Renoir originally wanted the entire cast of "La Bête Humaine"including Fernand Ledoux, Simone Simon, Jean Gabin and Julien Carettefor the film. Gabin was offered the role of André but rejected it and accepted a role in Marcel Carné's "Le Jour Se Lève" instead. He was replaced by Roland Toutain. Simon was offered the role of Christine but wanted 800,000 francs, which was a third of the film's entire budget. Simon's salary request was vetoed by NEF administrator Camille Francois. Ledoux was offered the role of Schumacher. He was married to Simon at the time; he declined when her salary request was denied and instead took a role in Maurice Tourneur's "Volpone". He was replaced by Gaston Modot. Claude Dauphin was offered the role of the Marquis de la Chesnaye; he refused it and instead acted with Simon in Raymond Bernard's "Cavalcade d'amour". Renoir then cast Marcel Dalio as the Marquis. Years later, Dalio asked Renoir why he had been cast after having typically played burlesque or traitorous roles. Renoir told Dalio that he was the opposite of the cliché of what a Marquis was and that Dalio was the only actor he knew that could portray the character's insecurity. Renoir's brother Pierre was cast as Octave, and Carette was cast as Marceau.