The son of Jean Renoir and the grandson of Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Alain Renoir worked as an assistant cameraman on two of his father’s films—LA BÊTE HUMAINE and THE RULES OF THE GAME—before coming to the United States and embarking on a career as a professor of comparative literature. This interview took place at his home in California in 2003.
Jean Renoir’s THE RULES OF THE GAME is famed for its deep-focus photography and intricate staging. Professor Kristin Thompson analyzes the elaborate construction—and mesmerizing chaos—of Renoir’s symphonic tragicomedy.