During the First World War, two French soldiers are captured and imprisoned in a German P.O.W. camp. Several escape attempts follow until they are sent to a seemingly impenetrable fortress which seems impossible to escape from.
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Title: La Grande Illusion (1937)
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Edit
Cast
| Complete credited cast: | |||
| Jean Gabin | ... | Le lieutenant Maréchal | |
| Dita Parlo | ... | Elsa | |
| Pierre Fresnay | ... | Le captaine de Boeldieu | |
| Erich von Stroheim | ... | Le captaine von Rauffenstein (as Eric von Stroheim) | |
| Julien Carette | ... | Cartier - l'acteur (as Carette) | |
 |
Georges Péclet | ... | Le serrurier (as Peclet) |
|
|
Werner Florian | ... | Le sergent Arthur |
| Jean Dasté | ... | L'instituteur (as Daste) | |
|
|
Sylvain Itkine | ... | Le lieutenant Demolder (as Itkine) |
| Gaston Modot | ... | L'ingénieur (as Modot) | |
| Marcel Dalio | ... | Le lieutenant Rosenthal (as Dalio) | |
Edit
Plot Summary
|
Plot Synopsis
Storyline
During 1st WW, two French officers are captured. Captain De Boeldieu is an aristocrat while Lieutenant Marechal was a mechanic in civilian life. They meet other prisoners from various backgrounds, as Rosenthal, son of wealthy Jewish bankers. They are separated from Rosenthal before managing to escape. A few months later, they meet again in a fortress commanded by the aristocrat Van Rauffenstein. De Boeldieu strikes up a friendship with him but Marechal and Rosenthal still want to escape... Written by Yepok
Taglines:
Chosen by the 1958 Brussels Film Festival As One of the Six Best Films of All Time! See more »Parents Guide:
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Details
Country:
FranceRelease Date:
12 September 1938 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
Grand Illusion See more »Edit
Box Office
Opening Weekend USA:
$50,793, 13 August 1999Gross USA:
$172,885, 2 December 2012Company Credits
Show more on
IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
| (1937 release)Sound Mix:
Mono (Western Electric Sound System)Color:
Black and WhiteAspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1
Edit
Capt. de Boeldieu: Yes, but it's a vanishing privilege. Like so much else, it's become popularized. Cancer and gout are not working-class diseases, but they will be, believe me.
Lieutenant Rosenthal: How about intellectuals?
Le lieutenant Demolder: In our case, tuberculosis.
Capt. de Boeldieu: Here's Mr. Pindar.
Lieutenant Maréchal: And the middle-class?
Lieutenant Rosenthal: Liver ulcers, they eat too much. We'd each die of our own class aliment, if war didn't make all germs equal.
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(1867) (uncredited)
Composed by Johann Strauss
See more »
Did You Know?
Trivia
The Volpi Award had to be created specially for the film at the Venice Film Festival as it was inconceivable that it should receive the Mussolini Award, given that the film was banned in Italy. See more »Goofs
When Boeldieu is dead, Rauffenstein wants to close his eyes with his hand. When the hand of Rauffenstein gets close to Boeldieu, his eye moves. See more »Quotes
Lieutenant Maréchal: It's not a very common disease in high society. Eh, Boeldieu?Capt. de Boeldieu: Yes, but it's a vanishing privilege. Like so much else, it's become popularized. Cancer and gout are not working-class diseases, but they will be, believe me.
Lieutenant Rosenthal: How about intellectuals?
Le lieutenant Demolder: In our case, tuberculosis.
Capt. de Boeldieu: Here's Mr. Pindar.
Lieutenant Maréchal: And the middle-class?
Lieutenant Rosenthal: Liver ulcers, they eat too much. We'd each die of our own class aliment, if war didn't make all germs equal.
See more »
Soundtracks
Künstlerleben (Artist's Life), Op.316(1867) (uncredited)
Composed by Johann Strauss
See more »
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From Jean Renoir's autobiography, My Life and My Films (1974):
"If a French farmer should find himself dining at the same table as a French financier, those two Frenchmen would have nothing to say to each other, each being unconcerned with the other's interests. But if a French farmer meets a Chinese farmer they will find any amount to talk about. This theme of the bringing together of men through their callings and common interests has haunted me all my life and does so still. It is the theme of 'La Grande Illusion' and it is present, more or less, in all my works."
In a sense, 'La Grande Illusion' is a counterpoint in an argument of stories: in one corner, Jean Renoir & friends singing about humor and good cheer; in the other, a handful of Germans demanding bigotry and murderous pride.
My opinion of the movie is quite high, but I think, from having read that book and a few others, that the real accomplishments in 'Illusion,' artistic and thematic, come directly from Renoir's deep affection of people and our loves.
To live your life with love and humor takes thoughtful delicacy. It's much easier to close your heart, fence yourself in, and never have a true friend in your life: and such closed-hearted people are inevitably the ones who coolly turn the political screws until the world bursts into famine and war.
It was too much to think that 'La Grande Illusion' would prevent the then coming war, as Renoir hoped. But to look at the story again, as a lyrical anti-fascist statement and a call to weigh friendship and good company over nationalism (of any sort), that I think is where the story gets really good.
The modern era continues to give us a real choice. We can kill, without effort, to subdue the stranger. Or we can join the stranger for a meal and a conversation, and become friends. Which of these is the true vision of the world's "leaders"? Cold hearts, cold future.
Something to think about as you watch the movie.