128: A Day in the Country (a.k.a. Partie de Campagne)

Jean Renoir is probably the most respected pre-New Wave French director.  The 1930s were his most prolific decade, making such respected films as Boudu Saved from Drowning (1932), Grand Illusion (1937), and The Rules of the Game (1939).  In the middle of these better known and highly regarded pictures he made A Day in the Country (1936).  Notably, this was a short (only 40 min.) from an already established director.  Renoir drew this picture from a short story by Guy de Maupassant (1850-1993), who died the year before the director was born, but whose work has been the inspiration for nearly 150 films since.

Renoir felt no need to expand the material, likely because it’s self contained and beautiful in its own right.  At least that’s how it appears.  A text prologue explains that Renoir discontinued work on the picture and that it was assembled by American editors when somehow work prints reached U.S. shores.  As a result, we can’t know if the film exists exactly how Renoir intended it, but I found no information to the contrary and take comfort in the fact that original producer Pierre Braunberger supervised the construction for the film’s 1946 U.S. release.

The film is also notable as it provided early assistant work for no less than Jacques Becker and Luchino Visconti, who each went on to prolific directing careers of their own.  But this picture is more than just as series of notes and interesting connections.  It is a complete work from the French master; one that I enjoyed more so than Boudu, and which lays the groundwork for Rules.  The social commentary here is light but present, and hints at what was to come from Renoir.  He was famously sympathetic to socialist beliefs and those sympathies were on full display in both Grand Illusion and The Rules of the Game.  I believe the former of these to be his masterpiece, but where that film is complicated A Day in the Country is simple. 

A Parisian merchant spends an afternoon in the countryside with his wife, daughter (Sylvia Bataille), and dim son in law.  While the two men are distracted, a pair of seducers makes their move on the women.  Years later, the young woman returns to the country to reminisce about this glorious afternoon.  I found the film on Youtube, and admittedly its quality is not the best, but its still retains beauty.  It’s funny, and romantic, and subversive, and charming and completely worth your time.  Look at the way Renoir films Bataille on a swing as she enjoys the country air.  The camera movement here was remarkable for its time and the joy Renoir took in creating this shot is palpable.     

Language: French

Runtime: 40 Minutes

Available @ Youtube.com

Grade: 3 Hats Off