MovieChat Forums > La règle du jeu (1950) Discussion > Who broke the rules and what was the gam...

Who broke the rules and what was the game?

posted 18 years ago by thatweirdguy_44
30 replies | jump to latest

I recently watched this film in a class and my teacher just passed over it like it was nothing. I, however, became intrigued with this film and have a need to see it again. I have been reading comments left here and I have only read one on who broke the rules and what they were. I didn't agree with it and I am asking for other opinions. I read that everyone except Jurieux broke the rules and he was the only one that followed them. I think the person who posted this was thinking too much of todays standards. I think that it is, in fact, the opposite. I think that Jurieux broke the rules, being allowed in to the game that the aristocrats played. The game I believe was the sneaking around behind each others backs and never bringing their cheating out in the open. Jurieux broke these rules when he confronted the husband about his love for his wife. This is just my opinion so don't attack me if I am wrong I was just hoping for some feedback and other opinions. Thank you.

[–] PinstripeWillie 18 years ago

Jurieux tells Christine that he must confront Chesynea (sp?), because "it's the rules of the game." He follows the rules, the others don't, they lie and cheat their way through life. Renoir was trying to show how morally corrupt society has become and how no one is following the "rules". The one who does, the brave hero who flew across the ocean, gets hurt in the end. Nice guys finish last, as it is the case of Andre.

Would the Owner of an Ounce of Dignity Please Contact the Mall Security?

[–] McGonigle 18 years ago

Jurieux broke the rules by expressing his real feelings, as did Schumacher (the gamekeeper). They actually cared about the women they loved, whereas everyone else had affairs like it was no big deal.

'The Sound of Music' twice an hour, and 'Jaws' 1, 2 and 3.

[–] limshun 18 years ago

I think it's important before determining "the rules" and "who broke them" to determine what value is ascribed to the rules and to he/she who breaks them. I see the title as ironically undercutting the action of the film. Both the game and its rules are morally corrupt. Breaking them and disrupting the game may be dangerous and ultimately disastrous, but neither does that necessarily make for a moral wrong if the system itself is corrupt (not to say that it justifies the acts morally either). Hypocrisy runs deep. McGonigle (above) says that Jurieux and Schumacher care about the women they love. While that seems to be true, I think Renoir even satirizes them a bit, Jurieux perhaps for his melodramatically desperate romanticism (though I am not positive of that), and Shumacher comes across as comically jealous. Caring for someone and attempting to confine them are two different things. In fact there is a certain selfishness to both of these men's desire to possess their respective lovers (as there is to a great deal of love).

I am speaking without having seen this very recently, so take my comments with a major grain of salt.

[–] McGonigle 18 years ago

Good point; maybe it would be more accurate to say that Jurieux and Schumacher break the rules by taking love too seriously. In Schumacher's case, certainly, he has good reason to be jealous.

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[–] MsGallant 14 years ago

I agree with McGonigle's view:

Jurieux broke the rules by expressing his real feelings, as did Schumacher (the gamekeeper). They actually cared about the women they loved, whereas everyone else had affairs like it was no big deal.

[–] NameoftheGame 18 years ago

The only time "the rules" are mentioned in the film is when Jerieux says he must confront Chesynea. Note here that he never mentions "the game" but only "the rules". The only times "game" is mentioned is when referring to the hunted animals. Because Jerieux himself is shot and killed, I believe "The Rules of the Game" refers to "the rules" according to Jerieux, who by the end of the film became "the game" (even though he may very well be the only one who followed "the rules").

[–] slavedagame 18 years ago

I may have been totally mistaken then. I thought that the "rules" were "there are no rules." When Octave was explaining to Catherine that if "pharmaceutical companies, governments....everybody" were lying, why shouldn't the "little folks like us" lie as well, I thought this laid it out right there. Everybody was lying to get what they wanted, so in the game of life, the rule is to lie, cheat ,and steal.

[–] MisterVader 18 years ago

"The game," as in "a hunted animal" is a remarkably cogent aspect of the film--if you speak English. In French, the word for "game" (jeu) does not have that double meaning (unless I'm mistaken).

I think that one of the points the film tries to make is that everyone pretends like there are rules to be followed, but nobody follows them. It's like an empty excuse or an open secret.

MisterSkywalker:
MisterVader:

[–] NameoftheGame 18 years ago

Well, I guess that's a good explanation too. Haha. But even if my idea didn't totally pan out, you still gotta admit it was a pretty good one!

[–] MisterVader 18 years ago

Hey, it technically still works! If you have English subtitles...

:)

MisterSkywalker:
MisterVader:

[–] fergdeff 18 years ago

Everyone's got their own rules. Everyone's playing a different game. The question you need to ask is: Who breaks their own rules?

[–] cengelm 18 years ago

Another question: Why do you think that the rule was broken?

