Made in the year between La Grande Illusion and La Règle du Jeu, La Bête Humaine is based on the novel by Emile Zola and furthers illustrates Renoir’s pre-occupation with the human condition. Jacques Lantier (Jean Gabin), becomes the lover of Severine (Simone Simon), deputy station master Roubaud’s (Fernand Ledoux) wife. Roubaud overlooks the affair because he rightly believes that Lantier knows he killed his wife’s previous lover. However Lantier cannot separate his attraction to a woman from his desire to kill her, so for how long will their happiness last before his murderous intent overpowers his feelings of love?

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