What is the meaning of the title of The Rules of the Game? What is the "game"? What are the "rules"? How does one "win" the game? What are the penalties for breaking the rules?
The title the Rules of the Game has a deeper meaning that is the basis for the plot of the movie. The game is the game of love. The rules are what are unclear. The movie emphasizes this point because of the chaos involving all of the relationships. In the movie there are few rules, or at least rules that the characters follow. One wins the game when they get the girl and no one else gets her. However it has to be mutual, the girl has to want him just as much and not have feelings for anyone else. In the movie the Marquis lost the game because Christine did not want just him. She did not know who she wanted: the Marquis, Jurieu, or Octave. For her, it changed throughout the movie when someone would express their feelings for her.
The rules in the movie, although are few, are important. They try to respect the love interests of friends. However, this is not a rule that is followed well in the movie. For example, Octave is trying to set up Christine with Jurieu throughout the whole plot, but he really wants her for himself. He does not break this rule until the end of the movie and when he does he tried to correct it. Another rule is that they are open about the relationships they take part in. Those in the movie who are having affairs hide it somewhat, but not as one would in real life. Christine is especially guilty of this because she does not even attempt to hide her interests in different men.
I agree in part with Dani that the "game" is love; however, I also think there is more to the movie and the "game" than just the affairs evreybody is having. I think there are many "games" going on at different levels.
With respect to love in this film, I think that the "game" is to always keep relationships from becoming too serious. For example, while Christine and Jurieu's relationship has a light, flirtatious feeling about it, everything is fine; even though most everybody seems to know there is something between the two, nobody (not even Christine's husband!) objects. However, when Christine and Jurieu attempt to become more seriously involved (aka run away together), Jurieu ends up dead. Perhaps, this is a criticism of the aristocracy at the time--that they never take anything serioiusly or that they can do nothing productive, only run around consumed by their lighthearted affairs.
On another level, I believe The Rules of the Game speaks about class struggle. The "game" in this sense is the hierarchy by which society functions. The rules are that the hierarchy must be maintained. In this sense, Jurieu serves as a prime example. He tries to fit in with the aristocracy. However, no matter how famous he has become as a result of his flight, he was not born into the aristocracy and thus cannot transcend the social class into which he was born. His attempt to break this cardinal rule results in his death.
The Rules of The Game truly sums up the movie perfectly. The “game” is clearly love, and every character in the movie has a different experience with it. Something I found interesting is that none of the people are truly happy with their companion, and everyone has someone on the side. This shows how things were back in 1920s France, when unfaithfulness was common. The “rules” part of the title is tricky, because it seems as though there really are no rules, and if there are, everyone strives to break them. For example, Lisette flirts with Marceau, even though it hurts Schumacher. All the characters do as they please, even if it hurts someone else. An example of this is when Christine decides to leave with André, even though it will devastate La Chesayne. You win the game when you have the person you desire or love, but if you fail or break the rules, you either end up dead or extremely unhappy. André failed to get Christine, so he died. Even though his death was an accident by Schumacher, it is a sign that André failed, and had to pay the price.
The title the Rules of the Game has a deeper meaning that is the basis for the plot of the movie. The game is the game of love. The rules are what are unclear. The movie emphasizes this point because of the chaos involving all of the relationships. In the movie there are few rules, or at least rules that the characters follow. One wins the game when they get the girl and no one else gets her. However it has to be mutual, the girl has to want him just as much and not have feelings for anyone else. In the movie the Marquis lost the game because Christine did not want just him. She did not know who she wanted: the Marquis, Jurieu, or Octave. For her, it changed throughout the movie when someone would express their feelings for her.
ReplyDeleteThe rules in the movie, although are few, are important. They try to respect the love interests of friends. However, this is not a rule that is followed well in the movie. For example, Octave is trying to set up Christine with Jurieu throughout the whole plot, but he really wants her for himself. He does not break this rule until the end of the movie and when he does he tried to correct it. Another rule is that they are open about the relationships they take part in. Those in the movie who are having affairs hide it somewhat, but not as one would in real life. Christine is especially guilty of this because she does not even attempt to hide her interests in different men.
I agree in part with Dani that the "game" is love; however, I also think there is more to the movie and the "game" than just the affairs evreybody is having. I think there are many "games" going on at different levels.
ReplyDeleteWith respect to love in this film, I think that the "game" is to always keep relationships from becoming too serious. For example, while Christine and Jurieu's relationship has a light, flirtatious feeling about it, everything is fine; even though most everybody seems to know there is something between the two, nobody (not even Christine's husband!) objects. However, when Christine and Jurieu attempt to become more seriously involved (aka run away together), Jurieu ends up dead. Perhaps, this is a criticism of the aristocracy at the time--that they never take anything serioiusly or that they can do nothing productive, only run around consumed by their lighthearted affairs.
On another level, I believe The Rules of the Game speaks about class struggle. The "game" in this sense is the hierarchy by which society functions. The rules are that the hierarchy must be maintained. In this sense, Jurieu serves as a prime example. He tries to fit in with the aristocracy. However, no matter how famous he has become as a result of his flight, he was not born into the aristocracy and thus cannot transcend the social class into which he was born. His attempt to break this cardinal rule results in his death.
The Rules of The Game truly sums up the movie perfectly. The “game” is clearly love, and every character in the movie has a different experience with it. Something I found interesting is that none of the people are truly happy with their companion, and everyone has someone on the side. This shows how things were back in 1920s France, when unfaithfulness was common. The “rules” part of the title is tricky, because it seems as though there really are no rules, and if there are, everyone strives to break them. For example, Lisette flirts with Marceau, even though it hurts Schumacher. All the characters do as they please, even if it hurts someone else. An example of this is when Christine decides to leave with André, even though it will devastate La Chesayne. You win the game when you have the person you desire or love, but if you fail or break the rules, you either end up dead or extremely unhappy. André failed to get Christine, so he died. Even though his death was an accident by Schumacher, it is a sign that André failed, and had to pay the price.
ReplyDelete