History of Movies
My Library

Jean Renoir

French film director and screenwriter (1894–1979)

15.37body-of-work score · ranked #40 of 2631 directors · 22 films in our library

A director's score is the sum of their films' composite canon scores — methodology.

Born
September 15, 1894 · 18th arrondissement of Paris
Died
February 12, 1979 · Beverly Hills
Nationality
France
Work
film director, actor, screenwriter, film producer
Reference
Wikipedia · Wikidata
Portrait of Jean Renoir
Studio Harcourt · Public domain

Films in our library, ranked

Ranked by composite canon score across 20+ authoritative lists, awards and polls — our ordering, with every placement citing its evidence on the film's page.

  1. 1
    La Grande IllusionMust-See #234

    1937 · France · drama

    Kinema Junpo Best Ten (International) 1949 #2 · Oscar Best Picture nominee 1938 · Sight & Sound 2022 critics' poll #146

    2.539 citations
  2. 2
    The Rules of the GameLa Règle du jeuMust-See #260

    1939 · France · drama, romance

    Sight & Sound 2022 critics' poll #13 · Sight & Sound 2022 directors' poll #38 · Scorsese's 39 essential foreign films

    2.388 citations
  3. 3
    The RiverLe FleuveMust-See #344

    1951 · United States / France · drama, romance

    Cahiers du Cinéma annual top 10 1951 #1 · Kinema Junpo Best Ten (International) 1952 #4 · Sight & Sound 2022 critics' poll #185

    2.125 citations
  4. 4
    The Little Theatre of Jean RenoirLe Petit Théâtre de Jean Renoir

    1970 · Italy / France / Germany · drama

    Kehr's annual top 10 1974 #1 · Sarris's annual top 10 1974 #4 · NYT Best 1,000 Movies

    0.994 citations
  5. 5
    Elena and Her MenElena et les Hommes

    1956 · France / Italy · drama, romance

    Cahiers du Cinéma annual top 10 1956 #2 · Criterion Collection spine #244 · Rosenbaum's Essential Cinema

    0.903 citations
  6. 6
    A Day in the CountryPartie de campagne

    1946 · France · drama, romance

    Sight & Sound 2022 critics' poll #136 · Empire 500 (2008) #165 · Criterion Collection spine #746

    0.793 citations
  7. 7
    La Chienne

    1931 · France · drama

    Sarris's annual top 10 1976 #2 · NYT Best 1,000 Movies · Criterion Collection spine #818

    0.764 citations
  8. 8
    French Cancan

    1955 · France / Italy · musical

    Kinema Junpo Best Ten (International) 1955 #7 · Criterion Collection spine #243 · Roger Ebert's Great Movies

    0.633 citations
  9. 9
    The Crime of Monsieur LangeLe Crime de monsieur Lange

    1935 · France · drama, crime

    TIME All-TIME 100 · Sarris's annual top 10 1964 #3 · Rosenbaum's Essential Cinema

    0.623 citations
  10. 10
    Boudu Saved from DrowningBoudu sauvé des eaux

    1932 · France · comedy

    Sarris's annual top 10 1967 #2 · Criterion Collection spine #305 · Rosenbaum's Essential Cinema

    0.593 citations
  11. 11
    The Elusive CorporalLe Caporal épinglé

    1962 · France · drama

    Cahiers du Cinéma annual top 10 1962 #9 · Sarris's annual top 10 1963 #3

    0.552 citations
  12. 12
    The Lower DepthsLes Bas-fonds

    1936 · France · drama, crime

    Kinema Junpo Best Ten (International) 1937 #3

    0.501 citation
  13. 13
    The Southerner

    1945 · United States · drama

    Kinema Junpo Best Ten (International) 1946 #5

    0.391 citation
  14. 14
    Toni

    1935 · France · drama, crime

    Criterion Collection spine #1040 · Rosenbaum's Essential Cinema

    0.272 citations
  15. 15
    La Bête Humaine

    1938 · France · drama, crime

    Criterion Collection spine #324 · Rosenbaum's Essential Cinema

    0.272 citations
  16. 16
    The Golden CoachLe Carrosse d'or

    1952 · France / Italy · drama

    Criterion Collection spine #242 · Rosenbaum's Essential Cinema

    0.272 citations
  17. 17
    Picnic on the GrassLe Déjeuner sur l'herbe

    1959 · France · comedy

    Sarris's annual top 10 1960 #3

    0.251 citation
  18. 18
    Charleston ParadeSur un air de Charleston, Charleston; Charleston-Parade

    1926 · France · silent

    Rosenbaum's Essential Cinema

    0.111 citation
  19. 19
    The Little Match GirlLa Petite Marchande d'allumettes

    1928 · France · silent, drama

    Rosenbaum's Essential Cinema

    0.111 citation
  20. 20
    Night at the CrossroadsLa Nuit du carrefour

    1932 · France · drama, crime

    Rosenbaum's Essential Cinema

    0.111 citation
  21. 21
    This Land Is Mine

    1943 · United States · drama, war

    Rosenbaum's Essential Cinema

    0.111 citation
  22. 22
    The Woman on the Beach

    1947 · United States · drama, film-noir

    Rosenbaum's Essential Cinema

    0.111 citation

Complete filmography

All 43 directorial credits recorded on Wikidata, in chronological order; films in our library link to their canon-score page.