La Chienne, based on the novel by Georges de La Fouchardiere, directed by Jean Renoir - 9 out of 10

La Chienne, based on the novel by Georges de La Fouchardiere, directed by Jean Renoir
9 out of 10


We can find this 1931 black and white classic on The New York Times' Best 1,000 Movies Ever Made list.

Indeed, Orson Welles has said that Jean Renoir has about five films among the best ever made.
If you are interested, you can find on YouTube a few interviews with Orson Welles that are a jubilant opportunity, for the director was a magnificent story teller, with subjects ranging from movie making to encountering Hitler and Churchill, the odyssey of A Touch of Evil and so much more.

La Chienne is Lucienne Pelletier aka Lulu, although this is more of an insult than a nickname, Chienne stands for Bitch.
The heroine may be in love with Andre Jauguin aka Dede, if not exactly in the pure manner that Juliet loved Romeo.

In fact, a short story by Thomas Mann does a lot to clarify the difference between the commonly used, most often abused, word love and the true meaning of it.
If we look at the significance, the point made in the story is that we will understand that Love exists only in fiction.

In any case, it does not seem to apply for Lulu, who is infatuated with Dede, in spite of his atrocious treatment of her.
He beats the woman and is only interested in her as a source of money, acting like a pimp.

One day, they meet Maurice Legrand aka a majestic actor, Michel Simon.
As a permanent occupation, he is a cashier, with limited resources.

Furthermore, he is married to a  Shrew, who keeps demeaning her present husband, stating that he is nothing when compared with her late one, the officer that had died fighting in the Great War.
There are some amusing scenes when the dead man returns and offers a deal to the living spouse, so that he could enjoy being rid of the awful wife again.

Dede encourages meanwhile a n affair between his companion and Maurice Legrand.
The pimp is ever more keen to sell his lover when he finds that Maurice is a talented painter and his portraits and tableaux can fetch good prices.

For two unsigned paintings they claim that the author is Clara Grant, or some other American name, for supposedly, she is an American painter.
Lulu would play this Clara role for some interested collectors, albeit one is willing to pay to have her finish his portrait...

What to do?
For she has no skill whatsoever.

They discard the option of asking for a photo and then order the 'real Clara' to paint the customer, for it would look too suspicious.
The always ready pimp knows the solution...

'You let him fool around with you and this would solve our problem'

Eventually,  most cards would be on the table and the poor Chienne might have to pay dearly for her ménage a trois, imposed otherwise by the one she thinks she loves.