Based on a true story of World War I told to director Jean Renoir by a friend, La Grand Illusion is not only a moving anti-war statement but a rich exploration of class loyalties and transcending friendship. The fluid, deep focus camerawork, the singing of the ‘Marseillaise’ during a theatrical performance, and the extraordinary acting make it one of the cinema’s most enduring masterpieces.
France, 1937. English subtitles. 117 mins.