Grand Illusion, The (1937)

Also known as

Grande illusion, La

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Captured French officers in the First World War attempt to escape from a succession of German prisoner-of-war camps.

Entertaining as a prison-escape flick, interesting as a class-conscious take on the death of the "gentleman's war"; and notable, amongst other things, for a superb performance by Erich von Stroheim as Captain von Rauffenstein, head of the Wintersborn camp, situated in a converted 12th-century castle. As always with Renoir, the images are exquisite and startlingly modern, e.g. with complex tracking shots which technological limitations made much harder in 1937 than today.

- Sam - 2009-08-23 00:52:26