Grand Illusion

Year: 1937

Grade: B

Country: France

Director: Renoir

Review

pretty similar to great escape in that it features prisoners of war in germany who try to escape by (among other methods) tunneling out. this one takes place during world war I and was made before world war II was in full swing. it feels about as long as the great escape, but is only 110 minutes long so that was unfortunate. that said, it’s a good film. the characters are pretty well-rounded, though no one compares to some of those found in the great escape. erich von stroheim plays a german commandant who is similar to the commandant in the great escape…they are both, like the captives they are watching, prisoners in their own way; both would rather have the war be over. there is a definite anti-war theme and it is manifested through the german/french relationships that are forged. commandant rauffenstein (stroheim) has a meaningful relationship with french captain boieldieu. likewise there is a touching, albeit fleeting, relationship between marechal (the protagonist) and a rural german woman. renoir also throws in lines like “nature couldn’t care less about borders” when marechal and rosenthal are fleeing towards switzerland which “looks no different than germany.” what’s the “grand illusion” then? life…our borders, our arbitrary distinctions, our systems of class and government, and all of those things are the subject of renoir’s film. the film didn’t seem to have the same technical prowess as “rules of the game,” but it was more interesting to watch.