…for the first time, and I was underwhelmed. I’ve heard so much about it over the years as being a great masterpiece. It was perfectly decent World War I prison-escape movie, sure, but I can’t say it wowed me.
What do you think?
Its made Best-Ever lists (Sight and Sound, etc) as long as I can remember. I havent seen it in a long time but I was underwelmed too.
My understanding is that Americans were amazed to see war opponents treating each other so humanely.
On a personal level, my own tastes pretty much rule out any movie before like '49. I just cant make it through most movies that old. It is just too alien. This movie among a very few others was very watchable and interesting.
I liked it okay. A lot better than Renoir’s other famous movie The Rules of the Game/La Règle du jeu, which is yet another rich people with a love triangle movie. I did not like that one at all. WWI movies are refreshing after so many WWII ones, even if they only had one choice for 20th century war movie in 1937.
While we’re (peripherally) on the subject, Breathless/À bout de souffle sucked.
I like some old B&W movies, but it’s a lot easier to confused the characters unless they have different hair colors or look distinct (hi, Peter Lorre). It lessens my enjoyment some if it becomes hard to follow (wait he’s the main character? I though that was the guy that died 20 minutes ago!).
I knew I shouldn’t have clicked on this thread, but I did, so…
I had the exact opposite experience. A few months ago the Gene Siskel Film Center showed a new restored print and I decided to go because, hey, it’s Grand Illusion, a film I’d heard about but had never seen, and figured I should add it to my “Movies that are considered classics that I’ve seen” list.
I knew nothing about the plot or anything, other than that it was French, was a war movie (I was wrong about that, it’s more a POW movie) and was considered a great film. Yeah, ok, whatever. At least I could now add a Seen-It checkmark by the name in future lists. I don’t know why but I expected it to be stuffy, superior (as in, probably way above my head, like most French “classics”), and that it might be kind of a slog to watch.
I couldn’t have been more wrong. I LOVED IT! I loved it so much I went back a few days later and saw it again. It was not stuffy in any way, in fact much of it was funny, which is something I didn’t expect at all. The situations are serious but the characters deal with it by using wisecracks, humor and absurdity (like the variety show and their excitement at getting all those flamboyant costumes), yet the poignant moments come through even in the midst of silly moments (such as when the soldier comes out of the dressing room dressed as a woman for his skit and everyone goes quiet, remembering their own wives/girlfriends back home).
I liked how everyone spends the movie trying to escape, not so much to get away though of course that’s a consideration, but because it’s expected. They can’t NOT try to escape. It’s hardwired into them. It’s just the way it is. Everyone accepts that, including von Rauffenstein. He’s not going to let them escape, but he understands that it’s their duty to keep trying. That was hilarious and fascinating to me.
It wasn’t way above my head, it was surprisingly accessible. I understood the motivations of almost all the characters. Even if I was puzzled at first about something or other, it worked itself out and became clear to me. von Rauffenstein (played by the great director Erich von Stroheim) was a puzzle at first, but I came to like him a lot. Outside of wartime he’d be a great person to know. I wasn’t too surprised that he was a humane POW camp leader, but I didn’t know if that would change. You just don’t see war opponents treating each other so humanely very often, which is where the amazement comes in. I was happy to see it. I accept his decency. When they’re in deep danger he tries to warn them.
It wasn’t a slog to watch, it was a joy to watch. I didn’t know what was going to happen next, and when it was over I wanted to see it again, which I did. The 2nd time was even better because I could pay more attention to the characters. With multiple viewings you get to know the characters and just want to spend time with them. I delighted in looking for the little quirks in the dialogue (even translated), the character’s faces, their body language when around each other.
I have to go somewhere but the gist is, any movie that’s built up so much is bound to “underwhelm” some people. Since the reality of the movie, as opposed to my misconception of its “stuffy classic” reputation, turned out to be a complete surprise to me, I was overwhelmed.
I’m also glad I saw it for the first time (and 2nd time) in 35 mm on a big screen in a theater where there are no distractions or temptations to pause.
Surprised at all the underwhelmingness. I guess above has it right if it’s been built up so much beyond all reason, but I like it and watch it relatively often.
Just was watching a few days ago a bit of la bête humane – anther gabin/carette joint. I defy anyone to not laugh at Carette – he’s just a funny little guy.
But now you’ve made me sad – it’s been four years ago since I was reading more of Pindar, because of the Olympics, and now it’s another four years gone. Eta that is this movie, right? I always remember that guy with his Pindar as from this one.
I saw it for a film aesthetics class in college, and remember that the ending hit me like a ton of bricks. It might have been the most significant moment in film for me… and might still be, since films don’t often hit me like a ton of bricks.
Something about the border being invisible or something. Unfortunately, fifteen years ago was a long time.
Emphasis added
Boy, did I interpret that scene differently.
This was also on my “I really oughta watch this” list . I wasn’t too enthusiastic after seeing “Rules of the Game” but I love Jean Gabin, so I rented it.
Man, was I confused. My conception of POW camps was formed by movies like Stalag 17 and books about WWII. I just did NOT understand these German officers, elaborate meals instead of starvation rations, what kind of crazy camp was this? I actually had to pause the dvd and look it up–used the same Wiki link as above, LOL.
So I think this is a film that you need to read up on in advance or at least familiarize yourself with WWI history.
To be fair, seeing it on the big screen must have been awesome. Movies are always better. Even movies i love are better on the big screen.
Thanks, everybody. Let me emphasize, I didn’t think it was a bad movie, not at all. It just didn’t remotely live up to its lofty billing IMHO. And I like lots of B&W movies (Casablanca, Notorious and It’s a Wonderful Life are particular favorites).
Me, too. I just thought they all were horny.
I think I liked it okay, but on the other hand I remember practically nothing about it so that’s hardly a ringing endorsement of it.
I’ve always been impressed with the film, but I’ve never been able to understand why so many people think of it as antiwar. The message (until the denouement) seems to be that combatants respect each other and that war is an honorable calling, the only exceptions being when nationalism trumps the honor shared between men at arms, as per the French officer essentially snubbing Von Stroheim a the end. (And if you think I’m spoilering a 75-year-old film that is basically required viewing, you’ve got another think coming.)
I’ve had the pleasure of seeing the film recently. Not because of the glowing reports, but because I’ve now taken visitors to tour the castle used in the exterior shots twice. After that, I felt I had to see it.
I thought it above average. But I didn’t know anything about it before I watched it.
I saw it for the first time recently and thought it very good indeed. It’s not Renoir’s best though, that would have to be the incredible *La règle du jeu *, 1939. That one is sheer poetry. I’m catching up with many French classics lately. The one that blew me completely away was Les Enfants du Paradis by Marcel Carné. It’s astonishing to think this epic movie could have been made during the German Occupation.