Rating: 
Summary: Finally, a masterpiece given the treatment it deserves...
Review: The Criterion Collection has been batting 1.000 lately by bringing out splendid DVD versions of such classic films as "The Wages of Fear","The Passion of Joan of Arc" and "The Third Man". Now, with "Grand Illusion", they may have even surpassed themselves. The transfer is from an original camera negative thought to be lost for decades and it can't be rivalled for image clarity or sound quality (given that this is a 62-year old film). The DVD version of "Grand Illusion" looks as close as we can hope to its original state. The film itself is a poignant examination of the conflict between class and national identity during World War I. Three French officers - an aristocrat (Pierre Fresnay), a rich Jewish banker (Marcel Dalio), and a working-class capitian (Jean Gabin) - are captured and imprisoned by a refined, arrogant German officer (von Stroheim). The French and German aristocrats share a deeper cultural and affetionate bond than they do with the men of their respective countries. When the French captives plan an escape, the aristocratic officer risks himself for a nationalism he doesn't believe in. The scenes between Fresnay and von Stroheim, arguably some of the tenderest scenes in the movie, display a ritual of noblesse oblige that seems absurd today (the people in the cinema where I saw it laughed at these men's tender missives to each other). And, indeed, these aristocratic manners are patently absurd in the theater of modern warfare. Pauline Kael has said that this film is "an elegy for a dying class" and that's partially true - it's also an examination of how tenuous the bonds of nationalism can be both within countries (as relations between the working-class Gabin and Dalio later prove) and between them (when a German guard hands Gabin a harmonica). And yet, the acting and writing are grounded so much character and detail that you can be very moved by this film without noticing these underlying theme (the audience that laughed at the aforementioned scenes, gave the film a standing ovation at the end). "Grand Illusion" has been enormously influental - you can see traces of it in "Casablanca" (with Dalio, interestingly enough) and "Paths of Glory", for example. Renoir's direction is wonderfully fluid - even his minor characters have unique features. Along with "Passion" and "The Third Man", the Criterion version of "Grand Illusion" is one of the finest DVD releases of the year. Let's hope that they now do the same for "The Rules of the Game"
Rating: 
Summary: A good, but overrated film.
Review: The Grand Illusion is a very good film. The acting is good and some of the cinematography is well thought out. However, there is an overriding theme of naivety in this film that is bothersome. Most assuredly, war is hell and even before the atrocities by the Nazis in WW II there was plenty of history to showcase the savagery of war. There is always a bit of optimism underlying the events of this film. If this optimism was juxtaposed against the harsh realities of war, then this movie could have been a masterpiece. However, Renoir preferred to paint an antiseptic and wishful picture of armed conflict. He does, however, poignantly show the idiocy of elitism, whether or not it is manifested in aristocracy or the avant-garde, by eventually painting von Rauffenstein as an insignificant and delusional figure within the film, no better than any other man. De Boieldieu concedes as much by sacrificing himself for his working class friend Marechal. I would say that Rome, Open City (Roberto Rossellini, director, 1945) is a vastly superior war film since it allows its victims to maintain the utmost humaneness while also showing the true evil face inherent in war.
