The River (1951)

The River, an adaptation of Rumer Godden's celebrated novel, is Renoir's first color film and remains one his most loved. Like many a giant of European cinema, late in his career Renoir found himself in Hollywood, void of funding and out of vogue. Unable to generate interest for the film among any of the studios, Renoir eventually found a private financier, an owner of a chain of flower shops who had served in India during the war, and had long hoped to make a film of the novel.

Shot entirely in India in glorious 3-strip technicolor by his nephew Claude Renoir, The River proves a formidable visual rival of The Red Shoes (1948) or Black Narcissus (1947) (also a Godden adaptation). The film primarily concerns the children of the owner of a jute-mill: the adventurous young Bogey, the twins Muffie and Mouse, the "ugly duckling" Harriet, and her beautiful and ferociously misanthropic older friend Valerie. Both of the latter develop a crush on a visiting stranger, Capt. John, a confused young man who has lost a leg in the war. He, in turn, finds himself entranced with a beautiful young Indian girl, who happens to wrestle with her own half-British heritage.

Though there are some faltering performances (partly due to the use of several non-actors), the pain of growing up is expressed with great sensitivity, and the film is filled with unique female energy. As Harriet watches "her first kiss" go to another, Renoir creates one of the finest sequences of his career, following three young women as they run and hide in a grove of palms, each composition as carefully composed and lit as one of his father's paintings. Though the film is classically sentimental, such powerful filmmaking elevates the form to its peak, and illustrates how moving and honest it can be.

Renoir is a master of the sort of high-humanist filmmaking that has enthroned him, The Rules of the Game (1939), The Grand Illusion (1937), etc. The River finds him reaching further, grounding the wistful and sentimental coming-of-age story in more of a spiritual understanding of the world. As is suggested by the pervasive metaphor, the film begins and ends with a sense of ceaseless, gentle flow of life. Excellent observational footage of daily life on the river, fishing and mending of nets, evening prayers and religious ceremonies, all heighten the lyrical, spiritual tone of the film, especially as they are set to hypnotic ragas.

There is much to celebrate The River for, but even if there wasn't, we must laud this film for launching the film career of Indian master Satyajit Ray. Ray, who had been discouraged by several early career setbacks, met and befriended Renoir during his year in India and was newly inspired to make Pather Pachali (1955), which began his Apu trilogy.