In this bitter-sweet Maupassant vignette set in 1860, a Parisian merchant takes his family for a day in the country. The picnic and a seduction form the centre of the tale. Renoir replaces Maupassant’s detached observation with a celebration of nature. While an impressionistic sense of transcience is perfectly captured, it is Renoir’s clear perception of character aided by Kosma’s music that generates the film’s depth of feeling.
Credits: Producer, Pierre Braunberger ; director, writer, Jean Renoir ; photography, Claude Renoir, Jean Bourgoin ; assistants, Luchino Visconti, Jacques Becker, Henri Cartier-Bresson ; music, Joseph Kosma ; editor, Marguerite Renoir.
Cast: Sylvia Bataille, Georges Darnoux, Jeanne Marken, Gabriello, .
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How to watch
Collection
In ACMI's collection
Credits
Collection metadata
ACMI Identifier
X000885
Language
French
Subject category
Foreign language films
Sound/audio
Sound
Colour
Black and White
Holdings
16mm film; Limited Access Print (Section 2)