The Rules of the Game (1939)
(La règle du jeu, Jean Renoir, France 1939, 106 min., 35mm, French w/subtitles)
Parties. In an attempt to rid himself of his bothersome mistress, a smug Robert, Marquis de la Chesnaye (Marcel Dalio) and his pal Octave (Jean Renoir) orchestrate a plan to pawn her off on his wife’s brokenhearted ex-lover. The perfect opportunity arises when the Marquis decides to throw a weekend retreat at his country estate; little does he know that his guests have ulterior motives of their own. Trysts are had, dirty laundry is aired, and ultimately, blood is shed. Renoir’s film is an acerbic take on the hypocrisy of French society couched within a leisurely comedy of manners and is widely considered one of the greatest in the history of cinema.