The 1937 French Film, The Grand Illusion, is a war drama released shortly before the second World War and not long after the first. Like the U.S., France had been going through a period of economic depression. This depression could possibly be one of the reasons for the more somber tone of the film. Our main characters are prisoners of war. Their airplane is shot down, they are captured, and throughout the rest of the film they must simply endure. They get so close to escape, so close to humor, so close to love, but throughout this un-Hollywood film, we learn that life isn’t fair. Life, more often than not, is beyond our control. Rosenthal, coming from a rich and wealthy family, gets large packages and better food than the other
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Boeldieu rejects his status and Rauffenstein blatant favoritism, and opts to be treated like the rest of the prisoners. He chooses his comrades and friends, even though they are of a lower class. When Elsa discovers strange and foreign men in her barn, she chooses to welcome them into her home rather than turn them in or turn them away.
The Grand Illusion is classified as a French Poetic Realism film. Like other films of the genre and style, it was meant to give off these somber and bitter tones. Jean Renoir, director of The Grand Illusion, was one of the most prominent people in the genre. His films all included realistic elements like comedy, tragedy, disappointment, and relatable working class characters.
The film did reminded me more of real life. There were little moments of happiness. Marechal and Rosenthal spend a short time at Elsa’s house. Marechal goes on to fall in love with Elsa. In the Christmas scene, we see their momentary joy as they surprise Lotte, the little girl both men have come to adore, with a little nativity. But as contrast to the happiness, there was also death and sorrow. Boeldieu sacrificed himself as a distraction to allow the others’ escape. Marechal ultimately left Elsa and Lotte behind, with a promise to return that he may or may not be able to
Boeldieu rejects his status and Rauffenstein blatant favoritism, and opts to be treated like the rest of the prisoners. He chooses his comrades and friends, even though they are of a lower class. When Elsa discovers strange and foreign men in her barn, she chooses to welcome them into her home rather than turn them in or turn them away.
The Grand Illusion is classified as a French Poetic Realism film. Like other films of the genre and style, it was meant to give off these somber and bitter tones. Jean Renoir, director of The Grand Illusion, was one of the most prominent people in the genre. His films all included realistic elements like comedy, tragedy, disappointment, and relatable working class characters.
The film did reminded me more of real life. There were little moments of happiness. Marechal and Rosenthal spend a short time at Elsa’s house. Marechal goes on to fall in love with Elsa. In the Christmas scene, we see their momentary joy as they surprise Lotte, the little girl both men have come to adore, with a little nativity. But as contrast to the happiness, there was also death and sorrow. Boeldieu sacrificed himself as a distraction to allow the others’ escape. Marechal ultimately left Elsa and Lotte behind, with a promise to return that he may or may not be able to