Release CalendarTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV News
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb SpotlightIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsSXSW Film FestivalCannes Film FestivalSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • Language
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
  • All
  • Titles
  • TV Episodes
  • Celebs
  • Companies
  • Keywords
  • Advanced Search
Watchlist
Sign In
Sign In
New Customer? Create account
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Use app
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • FAQ
IMDbPro

Die Spielregel

Original title: La règle du jeu
  • 1939
  • Not Rated
  • 1h 50m
IMDb RATING
7.9/10
31K
YOUR RATING
Marcel Dalio, Nora Gregor, and Roland Toutain in Die Spielregel (1939)
Watch Bande-annonce [OV]
Play trailer1:45
1 Video
99+ Photos
ComedyDrama

A bourgeois life in France at the onset of World War II, as the rich and their poor servants meet up at a French chateau.A bourgeois life in France at the onset of World War II, as the rich and their poor servants meet up at a French chateau.A bourgeois life in France at the onset of World War II, as the rich and their poor servants meet up at a French chateau.

  • Director
    • Jean Renoir
  • Writers
    • Jean Renoir
    • Carl Koch
    • Beaumarchais
  • Stars
    • Marcel Dalio
    • Nora Gregor
    • Paulette Dubost
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.9/10
    31K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Jean Renoir
    • Writers
      • Jean Renoir
      • Carl Koch
      • Beaumarchais
    • Stars
      • Marcel Dalio
      • Nora Gregor
      • Paulette Dubost
    • 128User reviews
    • 83Critic reviews
    • 99Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 2 wins & 1 nomination

    Videos1

    Bande-annonce [OV]
    Trailer 1:45
    Watch Bande-annonce [OV]

    Photos103

    Marcel Dalio and Jean Renoir in Die Spielregel (1939)
    Marcel Dalio, Nora Gregor, Pierre Magnier, Jean Renoir, and Roland Toutain in Die Spielregel (1939)
    Nora Gregor, Jean Renoir, and Roland Toutain in Die Spielregel (1939)
    Marcel Dalio and Roland Toutain in Die Spielregel (1939)
    Julien Carette and Gaston Modot in Die Spielregel (1939)
    Gaston Modot in Die Spielregel (1939)
    Marcel Dalio and Nora Gregor in Die Spielregel (1939)
    Marcel Dalio, Nora Gregor, Gaston Modot, Jean Renoir, and Roland Toutain in Die Spielregel (1939)
    Jean Renoir in Die Spielregel (1939)
    Marcel Dalio, Nora Gregor, and Roland Toutain in Die Spielregel (1939)
    Jean Renoir in Die Spielregel (1939)
    Marcel Dalio, Nora Gregor, and Jean Renoir in Die Spielregel (1939)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Marcel Dalio
    Marcel Dalio
    • Marquis Robert de la Cheyniest
    • (as Dalio)
    Nora Gregor
    Nora Gregor
    • Christine de la Cheyniest
    • (as Nora Grégor)
    Paulette Dubost
    Paulette Dubost
    • Lisette, sa camériste
    Mila Parély
    • Geneviève de Marras
    Odette Talazac
    Odette Talazac
    • Mme de la Plante
    Claire Gérard
    • Mme de la Bruyère
    Anne Mayen
    • Jackie, nièce de Christine
    Lise Elina
    • Radio-Reporter
    • (as Lise Élina)
    Julien Carette
    Julien Carette
    • Marceau, le braconnier
    • (as Carette)
    Roland Toutain
    Roland Toutain
    • André Jurieux
    Gaston Modot
    Gaston Modot
    • Edouard Schumacher, le garde-chasse
    Jean Renoir
    Jean Renoir
    • Octave
    Pierre Magnier
    Pierre Magnier
    • Le général
    Eddy Debray
    • Corneille, le majordome
    Pierre Nay
    • St. Aubin
    Richard Francoeur
    • La Bruyère
    • (as Francoeur)
    Léon Larive
    • Le cuisinier
    Nicolas Amato
    • L'invité sud-américain
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Jean Renoir
    • Writers
      • Jean Renoir
      • Carl Koch
      • Beaumarchais
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      After the success of Die große Illusion (1937) and Bestie Mensch (1938), Jean Renoir and his nephew Claude Renoir set up their own production company, Les Nouvelles Editions Françaises (NEF). This was their first and last production, as the company went into bankruptcy and was dissolved due to the ban of their movie after just three weeks of shows.
    • Goofs
      When the hunting party starts, the animals (notably the rabbits) barely move. Even when the beaters are close to them, they move at the last moment. This because the animals were not wild as the plot required, but actually bred in captivity and hence used to human presence. For information, the killing is real: many animals died during the movie.
    • Quotes

      Octave: The awful thing about life is this: Everybody has their reasons.

