Grande Illusion (La)
- Director: Jean Renoir
- Writer: Charles Spaak; Jean Renoir
- Producer: Albert Pinkovitch; Frank Rollmer
CGiii Comment
During 1st WW, two French officers are captured. Captain De Boeldieu is an aristocrat while Lieutenant Marechal was a mechanic in civilian life. They meet other prisoners from various backgrounds, as Rosenthal, son of wealthy Jewish bankers. They are separated from Rosenthal before managing to escape. A few months later, they meet again in a fortress commanded by the aristocrat Van Rauffenstein. De Boeldieu strikes up a friendship with him but Marechal and Rosenthal still want to escape...
Trailer...
Cast & Characters
Jean Gabin as Lt. Marechal;
Dita Parlo as Elsa - Farm Woman;
Pierre Fresnay as Capt. de Boeldieu;
Erich von Stroheim as Capt. von Rauffenstein;
Julien Carette as Cartier - l'acteur;
Georges Peclet as Le serrurier;
Werner Florian as Sgt. Arthur;
Jean Daste as The teacher;
Sylvain Itkine as Lt. Demolder;
Gaston Modot as The Engineer;
Marcel Dalio as Lt. Rosenthal;
Jacques Becker as English Officer;
Habib Benglia as Senegalese Prisoner;
Pierre Blondy as Un soldat;
Albert Brouett as Un prisonnier