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Grand Illusion is a french film of genre Drama directed by Jean Renoir released in USA on 12 september 1937 with Jean Gabin

Grand Illusion (1937)

Grand Illusion
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Released in USA 12 september 1937
Length 1h54
Directed by
OriginFrance
Genres Drama,    War,    Historical
Rating80% 4.047874.047874.047874.047874.04787

La Grande Illusion (also known as Grand Illusion) is a 1937 French war film directed by Jean Renoir, who co-wrote the screenplay with Charles Spaak. 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 book The Great Illusion by British economist Norman Angell, which argued that war is futile because of the common economic interests of all European nations. The perspective of the film is generously humanistic to its characters of various nationalities. It is regarded by critics and film historians as one of the masterpieces of French cinema and among the greatest films ever made. Orson Welles named La Grande Illusion as one of the movies he would take with him "on the ark." Empire magazine ranked it #35 in "The 100 Best Films Of World Cinema" in 2010.

Synopsis

During the First World War, two French aviators, aristocratic Captain de Boeldieu (Pierre Fresnay) and working-class Lieutenant Maréchal (Jean Gabin), embark on a flight to examine the site of a blurred spot on photos from an earlier air reconnaissance mission. They are shot down by a German aviator and aristocrat, Rittmeister von Rauffenstein (Erich von Stroheim). Von Rauffenstein, upon returning to base, sends a subordinate to find out if the aviators are officers and, if so, to invite them to lunch. During the meal, von Rauffenstein and de Boeldieu discover they have mutual acquaintances—a depiction of the familiarity, if not solidarity, within the upper classes that crosses national boundaries.

Actors

Jean Gabin

(Le lieutenant Maréchal)
Dita Parlo

(Elsa)
Pierre Fresnay

(Le capitaine de Boëldieu)
Erich von Stroheim

(Le capitaine von Rauffenstein)
Marcel Dalio

(Le lieutenant Rosenthal)
Trailer of Grand Illusion

Bluray, DVD

Streaming / VOD

Source : Wikidata

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