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The River
Directed by
Jean Renoir
Approved
1951
1h 39m
Drama
,
Romance
7.4
92%
79%
7.3
Add to Watchlist
The growing pains of three young women contrast with the immutability of the holy Bengal River, around which their daily lives unfold.
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Where to Watch The River
Criterion Channel
Subscription
HBO Max
Subscription
HBO Max Amazon Channel
Subscription
+3 more
Cast of The River
Nora Swinburne
The Mother
Esmond Knight
The Father
Arthur Shields
Mr. John
Suprova Mukerjee
Nan
Thomas E. Breen
Capt. John
Patricia Walters
Harriet
Radha Burnier
Melanie
Adrienne Corri
Valerie
June Tripp
Narrator (voice)
Nimai Barik
Kanu (uncredited)
Richard R. Foster
Bogey (uncredited)
Jane Harris
Muffie (uncredited)
Jennifer Harris
Mouse (uncredited)
Trilak Jetley
Anil (uncredited)
Bhogwan Singh
Sajjan (uncredited)
Penelope Wilkinson
Elizabeth (uncredited)
Cecilia Wood
Victoria (uncredited)
Jean Renoir
Director / Screenplay / Producer
Rumer Godden
Novel
Kenneth McEldowney
Producer
The River Ratings & Reviews
TheArtsStl
Sarah Boslaugh
The Technicolor cinematography by Claude Renoir (son of actor Pierre, nephew of director Jean, grandson of painter Pierre-August) is a big part of what makes this film work...
Christian Science Monitor
B.R. Crisler
On the whole, the casual narrative technique of its adapters is more interesting than either its story content or its characters. And its picturesque background... is more interesting still.
IONCINEMA.com
Nicholas Bell
The River is indeed sumptuously photographed. But its rendering, a visually evocative portrayal of the circle of life as evidenced by the experiences of three young women, is often too simplistic in other regards.
The Dissolve
Keith Phipps
It emphasizes Technicolor's vibrancy, but it's also notable for the way it accentuates muted tones, like the clay bricks and the sand by the riverbanks.
Q Network Film Desk
James Kendrick
a sumptuous visual feast that foregoes narrative drive for the simple beauties of lived existence on the banks of the Ganges River
Cinema Writer
Jay Antani
a delicate tapestry of images that evoke a different way of life, of thinking, and of relating to the world
Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews
Dennis Schwartz
Sumptuous visual treat.
Chicago Reader
Dave Kehr
Jean Renoir's 1951 masterpiece, his first film in color.
DVDJournal.com
Mark Bourne
...the plot is only the bread on which Renoir layers his meditations on life's cyclical flow from birth to death and the changes in between.
New York Times
Bosley Crowther
Withal, the illustrations of the country are beautiful beyond words-the serenity of the river, the power of boatmen sweeping its stream, the bazaars full of color and movement, [and] the dazzling brilliance of festivals.
Village Voice
Michael Atkinson
Renoir fashioned what might be his sweetest movie about family and one of the post-war years' most serene cinematic statements.
Film Threat
Phil Hall
One of the greatest motion pictures ever made.
DVDTalk.com
Bill Gibron
The River is a sumptuous visual feast, yet another example ... of Renoir's amazing ability at using his camera as a paintbrush.
ReelTalk Movie Reviews
Donald J. Levit
So beautifully innocent and innocently beautiful that its peaceful wisdom transcends reality.
Old School Reviews
John A. Nesbit
Jean Renoir has preserved the spirit of Mother India as well as any western filmmaker
Filmjourney
Doug Cummings
The film's scenario is merely a loose framework for emphasizing its setting through various festivals, bazaars, and imaginative legends.
Filmcritic.com
Christopher Null
While I'll submit that the girls (unknowns, all of them) act well and can genuinely create some emotional energy in the movie, it's the story of The River that's an absolute dud.
TV Guide
Anyone who still believes in family sentiment, but is disheartened by Hollywood's characteristically mawkish and insincere treatment of it, is urged to immediately take a voyage on Renoir's River.
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