Undone By Its Overly Pacifist Approach

Rating: Null/10 (20 May 2020)

Considered by many to be one of the greatest films ever made, The Grand Illusion (also called La Grande Illusion) is far too kind & considerate for a war film. While it is apt in its depiction of the absurdity & futility of war, and attempts to appeal to the universal humanity that transcends man-made boundaries, its anti-war themes are somewhat diluted by its overly pacifist approach.
Co-written & directed by Jean Renoir, this is my first stint with his works and though the humanist lens & class relationships do make for an interesting study, its portrait of warfare is no different from what a child imagines war to be. The absolute lack of horror, destruction & suffering that warfare leaves in its wake is appalling. It is naive to condemn war but not illustrate why it's worthy of condemnation.
Renoir here possibly argues that regardless of our national identities, our collective experience is more common than it seems and in that regard, war is utterly useless. But the generosity & compassion with which enemies interact with one another is a tad too unrealistic for me to look past. On one hand, the script treats everyone with respect & doesn't vilify anyone. One another, it's nothing more than wishful thinking.
Overall, The Grand Illusion features intriguing themes, radiates pure humanity in all its frames, and is led by good performances from its ensemble cast. While most will resonate with its humanistic perspective of war, some like me may find its treatment rather insulting. A future revisit might change my perception but for now, this French classic is no less than a frustrating slog whose legendary repute is in n itself a grand illusion for me.