SEEING FACES IN MOVIES

Felicia is joined by Jason Christian to discuss the lasting impact of Jean Renoir’s Grand Illusion (1937).

We chat about how the film focuses on the relationships between these men from different sides and classes. Along with how he’s less interested in the battles and more so in his characters mindsets.

This is the final episode of the Renoir series, thanks for joining along and as always I hope my guests and I have inspired you to discover more of his work.

Send us your thoughts on the episode by sending us a message on any of our social platforms or by email: [email protected]

Find Jason here:
Website: https://jasonchristianwrites.com/
Letterboxd: @exilemagic
Twitter: @jasonachristian
Cold War Cinema Podcast on Spotify: @coldwarcinema
Cold War Cinema Podcast on Apple: @coldwarcinema

Listen to our previous episodes here:
Shoeshine (Vittorio De Sica 1946)

Sources:
Renoir, J., & Cardullo, B. (2005). Jean Renoir: Interviews. University Press of Mississippi.

Renoir, J., & Denny, N. (2004). My life and my films. Da Capo Press.

https://www.criterion.com/current/posts/15-grand-illusion

Felicia is joined by Geoff Thomas to discuss Jean Renoir’s first colour film as he ventures over to India in The River (1951).

We discuss his treatment and adoration of the characters in his films, along with his natural instinct to collaborate with other artists.

Send us your thoughts on the episode by sending us a message on any of our social platforms or by email: [email protected]

Find Geoff here:
IG: @cinema_gnt
Letterboxd:@gnthomas
Website:https://cinemamemry.wordpress.com/
Spotify: @cinematicmeoriespodcast
Spotify: @dontdespisemepodcast
Apple Podcasts: @cinematicmemoriespodcast
Apple Podcasts: @dontdespisemepodcast

Listen to our previous episodes here:
Umberto D. (Vittorio De Sica 1952)
Diary of a Chambermaid (Luis Buñuel 1964)
The Silence (Ingmar Bergman 1963)

Sources:
Renoir, J., & Cardullo, B. (2005). Jean Renoir: Interviews. University Press of Mississippi.

Renoir, J., & Denny, N. (2004). My life and my films. Da Capo Press.

https://www.sensesofcinema.com/2003/great-directors/renoir/#36

https://www.criterion.com/current/top-10-lists/214-martin-scorsese-s-top-10

https://www.criterion.com/current/posts/357-the-river-a-new-authenticity

https://satyajitray.org/encounter-with-jean-renoir/

https://www.criterion.com/current/posts/924-the-river

https://www.film-foundation.org/rsr-february-2023

Felicia is joined by Ben Turnbull to discuss men behaving badly in Jean Renoir’s Boudu Saved From Drowning (1932).

We chat about how generous Renoir is as a director and artist, along with the empathy he has for members of varying social classes.

Send us your thoughts on the episode by sending us a message on any of our social platforms or by email: [email protected]

Find Ben here:
Watch Ben in Cherub (Devin Shears 2025): https://www.cherubfilm.com/
IG: @The Franchisees
Podcast on Spotify: @TheFranchisees
Letterboxd: @ben_turnbull
Twitter: @FartonFink
IG: @benjamin.turnbull

Listen to our previous episodes here:
Written on the Wind (Douglas Sirk 1956)

Sources:
Renoir, J., & Cardullo, B. (2005). Jean Renoir: Interviews. University Press of Mississippi.

Renoir, J., & Denny, N. (2004). My life and my films. Da Capo Press.

https://r-emmetsweeney.com/2020/02/28/the-tramp-boudu-saved-from-drowning-1932/

https://www.tcm.com/articles/101890/boudu-saved-from-drowning

https://www.criterion.com/current/posts/380-boudu-saved-from-drowning-tramping-in-the-city

https://www.sensesofcinema.com/2003/great-directors/renoir/#36

Felicia is joined by John Pennington to discuss how Jean Renoir controlled chaos on the heels of an impending world war in his film The Rules of the Game (1939).

We chat about how the blocking and framing is incredibly important in this film, and how collaborating with his actors led to memorable interpretations of his script.

This is the series opener and I’m very excited to share this episode with you as it’s one of my all time favourite films and I think a perfectly encapsulation of his work.

Send us your thoughts on the episode by sending us a message on any of our social platforms or by email: [email protected]

Find John here:
Letterboxd: @jtothep83
IG: @jtothp83

Listen to our previous episodes here:
The Brood (David Cronenberg 1979)

Sources:
Renoir, J., & Cardullo, B. (2005). Jean Renoir: Interviews. University Press of Mississippi.

Renoir, J., & Denny, N. (2004). My life and my films. Da Capo Press.

https://www.criterion.com/current/top-10-lists/201-roger-corman-s-top-10

https://www.criterion.com/current/posts/308-the-rules-of-the-game-everyone-has-their-reasons

https://www.criterion.com/current/posts/4613-staging-in-jean-renoir-s-the-rules-of-the-game

https://www.criterion.com/current/posts/2069-the-rules-of-the-game-tributes

https://unaffiliatedcritic.com/2021/01/the-rules-of-the-game-1939/

https://cinemafromthespectrum.com/2016/12/03/the-rules-of-the-game-review/

https://thecinephiliac.com/2015/03/04/rules-of-the-game-1939-and-its-inferiority-as-a-classic/

https://www.asharperfocus.com/rulesof.html

https://offscreen.com/view/honor_humanism

https://www.sensesofcinema.com/2003/great-directors/renoir/#36

It’s bonus episode time.

In today’s Special Features episode Felicia is joined by Whitney Wasson to discuss Barbara Loden’s fearless masterpiece Wanda (1970).

We chat about why this film continues to stay relevant, and the silent influence it has had on many filmmakers over the years.

Send us your thoughts on the film and let us know by sending us a message on any of our social platforms or by email: [email protected]

Follow Whitney here:
Website: https://soberrabbit.com/
IG: @soberrabbit

Outro Song:
Rebel Girl by Bikini Kill

Sources:
https://www.criterion.com/current/posts/6251-wanda-a-miracle

https://www.criterion.com/current/posts/6237-defogging-wanda

https://www.criterion.com/current/posts/6264-getting-to-know-barbara-loden?srsltid=AfmBOoooP6YYEMuasoPspBZcy481DCm2uI6X3EtBKGpxohAYYCR1ZVp-