Rating:
Summary: one of the greatest anti-war classics ever made
Review: The Grand Illusion, together with The Rules of the Game is Jean Renoir's best known film. But unlike The Rules of the Game, which was universally maligned by both critics and the moviegoing public and banned by the French government for bad taste, The Grand Illusion was universally praised to become the instant classic. Well, this tale of two movies has perhaps most to do with the tones of the movies and Renoir's humanistic tendency to approach everything with understanding and fairness, as far as that is possible, even with things that he is actually lampooning (as in The Rules of the Game.) In case of The Rules of the Game, maybe the moviegoers could not reconcile the frivolity of life - as offensive as that was - and profound sympathy that was shown to them. But in The Grand Illusion, the noble themes and situations are more acceptible. Renoir's films are rarely if ever about just one thing, and The Grand Illusion is no exception. First of all, what is the "grand"(more accurately, great or maybe even gross) illusion that the title refers to? It obviously refers to the illusion that the war will be over soon as it is often expressed in the movie. It is also the illusion that war is noble or honorable, or that war brings divided classes together. It also refers to the illusions of the German officer Rauffenstein of the old and new order. But it probably also refers to the illusion that the audience experiences at the end of the movie. At the superficial level, some moviegoers may feel that Marechal and Rosenthal escape successfully to France and that after war Marechal would Elsie. Although other moviegoers would find such prospect too optimistic, they would feel that the audience could choose either way - Marechal will return to Else or he will not. But any kind of optimistic sense felt at the end of the movie is the "grand" illusion. The fact is that Marechal and Rosenthal probably will return to France, and possibly be killed in later battles (though Rosenthal reappears in the Rules of the Game, it seems to be more of in-joke than the same character); in any case, the reunion of Else and Marechal is illusion. Although it seems that the national boundaries have been overcome by two characters, it turns out to be illlusion not because there is any truth to the boundary, which is man-made, but because of the social condition that is shaped by these boundaries. The bond between Marechal and Else, and between Marechal and Rosenthal are genuine but fragile liek von Rauffenstein's geranium. There are several times when they overcome nationality and religion toward common bond of humanity, but in the end, boundaries and social conditions impose order again. So at the end, when they make final sprint toward the Swiss border, Marechal and Rosenthal exchange words of farewell as if they are going their separate ways. In the movie, as noted, there are all kinds of man-made boundaries that separate men from others - class, nationality, language, (German, French, English, and Russian are prominently spoken in various scenes), ethnicity (there is even African officer in POW camp, and he's not there accidently), religion(which is quite prominent in one particular scene). After all, this film is the granddaddy of POW and escape genre, and the boundary manifests in physical forms of barbed wires, walls, and national borders. The main characters try to break out from the imposed boundary just as much from prison walls. But for Renoir, the boundary that separates men more than anything else is that of class - which separates common men from aristocrats. We see all sorts of social group that can be categorized - a student of Pindar, vegetarian, engineer, and various people who are occupied with different kinds of concerns. The movie often concerns itself with what these people will do if they get out of prison or if war is over. One of the most remarkable myth about the war is that it unites all social groups in one patriotic solidarity. The division among men is paradoxically most apparent in the closeness of two main characters. In fact, von Rauffenstein and de Boieldieu are so much in tune with each other that they almost appear to have been friends even though they meet for the first time in the movie. They have common acquaintances, place they have been to, but what brings them together in the end is their class. Although Renoir is sympathetic to these aristocratic characters, he does not grieve with them about the end of the old order, which the WWI brought about. Theirs is the class that must die out (aristoracy in Europe still lingered through the thirties to the WWII, which was to be the coup de grace, especially in Germany and France.), the new beginning starts in the last third of the film with Marechal, Rosenthal, and Else. Renoir's universe of complex orders and characters are well served by his film technique that utilizes depth of field and adroit tracking shot for The Grand Illusion is one of the best examples of democratic aspects that realist school is striving to achieve. I am not one to feel nostalgic about aristocracy, and certainly not Renoir (who supported the Popular Front), but Renoir tells the most elegiac story about passing of an age - from the age of aristocracy to the modern age. The Grand Illusion was made in 1937, when with Sudenten crisis and all that, there was distinct certainty that a major war was brewing in Europe. In this sense, The Grand Illusion was a plea for bond of brotherhood and higher understanding. Yet Renoir was also a realist. More and more one thinks about the movie, there is a greater sense of tragedy. This DVD was delayed for several years to acquire the best possible prints and beatifully restore them. It is a testament to Criterion's commitment to the art of cinema - well worth long wait.... Most highly recommended.
