Elena and Her Men

Reminiscent of The Rules of the Game in its mockery of bourgeois social and political antics, though it doesn't skewer them as sharp as the earlier film. It's very funny, and moves along at a smooth pace, at least until the ending which drags on a bit. The Technicolor is beautiful, and Bergman is lovely.

It's no Rules of the Game, but still a highly enjoyable Renoir satire that fires all over the place and hits a lot more than it misses.

The Criticker summary makes it seem better than it is. Rules of the Game without the greatness.

Excellent use of colour and sly political commentary elevate what is a fairly slight and discursive farce. Bergman is surprisingly effective in a comedic role, and she looks ravishing in the elegant costumes designed to highlight her obvious beauty. Comparisons to Rules of The Game are common and noted, but it's clear that Renoir had no other intention than to make a light and frothy 'joie de vie' style French comedy. On that level he succeeded, but there are tensions here left unexplored.

A woman is able to work wonders in aiding men with their (always ultimately silly or futile) missions, but only if she devotes all of her energies without distraction, leading to complications and confusion about her feelings. The plot unfolds in a rather haphazard fashion, barely making any sense, but this film is really all about Ingrid Bergman, who is utterly radiant, and other compensations are amply supplied, making it easier for the audience to overlook the story’s nonsensical character.

Some stunning dream like technicolor. You could get lost in that shit for hours. Satire is kinda boorish and leaves the film feeling kind of limp. Maybe if someone hadn't seen Rules of the Game beforehand they would enjoy this a little more? This is kinda scattershot but what sticks is thoughtful.

Star Rating: ★★★★1/2

Though there are certain parallels to The Rules of the Game, this is not as substantial a film. The humor is sufficiently amusing, the plot is sufficiently entertaining, the Technicolor is sufficiently lovely... but no more than that. It's easy to watch, and easy to forget. Even Ingrid Bergman seems to be pretty much phoning it in. It's, you know... A Movie. Not bad, but hard to imagine on anyone's top 10 list, or even top 100.

Bergman is quite good, but it never reaches quite as far as its aims seem to be.

Renoir jumps into Rules of the Game mode in the second act of this film, but where the older work walks the sharp edge between comedy and tragedy, here we get the farce without the sharpest point on the political failure of Elena. On one level, the film plays as a slapdash love triangle (quadrangle?), Renoir seems interested in the incompatibility of following love and asserting political power, a pretty interesting idea in itself. Bergman is a delight, selling herself in the vein of Notorious.

Just really a mess and I weirdly don't really feel like it gives Bergman much do despite it being a movie with her in the main title role. There are entertaining bits but I mostly ended up shaking my head and shrugging my shoulders.