La Chienne

film by Renoir [1931]

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June 24, 2026

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La Chienne (1931) is a French film directed by Jean Renoir, son of the Impressionist painter Pierre-Auguste Renoir. The film, adapted from a novel by Georges de la Fouchardiere, is described as a fierce and bitter work. It was one of Renoir's early sound films, following On purge bébé (1931). Renoir's early films, including La Chienne, were characterized by technical clumsiness and a lack of means, but they revealed his instinctive genius and pictorial influence. Despite these early struggles, Renoir went on to direct many notable works throughout his career, including Grand Illusion (1937) and his masterpiece The Rules of the Game (1939).1

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Jean Renoir
Early years
…Laxative) and proved himself with La Chienne (1931; “The Bitch”), a fierce and bitter film adapted from a comic novel by Georges de la Fouchardière.
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…Laxative) and proved himself with La Chienne (1931; “The Bitch”), a fierce and bitter film adapted from a comic novel by Georges de la Fouchardière.
Read More