Rating:
Summary: Worth Seeing
Review: The restoration that Criterion did on this film is worthy of an Oscar. If you saw the film in its old format, you might not appreciate how pretty Renoir's images are until you see the DVD version. The film is more somber than sad and it paints a pretty good picture of what perceptions of war must have been like before WWII. It's hard to believe anybody on opposing sides would be this nice to one another. There is quite a bit more honor in Renoir's characters than the contemporary viewer may be accustomed to and this may make some feel that Grand Illusion is sentimental. But Renoir is not looking back at the past with fondness--he just made the movie before the world became a lot more cynical.
Rating: 
Summary: Unrealistic garbage
Review: There is no way to explain this films greatness in words, just buy it watch it, and tell people about it. let's put it this way, if you are an intellectual, genious, an artistic person, or are a singer, dancer, musician, you will love this, it appeals to the more elite and/or lowdown crowds alike!!! But generally speaking it will fly right over the middle class types heads!!! Essential Cinema!!!
Rating:
Summary: SIMPLY GRAND!!!
Review: There is no way to explain this films greatness in words, just buy it watch it, and tell people about it. let's put it this way, if you are an intellectual, genious, an artistic person, or are a singer, dancer, musician, you will love this, it appeals to the more elite and/or lowdown crowds alike!!! But generally speaking it will fly right over the middle class types heads!!! Essential Cinema!!!
Rating:
Summary: Beautiful anti-war classic
Review: This film is fantastic. It's a very moving, poetic and realistic anti-war film that says compassion and friendship know no ethnic or social limitations. The quality of the image is just superb and the introduction by Jean Renoir himself is valuable. If you are capable of loving a black and white film you will love this one. It's another great DVD from Criterion.
Rating:
Summary: Wartime Sense and Sensibilities
Review: This film was made about 65 years ago, so those looking for explosions, bullets, and butchery had better go with something more recent. For modern viewers to watch this, they'll have to have patience. Most of what you see here has been replayed many times over since this came out. There's the rag-tag bunch of prisoners in POW camps; the escape attempts; the prisoner/captor repartee; the escapee/refuge love interest. Once you get into though, it becomes engrossing. And when it's over, you'll find this a beautiful film. And I'm not talking cinematography (although it is very good). I'm talking about the beauty of humanity. There is something about this film that displays humanity in its noble, respectful glory. You don't see the hate and violence of war; you see the duty and honor of country and individuals. People are treated like fellow humans, not like cattle let to the slaughter. It's actually quite touching, I must say. Althought, while not being totally naive about the horrors of war, since this film was set in WWI and came out prior to WWII and most of the Nazi abominations, that may explain some of its respect for life. Ok, back to beauty. Criterion has done a magnificent job with this transfer. The picture is sharp and, for the most part, scratch-free. The before-and-after comparison is impressive. There are the typical extras found on the DVD, including an introduction by the director himself, Jean Renoir, and an interesting story about the film's history. Typically with Criterion DVDs, it is expensive. But for those who want a cinematic classic and aren't concerned with the price, it's a must-have. Five-star recommendation. At least try to rent it.
Rating: 
Summary: A good movie great start for Criterion Collection
Review: This movie shows a compassionate side to World War I This movie was made before WWII started so don't be surprised if the Germans seem a lot nicer. In it we have 2 men, a Catholic and a Jew escaping from a German POW camp during WWI. It is an excellent film and statred the popularity of prison escape movies. One theme is the respect the German General had for his French counterpart in spite of the fact they were sworn enemies. It can also show that in war, that your enemies are people too. The film is also viewed by some as a (failed) last cry to Germany (where it was banned) to avoid the destruction and senselessness of yet another war. I am beginning to watch the Criterion Collection DVD's in order of the spine number and will review them when I have the chance.
Rating:
Summary: Art, Beautifully Preserved
Review: To enjoy this film, you have to be willing to give up the expectations Hollywood has trained you to have towards film. There are no villians, no heroes, no action-packed heart-pounding sequences. Instead, you have a closely-observed study of how ordinary humans in extraordinary circumstances. It is humane and loving, the gentlest of war movies. Criterion has outdone itself with this transfer; the picture and sound are excellent. More Renior, please!
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