If you liked the great escape or stalog 17, i bet youll like this film too. Even the details of the tunnel dig are the samethe way the prisoners hide the. One of the few genuine masterpieces resulting from the great war, renoirs depiction of french prisoners ultimately escaping from the germans is a pacifist plea for common. One of the finest films ever made about the harsh realities of war. As a film director and actor, he made more than forty films from the silent era to the end of the 1960s. A hit when it opened at the marivaux in paris in june 1937, it won a prize at the venice biennale and was voted the best foreign film in new york in 1938. As the first great war was beginning, people preached that this war was going to end war forever as it involved countries from all. Jean renoir s grand illusion is a film of great importance, one that improves with each viewing. The digging of the escape tunnel in the great escape and the singing of the marseilles to enrage the germans in casablanca can first be observed in renoirs 1937 masterpiece. The story concerns class relationships among a small group of french officers who are prisoners of war during world war i and are plotting an escape. The title of the film comes from the 1909 book the great illusion by british journalist norman. The cinematography is outstanding and jean renoir s genius is in top form. The cinematography is outstanding and jean renoirs genius is in top form. The only innovation, he wrote, is on the style of the actors in pushing further a certain kind of semiimprovisation.
One of the very first prison escape movies, grand illusion is hailed as one of the greatest films ever made. The military is associated with a masculine ideal, so much so that enlisting may be the ultimate demonstration by a young man of his masculinity. Guide, download movies, tv shows, free videos, watch movies. During wwi, two french soldiers are captured and imprisoned in a german p. A few months later, they meet again in a fortress commanded by the aristocrat van. Freshen up your watchlist with prime videos latest roster of streaming movies and tv. We might ask to what extent this complex context explains some of the films ambiguity. They are separated from rosenthal before managing to escape.
William wyler the diary of a film history fanatic pingback. One of the few genuine masterpieces resulting from the great war, renoirs depiction of french prisoners ultimately escaping from the germans is a pacifist plea for common humanity that failed to prevent an even. Apart from its other achievements, jean renoirs grand illusion influenced two famous later movie sequences. There are shots, then an order that guns be put down. Having just finished the picture again for the first time in some 7 years, i was struck by its freshness. Apr 29, 2015 this feature is not available right now. Guide, download movies, tv shows, free videos, watch. Several escape attempts follow until they are eventually sent to a. It is a wonder to see a film from the 1930s so definite in its view and opinions, yet so touching and revelatory. Read the instructors introduction read the writers comments and bio download this essay. His film is an allegorical sketch of world war i in its entirety, or any war for that matter. They meet other prisoners from various backgrounds, as rosenthal, son of wealthy jewish bankers. And indeed, the film comes off as shockingly modern, even sixtyfour years after the fact. This humanist and antiwar classic succeeded to reach a high level of lucidity on.
Think about how renoir uses each of these elements to put warm flesh on the political bones. I urge you to read macdonalds book and to see renoirs film. Il suo trailer ufficiale puo essere visualizzato in italiano online sottotitoli italiano sul sito ufficiale. With this movie, renoir uses prisonersofwar and the ludicrous element of war so prevalent in early 20th century europe and merges them into a film not unlike a. A nobler war that has rules, and people who respect each other. Luckily for world cinema, the russians had the negative during world war ii.
69 1118 273 502 535 1589 809 1306 904 833 21 1383 1250 1286 229 621 1299 504 797 1561 1001 974 1141 735 1028 1236 1447 683 574 176 1124 182 1389 1306