    • Alternate versions
      Prologue to 1959 reconstructed version: "Jean Gaborit and Jacques Durand reconstructed this film with the approval and advice of Jean Renoir, who dedicates this resurrection to the memory of André Bazin."
    • Connections
      Edited into Geschichte(n) des Kinos: Seul le cinéma (1994)
    • Soundtracks
      Dreizehn Deutsche Tänze, K. 605, No. 1
      (1791) (uncredited)

      Music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    User reviews128

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    Some kind of wicked, sly, subversive masterpiece.
    Let it be said once more that The Rules of the Game is an astounding achievement: an all-around entertaining and insightful look at early 20th century French bourgeois and their efforts to find peace, love and happiness. It was not well-received at the time of its release, which was the eve of World War II, but it holds up today as one of the great films in cinema history. This may be for two particular reasons: the incredibly fluid and masterful camera work and the very witty and humorous screenplay.

    Although these certainly are valid reasons to praise this film, perhaps the greatest achievement Renoir was able to accomplish here was his insightful look at human nature. While able to break down the social walls that seemingly separate the upper-class from the lower, this film brilliantly showcases all people as being at times complacent, duplicitous, arrogant, jealous, flirtatious and a flurry of other feelings and emotions that color life the way it is. No one is above the law or the 'rules' that should be implemented. It has been concluded by several that there are only three characters here that actually adhere to these so-called 'rules': the young aviator, the rejected groundskeeper and the Jewish aristocrat presiding over this weekend getaway. Though they may attempt to remain faithful and hold their heads proudly, their own conflicting arrangements and desires get in the way, allowing for a most confusing and breathtaking conclusion.

    The final 20 minutes of this film is truly something to witness. It is a sparkling achievement of memorable acting, the best camera work possible and dialogue and scenarios that cannot ever be imitated or improved. Words escape me in actually describing the beauty and greatness of it all. Suffice it to say that this is certainly required Renoir viewing as well as film history. Many subsequent great directors, including Orson Welles, Robert Altman and a plethora of others were inspired by Renoir and his uncanny look at humanity. That view is never more clear or as pointed as in The Rules of the Game.
    helpful•8
    1
    • bobsgrock
    • Jun 9, 2011

    Top picks

    Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations
    Sign in

    FAQ18

    • How long is The Rules of the Game?Powered by Alexa

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • November 24, 1972 (West Germany)
    • Country of origin
      • France
    • Official site
      • Mt2.org
    • Languages
      • French
      • German
      • English
    • Also known as
      • The Rules of the Game
    • Filming locations
      • Studios Pathé-Cinema, Joinville-le-pont, Val-de-Marne, France(Studio)
    • Production company
      • Nouvelles Éditions de Films (NEF)
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • FRF 5,500,500 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $273,641
    • Gross worldwide
      • $273,641
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 50 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

    Related news

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    Marcel Dalio, Nora Gregor, and Roland Toutain in Die Spielregel (1939)
    Top Gap
    What is the Japanese language plot outline for Die Spielregel (1939)?
    Answer
    • See more gaps
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    Production art
    List
    Staff Picks: What to Watch in April
    See our picks
    Production art
    List
    New and Upcoming Sci-fi & Fantasy
    See the list
    Production art
    List
    What We're Watching: Time Travel and Anime
    See the full list

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb app
    Sign in for more accessSign in for more access
    Follow IMDb on social
    Get the IMDb app
    For Android and iOS
    Get the IMDb app
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • License IMDb Data
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Your Ads Privacy Choices
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2024 by IMDb.com, Inc.