A beautiful looking account of the relationship between Renoir the painter in the twilight of his life, his muse Andree and Renoir the son, and future filmmaker. Jean Renoir returns to his father’s house to recuperate from a serious leg injury sustained during WWI.
There he finds his father fixating on his beautiful wilful muse Andree, who in turn finds herself attracted to the injured young soldier and future giant of French cinema. Playing out an erotic dance against the backdrop of Pierre Auguste Renoir’s incredible painting, what emerges is the rivalry between two great artists and the love between father and son.
It’s a sensuous classic tale which focuses on Jean Renoir’s efforts to find a way in life for himself and get out from under his father’s long artistic shadow.
As Andree is his father’s muse on the canvas, so she encourages Jean to make his own way, ultimately giving him the focus and drive to become the director of such classics as La Grande Illusion and Boudu Saved from Drowning. A gorgeous languid and moving tale shot by ace cinematographer Mark Ping Bing (In the Mood for Love).