Jean Renoir

An analysis of all Jean Renoir’s sound films, including those he made in Hollywood. Giving an account of critical debates concerning Renoir, and focusing on hitherto neglected areas such as gender, nation and ethnicity, the book asks us to rethink our understanding of Renoir’s political commitment. Renoir’s career traverses some of the major crises and transformations that have marked France in the 20th century. This text traces his output from the silent period to the age of television, tying his work into a fast-shifting, socio-historical context. Detailed analyses of his sound films map his evolving style while individual chapters cover his career and writings, critical debates, the silent and early sound films, the Popular Front period, Renoir Americain and the later films.