Le Déjeuner Sur L’Herbe [Lunch on the Grass] [Picnic on the Grass] ***** (1959, Paul Meurisse, Charles Blavette, André Brunot, Paulette Dubost, Régine Blaess, Catherine Rouvel, Fernand Sardou, Ingrid Nordine) – Classic Movie Review 8984

The 1959 French world cinema masterwork classic Le Déjeuner Sur L’Herbe [Lunch on the Grass] [Picnic on the Grass] is a superb film, one of Jean Renoir’s and France’s finest. It is partly made on location at Renoir’s home near Cannes.

The revered film-maker Jean Renoir’s tribute to his equally great painter father, Auguste Renoir, is a glorious paean to the countryside, lit up with exquisite colours captured in Georges Leclerc’s Eastmancolor lenses, and dazzling Impressionist images. The sensuous, satirical tale centres on Paris professor Etienne Alexis (Paul Meurisse), who is taken by the delights of nature and lovely farmer’s girl Nénette (Catherine Rouvel).

The picnic of the title is being arranged by Meurisse to toast his engagement to his German cousin, an event that is disturbed by nature in the shape of a storm that unites Meurisse and Rouvel.

Also in the cast are Fernand Sardou, Ingrid Nordine, Charles Blavette, André Brunot, Régine Blaess, Marguerite Cassan, Robert Chandeau, Jacques Danoville, Hélène Duc, Paulette Dubost (as Forestier), Ghislaine Dumont, Jacqueline Fontel, Micheline Gary, Jean-Pierre Granval, Michel Herbault, Raymond Jourdan, Pierre Leproux, François Miège, Jacqueline Morane, Fréderic O’Brady and Jean Claudio.

Le Déjeuner Sur L’Herbe [Lunch on the Grass] [Picnic on the Grass] is directed by Jean Renoir, runs 91 minutes, is made by Compagnie Jean Renoir, is released by Pathé Consortium Cinéma (1959) (France), Kingsley-Union Films (1960) (US) and Mondial Films (1960) (UK), is written by Jean Renoir, is shot in Eastmancolor by Georges Leclerc, is produced by Ginette Doynel, is scored by Joseph Kosma and is designed by Marcel-Louis Dieulot.

Paulette Dubost died of natural causes on 21 September 2011 in the Parisian suburb of Longjumeau. She turned 100 on 8 October 2010. She is also remembered as the adulterous chambermaid Lisette in Jean Renoir’s 1939 comedy drama La Règle du Jeu [The Rules of the Game].

© Derek Winnert 2019 Classic Movie Review 8984

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