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La bête humaine (1938)

Rate: 6
Viewed: 7/15

BeteH
7/15: Like many Jean Renoir's pictures, La bête humaine, which is translated as The Human Beast in English, paints an unrealistic picture of human relations and emotions.

Unlike the previous works, it's actually the first good one I've seen out of him. The chief problem is identified during the first scene, which is although outstandingly shot, and that's the need for better editing to speed up the pace. The film moves slow for anything to happen. When it finally does, it provides an interesting insight of human reaction to a certain moment. Unfortunately, that's the downfall of La bête humaine: overt simplification.

However, it gives a good blueprint of how a film noir, a term that wasn't yet coined until 1946 by Nino Frank and Jean-Pierre Chartier, works which is the reason why it's often cited as one of the earliest precursors in the noir genre. So, I tip my hat off to Jean Renoir for this.

There are two standouts: Jean Gabin and Simone Simon as Jacques Lantier and Séverine Roubaud, respectively. They take the time to develop their characters, reaching the peak in the final half hour to reveal who they are along with their motives. Hence, the technique is keen, acting-wise. Séverine is an interesting character because she goes from an anti-femme fatale to a full-blown femme fatale.

All in all, La bête humaine is a supremely photographed noir picture with great performances that can sometimes be slow-paced and simple.