{"id":2000,"date":"2012-04-06T18:27:15","date_gmt":"2012-04-06T18:27:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/filmgaze.com\/blog\/?p=2000"},"modified":"2012-04-06T18:27:15","modified_gmt":"2012-04-06T18:27:15","slug":"la-grande-illusion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/filmgaze.com\/blog\/comedy\/la-grande-illusion\/","title":{"rendered":"La Grande Illusion ****"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>La Grande Illusion<\/em> is Jean Renoir\u2019s poetic 1937 anti-war masterpiece that triumphs international unity while poignantly and good-heartedly mocks man’s egotistical obsession with gaining power. It has some genre-defining performances from Jean Gabin and Pierre Fresnay that surely influenced later, like-minded films, such as those of The Great Escape<\/em>, Catch 22<\/em> etc. It also quirkily explores war as the ultimate class leveller, doing away with conventional social barriers and creating newer, temporary (if irrelevant) ones, making for a fascinating and witty dynamic filled with contemporary value.<\/p>\n

During the First World War, two French airmen \u2013 wealthy aristocratic officer De Boeldieu (Fresnay) and smart working-class Lt. Mar\u00e9chal (Gabin) \u2013\u00a0are shot down and captured while taking photos in German territory and imprisoned in a German POW camp. Here, they meet and befriend other prisoners, including Jewish banker Rosenthal (Marcel Dalio), all watched by eccentric commander Von Rauffenstein (Erich von Stroheim), who takes an immediate liking to de Boeldieu as someone of his same social class in peace time. Several escape attempts followas the eclectic bunch digging their way out until they are sent to a seemingly impenetrable fortress.<\/p>\n

Renoir allows each memorable and beautifully shot scene to unfold in front of his lens as his characters playfully dissect idiosyncrasies while avoiding any political angle. They created a social ideal within a time of strife, allowing pause for reflection on society\u2019s ingrained cultural, religious and justice systems \u2013 as Mar\u00e9chal and Rosenthal\u2019s idyllic mountainside encounter with a young wife and child depict. To coin a political phrase, \u201cback to basics\u201d, Renoir inadvertently questions the structure we have created, ironically born out of war.<\/p>\n

Indeed, the film\u2019s sterling performances combined with the illuminating and searching cinematography allow the discussions to flow effortlessly, as well as the tone and pace of the film\u2019s various parts. In a way, it is a directing masterpiece that encompasses the micro and macro issues affecting all, simultaneously relaying the emotions the individuals experience among the witty one-liners. And the characters are Renoir\u2019s primary asset that manipulate the atmosphere they find themselves in and propel the narrative forward.<\/p>\n

La Grande Illusion is a timeless classic of acting and filmmaking genius that uses the artificiality of war to explore the very construct of society, and is a classic must-see.<\/p>\n

4\/5 stars<\/strong><\/p>\n

By @FilmGazer<\/p>\n

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