The River
“Beauty... Mystery... Delightful Humor...”
Synopsis
Director Jean Renoir’s entrancing first color feature—shot entirely on location in India—is a visual tour de force. Based on the novel by Rumer Godden, the film eloquently contrasts the growing pains of three young women with the immutability of the Bengal river around which their daily lives unfold. Enriched by Renoir’s subtle understanding and appreciation for India and its people, The River gracefully explores the fragile connections between transitory emotions and everlasting creation.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
The River (1951) Original Trailer [HD]
Type: Trailer • Published 2023-07-31
Top Cast
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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)
Release History & Theatrical Window
September 10, 1951
Wide Cinema Exhibition
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Jean Renoir
- Screenplay & Story
- Rumer Godden, Jean Renoir
- Original Score
- M.A. Partha Sarathy
- Original Title
- The River
- Country of Origin
- France, India
- Spoken Languages
- English, Bengali
- Runtime
- 1h 39m
- Production Studios
- Oriental International Films
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Jean Renoir
Rumer Godden, Jean Renoir
M.A. Partha Sarathy
Claude Renoir
George Gale
Kenneth McEldowney, Jean Renoir
Department Leadership Roster
Jean Renoir
Director
Rumer Godden
Screenplay
Claude Renoir
Director of Photography
Jean Renoir
Screenplay
M.A. Partha Sarathy
Original Music Composer
George Gale
Editor
Kenneth McEldowney
Producer
Eugène Lourié
Production Design
Jean Renoir
Producer
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
International Certification Matrix
FSK 12 — Restricted to viewers aged 12 and older.
Universal — Suitable for all audiences.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for The River.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring The River.
My Movies
Master List In Progress
Roger Ebert's Great Movies
Every film from Roger Ebert's 'Great Movies' essays. 罗杰·伊伯特的伟大电影： 收录了已故美国著名国民级影评人罗杰·伊伯特（Roger Ebert）在其经典的《伟大电影》（Great Movies）系列专栏文章中推荐、评论过的所有影史经典佳作。 *注：榜单源数据中包含部分剧集/迷你剧，由于本片单只收录纯电影，故不再收录以下非电影条目：* • [#092] Dekalog (1989) *(Updated via Automated ETL Pipeline: 2026-10-18 07:39:08 UTC+8)*
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Sight and Sound Greatest Films of All Time 2022 (Critics' Poll). Every decade the Sight and Sound team asks critics to name the greatest films of all time. Here are the results of the 2022 poll – the largest ever, with 1,639 critics, programmers, curators, archivists and academics each submitting their top ten ballot - and now updated with the complete list. 《视与听》2022年影评人评选影史百大电影（含并列完整版）： 由 1639 位影评人、策展人及学者共同票选的影史最伟大电影。 *注：榜单源数据中包含部分剧集/迷你剧，由于本片单只收录纯电影，故不再收录以下非电影条目：* • [#152] Twin Peaks: The Return (2017) • [#171] Out 1 (1971) *(Updated via Automated ETL Pipeline: 2026-10-18 07:37:09 UTC+8)*
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They Shoot Pictures, Don't They? (TSPDT) - The 1,000 Greatest Films. A definitive meta-list aggregating thousands of critics' polls, historical rankings, and director top 10s to represent the ultimate critical consensus in cinema history. TSPDT 影史最伟大的1000部电影： 全球最权威的电影元榜单，由该网站汇总世界各大电影刊物历史评选结果及数千名影评人、学者的个人十佳榜单，通过算法加权计算得出的终极共识。 *片单说明：* 本片单只收录纯电影，以下剧集或迷你剧不予收录： • [#335] Berlin Alexanderplatz (1980) • [#514] Twin Peaks: The Return (2017) • [#614] Edvard Munch (1974) • [#703] The Sorrow and the Pity (1969) • [#890] Elephant (1989) • [#925] Heimat (1984) • [#968] Doomed Love (1978) 以下作品在 TMDB 被拆分为多个独立电影条目；本片单按作品/章节顺序连续收录，且每个分拆条目均沿用同一 TSPDT 名次： • [#171] Dekalog (1989) — 展开为 10 部电影 • [#988] Olympia (1938) — 展开为 2 部电影 *(Updated via Automated ETL Pipeline: 2026-10-18 07:30:01 UTC+8)*
Criterion Collection
The Complete Criterion Collection. The Criterion Collection is a video distribution company that sells 'important classic and contemporary films' in editions that offer the highest technical quality. This list contains only the featured films released on DVD, BluRay and 4K Criterion releases — no supplements are included. Organized by spine number with the newest releases first. CC标准收藏完整收录版： 收录标准收藏（Criterion Collection）发行的重要经典及当代电影。仅包含正片（涵盖 DVD、蓝光及 4K 版本），已排除花絮补充内容。按 CC 发行编号倒序排列（最新发行在前）。 *注：榜单源数据中包含部分剧集/迷你剧，由于本片单只收录纯电影，故不再收录以下非电影条目：* • [#214] Mangrove (2020) • [#215] Lovers Rock (2020) • [#216] Red, White and Blue (2020) • [#217] Alex Wheatle (2020) • [#486] Eight Hours Don’t Make a Day (1972) • [#647] Dekalog (1989) • [#944] World on a Wire (1973) • [#1187] Berlin Alexanderplatz (1980) • [#1338] Fanny and Alexander (1984) • [#1341] Tanner '88 (1988) • [#1371] Scenes from a Marriage (1973) *注：以下影片因 TMDB 尚未收录，暂不在此片单中展示：* • [#531] First (2012) • [#1699] Ulysse (1983) *(Updated via Automated ETL Pipeline: 2026-10-11 07:39:08 UTC+8)*
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Frequently Asked Questions About The River
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is The River about?
Director Jean Renoir’s entrancing first color feature—shot entirely on location in India—is a visual tour de force. Based on the novel by Rumer Godden, the film eloquently contrasts the growing pains of three young women with the immutability of the Bengal river around which their daily lives unfold. Enriched by Renoir’s subtle understanding and appreciation for India and its people, The River gracefully explores the fragile connections between transitory emotions and everlasting creation.
Who directed The River?
The River was directed by Jean Renoir.
Who stars in The River?
The principal cast of The River includes Nora Swinburne, Esmond Knight, Arthur Shields, Suprova Mukerjee, Thomas E. Breen.
When was The River released and how long is it?
The River was released in 1951 with a total runtime of 1h 39m.
Who composed the musical score for The River?
The original motion picture soundtrack for The River was composed by M.A. Partha Sarathy.
Is The River based on a book or true story?
The River is adapted from the following source material: Novel: "Rumer Godden".
What is the age rating and content advisory for The River?
The River holds official age classifications: DE: 12 (FSK 12 — Restricted to viewers aged 12 and older.); GB: U (Universal — Suitable for all audiences.).