It's quite surprising this film ever made it to modern screens. Having initially been banned as indicting the corruption of France, and during the war the negative was destroyed by an air raid. Eventually however, a full version was pieced together, and it was recognised and celebrated as a satirical comedy with an iconoclastic - if bleak - outlook.
The plot centres around a count, who organises a weekend shooting party at his chateau, but the combination of guests coupled with the combination of servants results in a series of complex love intrigues.
Aviator André Jurieux (Roland Toutain) completes a record-breaking flight, but when he lands, the woman who inspired him to do it and with whom he is in love, Christine de la Cheyniest (Nora Gregor), is not there to greet him.
Christine is the wife of aristocrat Robert de la Cheyniest (Marcel Dalio). Robert himself is involved in an affair with Geneviève de Marras (Mila Parély), but he is trying to break it off, and is relieved to hear of his wife's apparent indifference to André. André meanwhile seeks help from his old friend Octave (Jean Renoir), who gets André an invitation to Robert and Christine's shooting weekend.
As the guests arrive for the party, their cordial greetings hide their real feelings, along with their secrets. The characters are ridiculous and the ironies of their class positions are mocked with farce, but their essential humanity remains for all to see. A fascinating period piece that hold up well to modern scrutiny.
La Règle du Jeu is a Film programme that first aired in 1939 and has been classified a PG certificate.
