Le Grande Illusion

A wonderful film, a 1937 film from Jean Renoir.
This film opens with some very interesting questions; we seem to be led to the conclusion that the POW camp is in many ways not a bad existence at all. The character played terrifically, thoughtfully, by Jean Gabin even comes near to the suggestion that it would be better off not bothering to escape at all. This is fascinating, but won't be explored, as we see that the men can't avoid the inevitable commitments and changes that must occur.
We have interesting theatrical themes, as the idea is played with of the Franco-German civility and the 'jolly-good-chaps' atmosphere is just that, an act. Rather like the aristocratic order in society. This film is a class conscious one, using the POW setting to explore peacetime themes.
Change will come, and it does, in the most moving and beautiful scene of the film (and that we have seen in a while). The two views of the theatre, the play acting and the legs kicking underneath, are wonderfully shot. And then we have the magic momet of the Marseillaise. With no manipulation, this is sublime.
It would perhaps be better if the Gabin character, and indeed Boileau, had been a little slower in turning into anti-system heros, but soon enough we have the breakdown of the system as inevitable and not to be resisted. Renoir is strong in showing that this is a tragedy for some. The same humanism for those who must depart, the aristocracy, as we saw in 'La Regle Du Jeu', is extended to the German officer, in a melancholy and powerful sequence interspersed with the wonderful joy of brotherhood in Boileau's flute playing.
This film is happy not to have wild montage cuts, and lets the actors (as mentioned, Gabin most wonderfuly) act. Renoir's style is beautifully smooth and fluid, at once very much there while not being intrusive.We are sure we shan't be the first to say that the last fifteen minutes plot wise, though perfectly well orchestrated, don't really fit with the rest of the film. The themes that are present in it do though, The brotherhood and friendship of those who must now band together in the new world is well established. We have lost a bit of the ambiguity from the start, for a big humanist group hug, but Renoir has brought this thematic development together well (if, as we mentioned, the particular love lot-starnd is a little engineered, though we suppose he had a to get a woman on screen somewhere...) and we enjoy it.
A terrific humanist piece of cinema. A pleasurably directed, intelligent, and intersting in its class-analysis piece, with fine performances and satisfying production. A classic.