La Bete Humaine (The Human Beast)

1938 Jean Renoir picture loosely based on the Zola novel.
This is a very good film, with some excellent moments, and other moments where it is 'merely' an excellent example of its noirish, thriller genre.
The good bits are the startling use of trains. These contribute and flood the atmosphere, managing to be central when not drowing out the performances. The uses of the yard, always so silent (Renoir's use of music is rare), and the home of shadows and light. The scene where Lantier threatens to knock the husband is a sensational one. Not just for what happenes, but for how it unfolds, and the walking away, that suddenly comes into the most beautiful light. The story is well told and we have some excellent moments like these, generally intriguing pathos and empathy.
It does seem to occasionally become a rather simple genre tale, nand doesn't really pick up from some of the strands it gives us at the start. The camerawork is not quite so elegant as in 'La Regle Du Jeu', but then what is?
The themes are well explored, if rather unsubtly so. We have the moment of violence, the ties that bind. Yes, it's all a bit simple, but in humanising them they become real.
This is a good-looking film with some fine moments. Outside of these, it doesn't particularly stand out (in some ways, with an entirely different plot, it reminded us of Welles' 'The Stranger', Welles being a director Renoir is often correctly compared to in terms of technique/lighting/character-use/monochrome colour), though remains a well told genre piece. Above average, nearly very good.