I always thought that a common rule of the upper class consists in not talking publically about your private affairs. When the aviator arrived at the airport he behaved pretty offensively. You are allowed to talk like that in the moment of engagement.

[–] Hyman_Flomax 18 years ago

The game is seeking joy in the life's forbidden pleasures while pretending not to, and the rules involve keeping your affairs secret, civil, and non-commital, possibly even lacking serious emotional attachment or love.

To me it would seem as if Octave was the only person who did not actually break any of the rules, because he was never really involved in the game as much as he would have liked to have been. The scene where he's wearing the bear costume and is running around trying get someone's attention is key. No one will listen to him even though they acknowledge "You're a nice guy, really..." He's the central character in the film for me, and allows the audience a way into this story of the decadence in upper-class while he's the only one who hasn't been corrupted. He has feelings for Lisette (who treats him as a plaything) and apparently for Christine, who was so drunk at the moment he took advantage of her that she would hardly have cared who was seducing her. She doesn't know what love is, and neither do any of the other characters really, perhaps aside from Andre and Genevieve. With Andre it could merely have been lust and infatuation with Christine that inspired him, as she comes off as such a dullard that it's difficult to believe anyone could have a deep, heartfelt conversation with her. Octave seems like the fellow who has always been looking for love and has much to give, but has never found it. He seeks only companionship to appease his loneliness and sense of utter worthlessness.

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[–] leather-7 17 years ago

Absolutely right, in French there is no double meaning. The French word for the "game" one hunts is "gibier." Remember, too, that the French title is singular: the "rule" of the game. My take is that the "jeu" is another word for society and the social script that must be followed (including the barriers between social classes) and the rule is: you don't change social class.

[–] kriege10 14 years ago

There is no pun in French. The two words for "game" are "jeu" and "gibier". They are completely distinct and there is no connection drawn between the two. The point that is made is that the sport of hunting is also a game.

Sorry, didn't see the above post before I sent this one.

[–] junexx65 17 years ago

I completely agree with the person above me. I think that Jurieux was one of the main one's to break the rules. I think that part of the "rules of the game" include staying in place and in your class. By trying to be with a woman above him, he tried to jump class and that was a huge no. I think what this film is showing is how society had rules, and what happens when you break those rules. Hence, Jurieux being killed in the end, after he broke the rules.

[–] MidNight00015823 17 years ago

I just finished this not 15 minutes ago, and here's my take.

Its irony, I mean, think about The Pilots speech, "I have to tell your husband, its the rules".
He's stealing the mans wife, he's not doing anything remotely honorable...isnt stealing a mans wife against the rules?

[–] NeVeRMoRe666 17 years ago

Wasn't cheating on his own wife against morals as well? I don't think there was any real "rules" to be followed as the absurd antics of the characters seem to suggest. I think Renior wanted to portray a sense of ambiguity in the movie. Much like life, there really isn't any black or white, just shades of grey.

[–] artihcus022 17 years ago

The Rules of the Game is basically about society's functioning and that's what the title means...i.e. the functioning of that society. And that title offers the maker's opinion about both that ''game'' and it's ''rules''...that is the game is cruel and inhuman and it's rules are utterly arbitrary.

Jurieux broke the rules by being public, open and honest about how dissapointed he is for not seeing Christine at the airport. The primary rule of the game of that society is, "never get caught" but even more "never let yourself get caught" or never be honest about who you are and what you feel. The first rule is to always wear a mask, put on a show and play one's part(in the theatrical sense), the second rule is to play it even among people you don't have to play it with.

The meaning of the title within the film is several things all at once and for this subtle complex film you need to see it over and over again to really understand both game and rules.

People dissapear ever day...sometimes when you leave the room - The Passenger

[–] 14 years ago

[deleted]

[–] kriege10 14 years ago

"The rules" have nothing to do with morality as many of the posters (probably American) seem to think. One is permitted to have lovers as long as one keeps it secret and does not allow one's feelings to interfere with one's marriage, position in society, profession, etc. Jurieux, as you said, broke the rules from the beginning because he let his feelings for Christine interfere with his public life and tried to disrupt her marriage. Of course, he is the most sincere of all the characters, so Renoir is actually criticizing "the game".

[–] jtyroler 13 years ago

Does it matter what the 'rule' was if the game has to do with life in the upper classes of pre-WWII France, when that game is about to end because of that war? Was this acceptable in France at that time or after the war? It was acceptable for men to have mistresses more than it was for women to have a lover other than her husband (think of Marie Curie and the problems she had). Hitler would have considered these people's behaviors as decadent, which would be a reason to ban the film (as would the appeasing Vichy government) - however, many people today would also consider their behavior decadent - in many cases, because of religious beliefs (even if they too were involved in similar behaviors).

[–] hugo_sylvain 13 years ago

Nobody breaks the rules. Everyone follows them. Only Jurieux doesn't understand the rules and therefor can't follow them. That is why *SPOILER* he doesn't make it at the end.