Grand Illusion (1937) | |
| Director(s) | Jean Renoir |
| Producer(s) | Albert Pinkovitch (uncredited), Frank Rollmer (uncredited) |
| Top Genres | Drama, War |
| Top Topics | World War I |
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Grand Illusion Overview:
Grand Illusion (1937) was a War - Drama Film directed by Jean Renoir and produced by Albert Pinkovitch and Frank Rollmer.
Academy Awards 1938 --- Ceremony Number 11 (source: AMPAS)
| Award | Recipient | Result |
| Best Picture | Realization D'Art Cinematographique | Nominated |
Grand Illusion BlogHub Articles:
Grand Illusion (1937)
By 4 Star Film Fan on Feb 11, 2016 From 4 Star FilmsI’m not sure if it’s because I’ve been bred on a certain brand of war movie, but I naively went into Grand Illusion expecting a typical P.O.W. drama. In the back of my mind, I was even ready to compare this title to later works like Stalag 17 (1953) or The Great Escape (1963). Hone... Read full article
Grand Illusion (1937)
By 4 Star Film Fan on Feb 11, 2016 From 4 Star FilmsI’m not sure if it’s because I’ve been bred on a certain brand of war movie, but I naively went into Grand Illusion expecting a typical P.O.W. drama. In the back of my mind, I was even ready to compare this title to later works like Stalag 17 (1953) or The Great Escape (1963). Hone... Read full article
Grand Illusion (1937)
By Beatrice on Oct 8, 2013 From Flickers in TimeGrand Illusion (“La grande illusion”) (1937) Directed by Jean Renoir Written by Jean Renoir and Charles Spaak 1937/France R?alisation d’art cin?matographique (RAC) Repeat viewing #106 of 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die IMDb users say 8.1/10; I say 10/10 I consider Jean Re... Read full article
Grand Illusion
By Alyson on Dec 24, 2010 From The Best Picture ProjectBefore we talk about the film, I?d like to shine some light upon the director, Jean Renoir. ?Born in Paris, he was the son of the impressionist painter Pierre Renoir. ?In World War I, he fought in the French army, and earned a Croix de Guerre for his heroism that left him suffering from wounds that ... Read full article
The Grand Illusion (1937, Jean Renoir)
on Dec 11, 2008 From The Stop ButtonI can’t figure out who Renoir had in mind when he made Grand Illusion. It goes without saying he placed incredible trust in his audience, but his expectations are somewhat beyond anything else I’ve seen. Grand Illusion is a film with events–momentous, important events–but the... Read full article
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Quotes from Grand Illusion
Facts about Grand Illusion
The movie title "La Grande Illusion" is a reference to the pre-war book "The Great Illusion" by Norman Angell, which argued that war was outmoded, unscientific, and absurd. Though little-known today, it was a tremendous sensation when first published in 1913, and was often cited as evidence that a long European war "could not happen". Renoir aptly picks the title for his own work, knowing that his audience would recognize the reference.
Fort Douaumont was the largest fort in the defenses of Verdun. It was taken by the Germans on February 24th 1916 and recaptured by the French on October 24th 1916 as part of the Battle of Verdun (February 21st 1916 to December 18th 1916). The recapture of the fort is estimated to have cost the French army 100,000 casualties. The selection of this battle for the film is significant as German and French historians often use the battle to represent the horrors of the Great War. Estimates of total deaths (French and German) range around the 300,000 mark, with total casualties between 750,000 and 1,000,000. Note also that Elsa's husband was killed at the battle for Verdun.
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