The Rules of the Game (1939) poster1

France10 Essential French FilmsStop 1 of 10

The Rules of the Game

La Règle du jeu

1939 · 110 min · Drama

At a lavish weekend party in a French country château on the eve of war, a tangle of love affairs and betrayals among aristocrats and their servants curdles from farce toward tragedy. Jean Renoir's sublime, biting comedy of manners, long hailed among the greatest films ever made.

Why it’s here

Jean Renoir's French social satire and a canonical French cinema landmark.

Runtime
110 min
Genre
Drama · Comedy · Romance
Mood
funny · romantic · thoughtful
Entry
easy entry
Best for
first visit · a lighter route · film history

Content notes: war or political violence Non-exhaustive

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Part of 10 Essential French Films

This film is stop 1 of 10 in the hand-ranked native-cinema route through France. See the complete ranking or read the selection methodology.

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