“Let the game begin:” Considered one of the greatest films ever made by the likes of Robert Altman, Wim Wenders, and Francois Truffaut, who deemed it “the film of films,” Jean Renoir’s “The Rules of the Game” is set to hit theaters this month in a stunning 4K restoration. A scathing critique of the French bourgeois, it is difficult to believe that this masterpiece was once feared lost forever. Released mere months before the onset of World War II, the original negative was destroyed during the ensuing destruction, with its reconstruction not occurring until 1959. One of the great satires ever made, Renoir’s comedy of manners, was banned by the French government upon its release for “having an undesirable influence over the young.” A portrait of moral callousness amongst a banal group of wealthy acquaintances as the world teeters on the precipice of destruction, the film is certain to ring true amongst a new generation of filmgoers.
READ MORE: The 10 Best Jean Renoir Films
At the time the most expensive French film ever made (its original 2.5 million Franc budget would eventually double), Renoir’s masterpiece carries with it an ensemble cast featuring Nora Gregor, Paulette Dubost, Mila Parély, Marcel Dalio, and Renoir himself. It is also notable for being the only film to remain among the top ten films ever made on Sight and Sound’s decennial list until falling to #13 in 2022.
“The Rules of the Game” is set to debut at New York’s Film Forum on December 23 and Los Angeles’ Los Feliz Theater on December 29 with a nationwide release to follow courtesy of Janus Films.