Old School Reviews: Jean Renoir, Grand Illusion

Grand Illusion (1937)

Director: Jean Renoir

Stars: Jean Gabin, Pierre Fresnay, Erich von Stroheim

Release Company: The Criterion Collection

MPAA Rating: NR

	Web
	oldschoolreviews

La Grande Illusion Giclee Print
Lancy, Bernard
Buy at AllPosters.com

". . . a story about human relationships. I am sure that such a question is so important today that if we don't solve it, we will just have to say 'goodbye' to our beautiful world."
Jean Renoir

Son of the famous impressionist painter, Jean Renoir was born in 1894 and arguably ranks as France's best film director. Although Grand Illusion (La Grande Illusion) invariably appears on best ever lists, many consider his 1939 film Rules of the Game even better. Renoir literally fought in World War I with a mission to make it the "war to end all wars" by returning to Paris and making films that have distinctly anti-war sentiments attached to them without being overly sentimental. Renoir's comments on the Criterion DVD production demonstrate what a truly idealistic and peaceful man he was, characteristics that are confirmed by actor Eric von Stroheim:

"Jean Renoir could have been an excellent diplomat as well, for he has more finesse and ability in his little finger than any professional has in what he calls his brains."

Since Renoir died in 1979, he never got to see the pristine negative of his film that has been used in a recent re-release and subsequent video and DVD editions. At one point the legendary director thought that the film was completely lost, but was able to re-construct it when a copy was discovered from a most ironic source. Indeed, the story of the film itself makes for high drama.

The Nazis had declared Renoir's Grand Illusion "Cinematic Public Enemy Number 1," and seized all copies they could find when they first occupied France with propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels ordering all negatives to be destroyed. The French underground remained at work in the cinematic world with collector Henri Langlois contacting his Nazi friend and fellow film buff, Frank Hensel, who prevented a number of films from extinction through his office. Hensel actually had protected a great many films by having them stored in private throughout Berlin—this collection became the prized treasure of the Cinemathèque Française. In the 1960s a complete print of Grand Illusion emerged, much to Renoir's surprise. Had he lived longer, he would have seen an even more pristine copy find its way to the big screen.

For those used to seeing the trench warfare of WWI films, Renoir's Grand Illusion provides welcome relief. Instead of setting his film among the trenches, Renoir focuses on the human relationships that evolve during this "gentlemanly" war and shows the universality of humankind, regardless of nationality, religion, or social class.

Initially we meet two French officers, Captain De Boieldieu (Pierre Fresnay) Lieutenant Maréchal (Jean Gabin) planning an air raid before a remarkable cut to German commandant and flying ace Von Rauffenstein (Erich von Stroheim) who declares that he has just shot down the French pilots. Although prisoners, De Boieldieu and Maréchal are treated as equals with the German fighter pilots as they sit down together for lunch. The entire room respectfully mourns a third French pilot when a wreath is brought into the room—the “enemies” remain brothers in arms through their common bond as pilots. Similar themes are repeated throughout the film.

Before long De Boieldieu and Lieutenant Maréchal are sent to a POW camp under Commandant Von Rauffenstein, who has a special affinity for De Boieldieu, as they both come from privileged backgrounds. Later Von Rauffenstein declares to his new French friend that, “For a commoner, dying in a war is a tragedy. But for you and I—it's a good way out.''

Indeed, De Boieldieu has enjoyed the finer cuisine of Maxim's while his fellow French prisoners can not fathom spending so much money on food. That doesn't prevent De Boieldieu from associating with the more common POWs—he joins in with the traditional digging of the tunnel and plays a heroic part in helping Maréchal and Jewish POW Lieutenant Rosenthal (Marcel Dalio) escape.

Rosenthal provides a character that allows for anti-Semitic remarks to come forth (remember that the film was created immediately before WWII when Hitler's anti-Jewish campaign was well known), and allow him to show that Jewish stereotypes are meaningless. Rosenthal may be well off financially, but he shares his food parcels with everyone, so that the prisoners actually dine much better than their captors do. The fact that the Germans allow their prisoners to receive parcels demonstrates Renoir's faith in humanity.

The Germans treat their prisoners so humanely that Von Rauffenstein finds it difficult to believe that the POWs would try to escape after giving their word. Not all the Germans are so naïve. Sergeant Arthur (Werner Florian) not so subtly lets on that knows about the garden, where the prisoners have been dumping the dirt from the tunnel. Yet he does nothing about it—another element to reinforce Renoir's themes about the importance of human relationships and the futility of war. A couple of other elements that must have made Hitler and his Nazi regime uncomfortable:

1. The memorable show put on by the prisoners and captors, highlighted by the hammy French actor played by Julian Carrett and English drag show that mesmerizes the troops.

2. The singing of the ``Marseilles'' after it is announced that the French have recaptured Duaumont. Notably this is led by an English soldier in drag and is joined in by all, including the Germans, quite a different reaction than the well-known similar incident that occurs in the 1942 classic, Casablanca.

3. The German farm woman Elsa sheltering the two French escapees and falling in love with one of them.

4. Elsa showing pictures of her husband and brothers, killed respectively at Verdun, Lièga, Charleroi, and Tanneberg—ironically, Germany's biggest victories in WWI.

In addition to the fine story and dialogue crafted by Renoir, his camerawork reinforces his themes of togetherness as the camera smoothly tracks entire rooms and shows how each man works as part of the whole. Renoir's continually moving camera makes us forget that the film was released in 1937, four years before Orson Welles unleashed his landmark Citizen Kane, often lauded for its creative cinematography. Renoir creatively uses deep focus (before Welles), most notably during the Christmas scene when the camera remains in Lieutenant Marechal's room as he goes to comfort Else (Dita Parlo).

Naturally every truly great movie requires great acting, and Grand Illusion contains an ensemble cast of excellence, highlighted by the very natural Jean Gabin. Contrasted with the smooth and unassuming style of Gabin, is the stiffer performance of Pierre Fresnay, but this fits perfectly for his part as the well to do captain. Erich von Stroheim's performance as the sympathetic commandant has become an icon with his monocle and back brace—consider the remarkable fact that von Stroheim wasn't even German and hadn't even seen any of Renoir's films before working with him.

Von Stroheim had worked a great deal with D.W. Griffith, whom he worshipped like a great film god. After working with Renoir, he came to revere the French filmmaker in much the same way. One story he tells is of the time that Renoir was attempting to shoot a crucial scene on location while snow was falling, requiring him to make script changes. As the shooting was nearing its end, the snowfall stopped and more film had to be shot. As von Stroheim describes Renoir's demeanor:

"He is incredibly patient. Without ever raising his voice, he asks over and over again until he gets what he wants."

Patience has paid off for film buffs worldwide, for we now have a clean and complete print of Grand Illusion that is readily accessible. For the most enjoyment, get hold of the Criterion DVD for all the extras—including an introduction by Renoir himself, some research material about the mysterious disappearance and recovery of film negatives, and a running commentary by film historian Peter Cowie.