Duty bound despite differing social and political affiliations.

Rating: Null/10 (8 June 2011)

One of the reasons why Jean Renoir's Grand Illusion holds up so well some 70 years after its release is because it isn't wholly about war. It is on the surface and to a degree, but like The Great War it inhabits, this is a film depicting the two key countries of Europe in the first half of the 20th century attempting to cooperate and even be amiable to one another. In a sense, this is a brilliant social exploration of two very different groups of people that have much more in common than they realize.
France and Germany were the key settings for WWI; after all, probably 75% or more of the combat was at the Western Front, that horrific, brutally long death trap known as "no man's land." Because of this and the issues building up between France and Germany at the time of this film's release (1937), it is crucial to have a slight understanding of the background between these two very proud but somewhat stubborn nations. With this in mind, it is much easier to see why these characters act the way they do: they are living in the past at a time when the whole world is shifting from the Victorian to the modern period.
From a historical perspective, this film is fascinating in terms of understanding these characters' backgrounds and motivations. This assists in appreciating the film from a cinematic perspective, which is just as easy to do. Renoir films have a way of sneaking up on the audience as they tend to start out slowly, then gradually progress forward until they pack such an emotional and visceral wallop that you are hooked to the end. Here, Renoir uses his camera as a tool of information, panning over the various French prisoners and German soldiers, showing us numerous examples of how these peoples have much more in common than they would like to admit. Indeed, there is a great spirit of camaraderie as the Germans are more often than not somewhat civil to their French POWs. Renoir is telling us here that WWI could very well have been avoided and another world war needed to be treated the same. Along with beautiful camera work, the dialogue works at such a harmonious pace that it is just so wonderful to listen to these people talk. This is a rare occurrence amongst films today, so it must be appreciated.
Overall, this is an exciting film not only for its cinematic value but also its value as a historical archive. It is a great instructive tool as an introduction into WWI and the modern era. It is also a touching and powerful story about friendship, loyalty and civility. Whether it is a pure anti-war film or not is to diminish its overall quality. Renoir is able to penetrate much deeper than just the surface.