La Chienne
| La Chienne | |
|---|---|
 Film poster | |
| Directed by | Jean Renoir |
| Produced by | Pierre Braunberger & Roger Richebé (for Les Etablissement Branuberger-Richebé), Charles David (production manager) |
| Written by | Jean Renoir (based on the novel by Georges de La Fouchardière) |
| Starring |
Michel Simon Janie Marèze Georges Flament Roger Gaillard(fr) |
| Distributed by | Gaumont |
| Release dates | November 19, 1931 |
| Running time | 91 min. |
| Country | France |
| Language | French |
La Chienne (1931) is a French film by director Jean Renoir. It is the second sound film by the director and the twelfth of his career.
The literal English translation of the film's title is "The Bitch", although the movie was never released under this title. It is often referred to in English as Isn't Life a Bitch?
It was remade by Fritz Lang in the United States as Scarlet Street (1945).
Plot
Maurice (Michel Simon) is a married cashier who meets Lulu (Janie Marèze), a streetwalker. Their chance meeting results in Maurice falling in love with Lulu. She, however, is in love with her boyfriend-pimp, Dédé (Georges Flamant). Together, Dédé and Lulu plot ways to get Maurice to give cash to Lulu, mostly at the urging of Dédé.
Cast (in credits order)
- Michel Simon as Maurice Legrand
- Janie Marèze as Lucienne 'Lulu' Pelletier
- Georges Flamant as Andre 'Dede' Govain
- Magdeleine Berubet as Adele Legrand
- Roger Gaillard as Alexis Godard
- Jean Gehret as Dugodet
- Alexandre Rignault as Langelard
- Lucien Mancini as Wallstein
- Marcel Courmes as Colonel
- Max Dalban as Bonnard
- Henri Guisol as Amedee
- Romain Bouquet as Henriot
- Pierre Desty as Gustave
- Jane Pierson as Concierge
- Christian Argentin as Examining Judge
- Sylvain Itkine as Dede's Lawyer
- Colette Borelli as Lily
- Mademoiselle Doryans as Yvonne
Production and aftermath
In the film Michel Simon falls in love with Janie Marèse, and he did off-screen as well, while Marèse fell for Georges Flamant, who plays the pimp. Renoir and producer Pierre Braunberger had encouraged the relationship between Flamant and Marèse in order to get the fullest conviction into their performances - (Flamant was a professional criminal but an amateur actor). After the film had been completed Flamant, who could barely drive, took Marèse for a drive, crashed the car and she was killed. At the funeral Michel Simon fainted and had to be supported as he walked past the grave. He threatened Renoir with a gun, saying that the death of Marèse was all his fault. "Kill me if you like", responded Renoir, "but I have made the film".[1]
References
- ↑ Richard Boston Boudu Saved from Drowning, 1994, London: BFI (FIlm Classics series), p.37-38