I'm afraid this is one of those social commentary films the French excel at that I routinely fail to fully appreciate. There's certainly a foreboding sense of doom, watching this and being keenly aware of the precise moment in time it was made and released. But a lot of the deeper meaning I can only catch hints of. That said, there's a beautiful artistry throughout--gliding cameras, cross-cutting, and of course the famous hunt sequence. This feels like a movie I'll return to, and I'd love to read a book about it.

The original title of the film is La règle du jeu.

The film conveys timeless truths about society, female and male psychology, and the true nature of relationships and love for those who care to listen. “The awful thing about life is this: everyone has their reasons.” “That’s also part of the times. Today everyone lies. Pharmaceutical fliers, governments, the radio, the movies, the newspapers. So why shouldn’t simple people like us lie as well?” O tempora, o mores!

I had big expectations because of its reputation as one of the greatest film of all time. What a disappointment. I didn't care about these people's lives. Luis Buñuel made films dealing with similar themes and they are much more entertaining.