Colin Davis is Professor of French at Royal Holloway, University of London, UK.

This book re-assesses director Jean Renoir's work between his departure from France in 1940 and his death in 1979, and contributes to the debate over how the medium of film registers the impact of trauma.

Introduction 1. The Shadow of Murder: Swamp Water, The Southerner, The Diary of a Chambermaid 2. The Aftermath of Trauma: The Woman on the Beach, The River 3. The Diversion of Art: The Golden Coach, French Cancan, Elena et les hommes 4. Between Good and Evil: Le Testament du docteur Cordelier, Le Déjeuner sur l'herbe 5. The Novels: Memories of Love and War 6. The Unresolved Past: This Land is Mine, Carola, Le Caporal épinglé Conclusion: Towards Forgiveness?