The Lower Depths

In some ways a precursor to Down by Law, kinda. I don't know, that point made a lot more sense when I was shitfaced.

Probably my favorite thing about Renoir is that there's always SOME shred of optimism. It makes him at worst enjoyable, at best sublime.

Bas Fonds estreava há 85 anos na França. Devo confessar que assisti a versão do Kurosawa há muito tempo e não lembro absolutamente nada dela, o que foi uma vantagem ao ver essa aqui sem o peso da comparação entre grandes mestres, mas gostei bastante da do Renoir, gosto da elegância dele frente ao abismo, é como se ele próprio fosse o Barão frente a sujidade da vida, um realista poético. BlurayRip no MakingOff.

Renoir's characteristic warmth shines through in this strangely uplifting tale of skid row that doesn't romanticise poverty yet avoids being an exercise in pungent 'realism'. His characters have dreams that don't align with reality, but there is promise of better days ahead, and Gabin totally nails his character. The baron character's rise and fall is perhaps depicted too jovially, and he wouldn't be nearly as engrossing if it wasn't for Jouvet's oddly spirited performance. A real surprise.

maybe if they hadn't call me a thief things would've been different

89.00

A pretty clear homage to Modern Times, refracted through Gorky's play. Social classes intersect in numerous ways, with Renoir revealing a common humanity, even as the film teeters on despair for the poor who remain trapped in the lower depths.

Tries to make Christians look bad and criminals look good; but what do you expect from a Marxist like Gorky. Well-photographed, of course, being it's Renoir.

It's unlikely that LES BAS FONDS and its characters are as poetic as Renoir writes here, but this is his brand of humanism, and I guess you have to take it. So, this plays a lot like a liberal sensitive poet's idea of life in the slums, but it's too beautiful to deny.

Not as compelling as other Renoir works of that period, but still very nice. The Baron's character breaks a few stereotypes.

Renoir'nin optimist yorumu -kitabini okumus biri olarak- puanimin 8'e dusmesine yol acti.

Good film, But I recommend the Kurosawa version over this one.

The movie starts out strong as any Jean Renoir movie with Jean Gabin as the easy going cool thief who befriends a broke Baron (Louis Jouvet) he's robbing. There are some scummy creatures in the poorhouse where he lives and white trash women making life sweet and bitter. So the movie had it's characters down. The mid-part was a massive yawn! The film thankfully picks itself up the last 20 minutes with drama high and low and saves the overall impression which almost got lost in light social talk.

Simplistic and a bit unbalanced but it tells an emotionally affective story. The prominence of the Baron in the beginning is necessary for the themes related to social class ladder but he disappears for chunks of time and returns from time to time as an ear to Pepel's woes. The flophouse scenes are excellent and while the overall love story seems rushed, it's established early enough that Pepel has grown sick and tired of the thief's racket. Love conquers all...supposedly.

Engrossing dialogue-driven exploration of lower-class life and dreams.

I give extra points to this one for the social and political context of its creation.

I'm surprised this isn't more highly regarded amongst Renoir's films. It has all the subversiveness of his earlier films combined with the technical proficiency of his later films, not to mention some great performances. A wonderful tale of love and poverty punctuated with little jabs at social ills, its well paced and mixes drama with light moments very effectively.

Very well done

A brisk, lighthearted take on Gorky's play. Renoir's camera just flows like liquid, and Jean Gabin is wonderful as the thief. None of the other characters are fleshed out so well, though. More fleeting than the later Kurosawa version, but still a fun movie.

Lighter and more cinematic than the Kurosawa version.