Film · Drama, History, War
Grand Illusion (1937)
A Great Drama of Human Emotions
A group of French soldiers, including the patrician Captain de Boeldieu and the working-class Lieutenant Maréchal, grapple with their own class differences after being captured and held in a World War I German prison camp. When the men are transferred to a high-security fortress, they must concoct a plan to escape beneath the watchful eye of aristocratic German officer von Rauffenstein, who has formed an unexpected bond with de Boeldieu.
- Director
- Jean Renoir
- Writers
- Charles Spaak, Jean Renoir
- Country
- France
- Language
- French
- Release date
- June 18, 1937
- Original title
- La Grande Illusion
Cast
Jean GabinLieutenant Maréchal
Dita ParloElsa
Pierre FresnayCaptain de Boëldieu
Erich von StroheimCaptain von Rauffenstein
Julien CaretteCartier, the Vaudeville Performer
Georges PécletOfficer- Werner FlorianSergeant Arthur
Jean DastéTeacher- Sylvain ItkineLieutenant Demolder
Gaston ModotEngineer
Marcel DalioLieutenant Rosenthal
Jacques BeckerBritish Officer (uncredited)
Habib BengliaSenegalese (uncredited)- Pierre BlondySoldier (uncredited)
- Albert BrouettPrisoner (uncredited)
Géo ForsterMaison-Neuve (uncredited)
Georges FronvalGerman Soldier Who Kills Captain de Boëldieu (uncredited)- Karl HeilOfficer of the Fortress (uncredited)
- Carl KochVon Rauffenstein's Orderly (uncredited)
- Little PetersElsa's Daughter (uncredited)
