La Chienne is a French drama film directed by Jean Renoir, released in 1931. It stars Michel Simon, Janie Marée, and Georges Flamant. The film is based on a novel by Georges de La Fouchardière.
The film follows the story of Maurice Legrand, a mild-mannered cashier who is trapped in a loveless marriage to his domineering wife, Adele. He finds solace in painting, but his work is never appreciated by his wife or anyone else.
One day, while walking down the street, Maurice meets a young woman named Lucienne, who is a prostitute. She calls herself "Lulu" and tells Maurice that she is in love with a man named Dede, who is her pimp. Maurice falls in love with Lulu and becomes her lover, using all of his savings to keep her happy.
However, Lulu is not in love with Maurice, and is only using him to get money for Dede. She continues to work as a prostitute and sees other men behind Maurice's back.
When Maurice discovers Lulu's infidelity, he becomes obsessed with the idea of killing Dede. He decides to confront Dede in a violent altercation, but things quickly spiral out of control and the situation ends in tragedy.
Despite its controversial subject matter, La Chienne was a critical success and is now considered a classic of French cinema. The film was remade in America as Scarlet Street in 1945, directed by Fritz Lang and starring Edward G. Robinson and Joan Bennett.
