Film as Art #13 - La Grande Illusion (1937) By Jean Renoir

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La Grande Illusion (The Grand Illusion) is a film of great importance for almost everyone, from social scientists, historians, filmmakers to the common people. While outwardly it boasted a jovial comedic manner, it embodied the changing european political structures as it sang the song of fading aristocracy.

La Grande Illusion should be a familiar name, especially to those who have been on earth for a considerably long time and for a number of reasons. It’s a great film for one (quite enjoyable too), and it had a strong anti-war sentiment that made it go through severe scrutiny in the following years of its release.

Why, you wonder? What good is an anti-war film during the war time when you want your troops to howl for blood and suck the opponent dry?

When the drums rolled and the Europe was in midst of a world war, again, the Nazis banned the film. They had valid reasons of course! A film that bashes anti-semitism and makes an effort to promotes humanity? Nah-ah, not gonna happen.
And during the war time, France, the film’s native country banned it as well (for as long as the war lasts) because they thought the soldiers didn’t need to see a film that puts love, compassion over fighting spirit.

Another reason for its popularity among the film lover communities that its
use of deep focus technique. This is something Orson Welles popularized but before him, Renoir was using it. Welles reportedly said somewhere that if he could preserve a handful of films, this one would be among them.

The film also influenced other POW escape movies like The Great Escape. Do you remember when they carry dirt from the dug tunnel on their body and then lose it outside? Guess where did it come from. La Grande Illusion.

The Plot

During the first world war, two French officers, Lieutenant Marechal and Captain Boeldieu are captured by the Germans and are subsequently taken to a prisoner of war camp. There they meet other captured french soldiers and learn that they are digging a tunnel to escape. It’s important to notice that all of the French soldiers are from different backgrounds and they do not belong to a stereotype or a race. One is crazy about Greek poetry, another one an engineer, one had a rich jewish family that supplies food parcels to him which he shares with the lads, one who can sing and dance and joke around, one who looks just like a woman with the right attires. And Captain Boeldieu is an aristocrat. Renoir was rejoicing humanity beyond all barriers.

Now, their captor, Von Rauffenstein, a German aristocrat, treats them like guests, not prisoners-- as expected from an aristocrat.
While he treats Captain Boeldieu as his equal, he is dismissive when it comes to a commoner such as Marechal or a jew like Rosenthal.

Captain Boeldieu finds a lot in common with Von Rauffenstein too as they both came from similar backgrounds and had similar education and even enjoyed similar recreations-- despite being from a different nation. Even more so than his own countrymen.

But when he decides to help Marechal and Rosenthal escape, their mutual understanding as upstanding members of aristocracy falls apart.


This feels familiar doesn’t it? While the aristocracy is no longer here now, people no longer bow to someone because they were born high but even now if you look around, bourgeoise all over the world are close to each other in behaviours and expectations than their poorer, commoner countrymen.

Eric Von Stroheim played the character Von Rauffestein and he was great at it. Although, he’s not particularly known for his acting -- his illustrious career as a visionary filmmaker of the silent era shines with a far brighter aura.

What’s the illusion then as the name suggests? The illusion that aristocracy can solve the crisis that was emerging then, the illusion that war will bring about any solution or prosperity. It never does.

This is a war drama that was made and released in a time (1937) when another war was brooding in Europe. Perhaps, it was Renoir’s attempt to address it, perhaps it is a manifestation of his suspicions and anxieties. I don’t know.
What I know is that it is still relevant.

Thanks for stopping by.

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