La Chienne

Isn't Life a Bitch
Directed by	Jean Renoir
Written by	André Girard Jean Renoir
Produced by	Charles David Roger Richebé
Starring	Michel Simon Janie Marese Georges Flament Roger Gaillard
Release dates	November 19, 1931
Running time	91 min.
Language	French

Isn't Life a Bitch? is the English title of the French film La Chienne, a 1931 drama film by director Jean Renoir. It is also known as The Bitch.

The film, Renoir's first sound project, tells the story of a married cashier who takes Lulu, a streetwalker, as a mistress. Lulu accepts the man, but still is in love with her pimp, who encourages her to stay with the man so they can steal his money.

Plot

Michel Simon plays Maurice a married cashier whose chance meeting with Lulu (Janie Marèse) a streetwaker turns into a love affair, for him only. She is in love with her boyfriend/pimp Dede (Georges Flamant) the two plot ways for him to feed them cash mostly at the behest of Dede.

Credits

Director Jean Renoir Written by André Girard Georges de La Fouchardière novel Jean Renoir

Cast

Michel Simon .... Maurice Legrand
Janie Marèse .... Lucienne Pelletier (as Janie Marèze)
Georges Flamant .... Andre 'Dede' Govain
Roger Gaillard .... Alexis Godard (as Gaillard)
Romain Bouquet .... Henriot
Pierre Desty .... Gustave

Trivia

• Isn't Life a Bitch? was remade as Scarlet Street by Fritz Lang in 1945.
• François Truffaut twice pays hommage to Isn't Life a Bitch? in his first full-length film, The 400 Blows. In the first reference, Georges Flamant makes a cameo as the father of René. In the second, Truffaut begins a scene with a shot involving a dumbwaiter; Renoir began Isn't Life a Bitch? with a similar shot.

External links

Isn't Life a Bitch? at IMDb