In "Partie de campagne" a Parisian family (father, mother, daughter and fiance of the daughter) spends a day on the countryside. It is unclear whether the Parisians make fun of the rural people or the other way round. At one moment the innkeeper (played by Renoir himself), looking at an inferior catch of fish, says: "Shall I give them to the cats, or can I still serve them to the Parisians?".
The film is based on a story by Guy de Maupassant. In one scene Henriette, the daughter of the family played by Sylvia Bataille, is swinging behind the inn. This scene is based on the painting "The swing" (1876) by Auguste Renoir, the father of Jean Renoir. More in general there are other stills in which the director seems to be inspired by the paintings of his father.
Remarkable in the film is the way the weather reflects the mood of one of the main characters. Central to the movie is a romance between Henriette and one of the locals. Soon after the lovemaking a thunderstorm begins, reflecting the remorse after the sin. Years later, Henriette has married in the meantime, she visits the same location. This time the sunny weather reflects the melancholy with which Henriette thinks back of her one day stand.
"Partie de campagne" is a lighthearted film that was well received after the Second World War. It was shot in 1936 but, due to production problems, only released in 1946. Also today it is one of the best rated Jean Renoit movies, just after his two masterpieces "La grande illusion" (1937) and "La règle du jeu" (1939). Its subject shows a great similarity with "Menschen am Sonntag" (1930, Robert Siodmak, Edgar Ulmer and Rochus Gliese), but in my opinion is inferior to this film. I think this is mainly due to the fact that the film is somewhat unbalanced. The affair of Henriette is a bittersweet romance, but father and fiance made me think of Laurel and Hardy. The attempt to put a comedy element into the film with these characters did in my opinion not quite succeed.
The film is based on a story by Guy de Maupassant. In one scene Henriette, the daughter of the family played by Sylvia Bataille, is swinging behind the inn. This scene is based on the painting "The swing" (1876) by Auguste Renoir, the father of Jean Renoir. More in general there are other stills in which the director seems to be inspired by the paintings of his father.
Remarkable in the film is the way the weather reflects the mood of one of the main characters. Central to the movie is a romance between Henriette and one of the locals. Soon after the lovemaking a thunderstorm begins, reflecting the remorse after the sin. Years later, Henriette has married in the meantime, she visits the same location. This time the sunny weather reflects the melancholy with which Henriette thinks back of her one day stand.
"Partie de campagne" is a lighthearted film that was well received after the Second World War. It was shot in 1936 but, due to production problems, only released in 1946. Also today it is one of the best rated Jean Renoit movies, just after his two masterpieces "La grande illusion" (1937) and "La règle du jeu" (1939). Its subject shows a great similarity with "Menschen am Sonntag" (1930, Robert Siodmak, Edgar Ulmer and Rochus Gliese), but in my opinion is inferior to this film. I think this is mainly due to the fact that the film is somewhat unbalanced. The affair of Henriette is a bittersweet romance, but father and fiance made me think of Laurel and Hardy. The attempt to put a comedy element into the film with these characters did in my opinion not quite succeed.