MDA1700 Communicating in Film Adam Amini M00347480 Realism/Formalism Assignment Partie de Campagne (A Day in the Country), 1936, Jean

Renoir, France The film I have chosen to study for this assessment falls under the dominant approach of French Poetic Realism. This is a film movement established in 1930s France, in which the type of Realism represented is seen as recreated realism, (studio-bound and stylized,) and not the Socio-Realism of the documentary.1 There are many distinct stylistic elements found in Renoirs film which are elements commonly found in poetic realism. These include the virtuoso camera movements, (fluid and free), and deep focus. Other elements of the movement include abrupt changes in tone (evident towards the end of the film) and a tragic ending, contrasting with the comic feeling earlier in the film. When analysing the film, I thought about the historical context in which it was made, within 1930s France. It was made (like many other Poetic Realist films), when the socialist Popular Front was rising in France, due to their political platform and promises of social reform. This added a wave of optimism to French society, which accounts for the comedic tones throughout the Poetic realist films. After six months of power, due to the economic climate and threat of War, their plans were never implemented, as represented by the pessimistic ending to the film.2 The threat of war and hard times is also signified by the motif of the coming storm; commented upon throughout the film. With regards to the French Film Industry, pre-1935 two major production companies had dominated French productions. By 1935 they had been liquidated, meaning that between 1935 and 1939, 90% of films made in France were from small companies, allowing individuals (i.e. auteur directors; Jean Renoir,) to have more creative control.2 This affected the poetic realist films of that time: due to the directors having more control, there was no specific code to which the filmmakers had to conform. Directors such as Renoir could make their own creative decisions in their films, meaning the poetic realist films were influenced by the directors own visions. One stylistic notable in the film which is a characteristic of Poetic Realism is the virtuoso and fluid camera movements. These were evident for me in three main places: In the opening sequence there are long, flowing tracking shots over running water, establishing the rural setting of the film and also the tone of the first part of the film. These shots give audiences an almost escapist feel, as visually they seem free and flowing and indicative of poetic realist trends. The second is when Henriette (the daughter) is on the swing and the camera, positioned in front of her follows the movements of the swing back and forth. This is seen to represent Henriette trying to escape from the repressive views of society, whether on gender or social class, (both of which affected the way she has been treated by another character). Unfortunately, and fitting with the pessimistic

side to poetic realism, society hems her in and she is unable to escape the repression.3 The third example of this, is towards the end of the film, after the storm has arrived, when there are similar flowing tracking shots to the opening. Unlike in those shots, the weather is no longer sunny but harsh and rainy. This visual factor, plus the increase in speed of camera, changes the tone, signifying the tragic ending (Henriette falling in love with her seducer, but being unable to be with him and being unhappy in her marriage). These shots affect the audience differently to the opening, as they carry across a very poignant feel, adding an extra dimension to the loss felt by Henriette, emphasising the dramatic change of tone from comedic to tragic. Another stylistic typical of the movement and an auteur characteristic of Renoir is the use of deep focus. This is most evident when two male characters Rodolphe and Henri open a window to watch Henriette and Madame DuFour on the swings [Fig.01]. The vignetting of the shot (through the window) implies the mens plan to seduce the women and how they objectify and look down upon the women due to their class and gender (people on the margins of society, such as the lower classes, are mostly the protagonists in poetic realist films). The connection between characters, and the fact that the Fig.0 mens motives involve the two women clearly seen 1 swinging in the background is further implied by the deep staging. When coupling this with the previous point about the swinging scene representing Henriette trying to escape from repression, the fact that she is closed in by the window represents how she is trapped within the confines of society; However high she can swing, the window frame will always be there to contain her motion.3 This foreshadows how she is still trapped by society at the end (in the marriage with Anatole, and not with Henri, the man she fell truly in love with). In the scene in which Henri and Henriette share a kiss and fall in love, especially fuelled by the shot of her tears before they kiss, the tone of the film is dramatically changed. This trait of poetic realism is further emphasised by the arrival of the storm, and subsequent rain, reflecting the tragic end to the film visually, and emphasising Henriettes sense of being trapped in the epilogue in which she is married to Anatole. The idea of the storm representing the change of tone and tragic end follows a characteristic of poetic realism in which the atmosphere is established through the settings of the film.4 Fig.0 2 Considering whether the use of realism affects the impact or message of the film, I believe that the characteristics of the movement are a

Fig.0

large help at putting across Renoirs intended message. Renoir said that he wanted to portray a disappointed love followed by a ruined life5 and I believe that the characteristics of poetic realism, such as the change of tone and incorporation of tragedy helped greatly in putting across this message. It is also evident that the film being classified as realist didnt hinder the directors voice coming through, as I have already said, the use of deep focus is an auteur characteristic of Renoir (so his own voice). Also, a lot of the imagery in the film has inspirations from the Impressionist art movement, a movement which is personal to Renoir, as his father is an impressionist painter. Specifically, the swing scenes [Fig.02] are strikingly similar to Auguste Renoirs painting La Balancoire3 (The Swing) [Fig.03]. This personal influence shows that the characteristics of poetic realism helped, not hindered the director get his message across. When considering the previous points: how thecharacteristics of French Poetic Realism, such as virtuoso camera, changes of tone, characters on the margins of society, the balance between tragedy and comedy and a feeling of poignancy, are used in the film and are in my opinion not inhibiting to the message, feeling or impact the film has on audiences, Andre Bazin would be seen as correct in his assessment that realism is an appropriate way in which to represent the world through cinema. In the case of Partie de Campagne, the characteristics of this particular style of realism have been vital in setting the tone of and portraying the message of the film, and they have been no way inhibiting to Renoirs personal voice as a director. I do however believe that there will be instances in which realism may not be the best approach to take, yet this would depend on the intended message of the film and that with many different types of experimental film being released today, Bazins work which I looked at for this study6, may apply less to certain films than others. Bibliography: 1. S. Hayward, Cinema Studies: The Key Concepts, Taylor and Francis, 2006, p.151

2. S. Hayward, Cinema Studies: The Key Concepts, Taylor and Francis, 2006, p.150 3. M. OShaughnessy, French Film Directors: Jean Renoir, Manchester University Press, 2000 4. K. Thompson & D. Bordwell, Film History: An Introduction Third Edition, McGraw Hill, 2010 5. J. Renoir, My Life and My Films, Da Capo Press, 1974 6. A. Bazin, What is Cinema?, - The Evolution of the Language of Cinema, Berkeley: University of California Press, 1967, p.23-40