Grand Illusion poster

Movie

Grand Illusion

1937NR1h 54m7.9 / 10

A Great Drama of Human Emotions

A group of French soldiers, including the patrician Captain de Boeldieu and the working-class Lieutenant Maréchal, grapple with their own class differences after being captured and held in a World War I German prison camp. When the men are transferred to a high-security fortress, they must concoct a plan to escape beneath the watchful eye of aristocratic German officer von Rauffenstein, who has formed an unexpected bond with de Boeldieu.

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Synopsis

A group of French soldiers, including the patrician Captain de Boeldieu and the working-class Lieutenant Maréchal, grapple with their own class differences after being captured and held in a World War I German prison camp. When the men are transferred to a high-security fortress, they must concoct a plan to escape beneath the watchful eye of aristocratic German officer von Rauffenstein, who has formed an unexpected bond with de Boeldieu.

Cast, crew and production details

About Grand Illusion

Cast

Jean GabinLieutenant Maréchal
Dita ParloElsa
Pierre FresnayCaptain de Boëldieu
Erich von StroheimCaptain von Rauffenstein
Julien CaretteCartier, the Vaudeville Performer
Georges PécletOfficer
Werner FlorianSergeant Arthur
Jean DastéTeacher

Credits

Directed by
Jean Renoir
Written by
Jean Renoir, Charles Spaak

Production details

Status
Released
Original language
French
Original title
La Grande Illusion
Box office
$172.9K

Production

  • Réalisation d'Art CinématographiqueFrance

Themes

aristocratbrotherhoodcampcountrysideescapeescape planescaped prisonerfrancefraternitygermanyhumanismprison campprisonerprisoner of war