to him. Mrs Lestingois and the maid Anne-Marie (Mr Lestingois’ mistress) are far from delighted, for Boudu is lazy, dirty and salacious.
Discussion guest: Leah Anderst, Queensborough CC CUNY.
The Lower Depths (Les bas-fonds)
April 7-8/14
(1936, France, 1h 30min, Crime | Drama | Romance, b&w, In French with English Subtitles)
Director: Jean Renoir
Writers: Maxim Gorky (play), Yevgeni Zamyatin (as E. Zamiatine)
Stars: Jean Gabin, Suzy Prim, Louis Jouvet
A charismatic thief makes friends with a bankrupt baron who comes to live in the thief’s slum. Meanwhile the thief seeks the love of a young woman, who is held emotionally captive by her slumlord family.
Discussion guest: Jonathan Buchsbaum, Queens College CUNY.
La Bete Humaine (The Human Beast)
April 14-15/21
(1938, France, 1h 40min, Crime | Drama, b&w, In French with English Subtitles)
Director: Jean Renoir
Writers: Émile Zola (novel), Jean Renoir (screenplay)
Stars: Jean Gabin, Julien Carette, Simone Simon
In this classic adaptation of Emile Zola’s novel, a tortured train engineer falls in love with a troubled married woman who has helped her husband commit a murder.
Discussion guest: Robert Singer, Kingsborough CC CUNY.
The Rules of the Game (La règle du jeu)
April 21-22/28
(1939, France, 1h 50min, Comedy | Drama, b&w, Language: French | German | English)
Director: Jean Renoir
Writers: Jean Renoir (scenario & dialogue), Carl Koch (collaborator)
Stars: Marcel Dalio, Nora Gregor, Paulette Dubost
A bourgeois life in France at the onset of World War II, as the rich and their poor servants meet up at a French chateau.
Discussion guest: Prakash Younger, Trinity College.
Presented by CUNY TV. See website for more information.
