LUNCH ON THE GRASS (LE DEJEUNER SUR L’HERBE)

France, 1959, 91 minutes, Colour.
Paul Meurisse.
Directed by Jean Renoir.

A more recent work of the great French director, Jean Renoir. With the painting tradition in his family, and his relations who worked in the film industry especially, Claude Renoir, the photographer, Renoir has a very artistic and aesthetic approach to cinema. Many books have been written about his work and his work has formed the basis for many film studies and theories.

In the thirties he was noted for such work as The Marseillese and The Rules Of The Game. During the war he worked in Hollywood. He continued work into the sixties - some of it achieving the reputation of his pre-war films, but many films seeming rather average. Perhaps they were still profound works but suffered in comparison with his earlier films. This is probably the case with the present film. It is a particularly modern style film for its time of 1959. It is an allegory, a fable. It draws on old traditions and an atmosphere of the unknown and the supernatural. Yet it is firmly based on the politics of the time, a united Europe and also has the atmosphere of the contemporary media, especially the television. It does suggest that Renoir adapted his work and his ideas to the many decades in which he worked. The film is interesting - although it applies most particularly to France and the period in which it was made.

1. The work of Jean Renoir: his background, reputation, his work in the thirties to the fifties? Audience expectations from this director?

2. Renoir's transition from silent films to talkies? The American experience? The transition to the fifties and television? Are traces of this long cinematic history visible in this film? Particular styles?

3. The French atmosphere of the film? France and the political questions of the fifties? France and its relationship to Europe, a united Europe? Personalities involved? The particular themes? universal message?

4. The background of France in the fifties: the domestic interests, factory work, farms, television and the media, nature and beauty, change, politics? The film's reliance on colour, visual beauty and music to communicate its social and personal themes?

5. The background of Europe, the emergence of the Common Market, united Europe? The role of science and the theoretical approach to rational interpretation of the world? The French emphasis on solutions by science? Science and morals? How much did the film admire science. offer a critique, mock? Theory and practice?

6. The portrait of Alexis an the European man? How interesting a character, attractive? His presumptions? His reputations? The pomposity with which he put forth his theories? Artificial insemination and its scientific basis? The omission of love? His cold fiancee? The T.V. interview and the decision to popularise him by having a humane lunch on the grass? His manner of treating people, his playing to his admirers? The picnic and the encounter with Nanette? The bush, watching her swim? The indication that he was human and his beginning to veer from his theories? His following his emotions, drives, nature? His moving away from the group? His getting lost in the mountains, enjoying himself at the farm? His thinking and searching for Nanette? The influence of the goat? His renouncing science and disappearing? His return and the build-up to his marriage to his fiancee? His change of mind? A character from French farce in a political comedy? A French type, characteristics? The satire on the politician and the scientist? The affirmation of nature?

7. Nanette as attractive heroine? Her work on the farm, her interest in eugenics, her attitudes towards having a baby? Housemaid? Her pushing herself at Alexis? Her presence at the picnic, the swim? The sexual attraction, drive and force? The meals? Her being discovered, by Alexis and transformed? Of what was she symbolic in terms of nature and science?

8. The contrast with Marie Charlotte and the Girl Guides? Her proper and prim attitudes, the television interview and the link up with Alexis at the beginning? How was she being satirised? At the lunch on the grass? The preparations for the marriage and her being jilted?

9. The picture of the admirers of Alexis? their solemn adulation, television, picnic, the mountains?

10. Alexis's friends and the discussion about the orgy, the odd behaviour, the influence of the wind? Their being present at the wedding? Their disappointment?

11. The contrast with the people on the farm, the family, dad, the priest? Children? The film's attention to the ordinary way of life? Washing, meals? Nanette within this context?

12. The symbolic presence of Pan and Diana? The goatherd and his playing his flute? The goat and its magical powers? The transformation of nature, the wind? Nature transforming all the people? Nature blowing through rationalism and science?

13. The film's comment on spontaneous behaviour and controlled behaviour? The contrast between the conservative and the progressive? A healthy anarchy related to nature?

14. How entertaining an a social and moral parable? How persuasive?