Filmed in 1936 before being distracted by other projects, Jean Renoir's Day in the Country was not completed by others and released until 1946. While it soars with promise the clear gap in between leaves the viewer to ponder what transpired in that time and the lost exchanges of the star crossed lovers.
Filmed in the bright light open air surroundings that evokes his father's impressionistic style ( visualize The Boating Party ) Renoir assembles a benign burlesque as the locals strategize for the city dwellers partners attention, the men more concerned with getting a good day's fishing in.
Once applying a divide and conquer scenario the daughter (Sylvie Bataille) of the Paris shop keeper and the local (George D'Arnoux) take a more sensual approach than the other comic figures raising the emotional tension to peak passion before a gap entailing two summers intrudes and infers with a hasty brief prologue.
Country has a wonderful fresh energetic feel providing some striking visuals with some well paced editing early before it decides to fall off a cliff and disappear for a decade. Renoir's subtly masterful direction is evident but the real tragedy lies in the touching and moving performance of Bataille conveying a heartbreaking melancholy that could have easily carried another hour. At 41 minutes A Day in the Country has the bones of a masterpiece, open at least to that speculation and perhaps a loose link between Impressionism and Truffaut's Jules and Jim defining The Belle Epoque.
Filmed in the bright light open air surroundings that evokes his father's impressionistic style ( visualize The Boating Party ) Renoir assembles a benign burlesque as the locals strategize for the city dwellers partners attention, the men more concerned with getting a good day's fishing in.
Once applying a divide and conquer scenario the daughter (Sylvie Bataille) of the Paris shop keeper and the local (George D'Arnoux) take a more sensual approach than the other comic figures raising the emotional tension to peak passion before a gap entailing two summers intrudes and infers with a hasty brief prologue.
Country has a wonderful fresh energetic feel providing some striking visuals with some well paced editing early before it decides to fall off a cliff and disappear for a decade. Renoir's subtly masterful direction is evident but the real tragedy lies in the touching and moving performance of Bataille conveying a heartbreaking melancholy that could have easily carried another hour. At 41 minutes A Day in the Country has the bones of a masterpiece, open at least to that speculation and perhaps a loose link between Impressionism and Truffaut's Jules and Jim defining The Belle Epoque.