FILM SUMMARY:
Grand Illusion
Dir. Jean Renoir, 1936
Characters:
Lt. Marechal: Jean Gabin, a French pilot
Capt. Von Rauffenstein: Eric Von Stroheim, a German pilot
Capt. Boieldieu: a French pilot
Rosenthal: Marcel Dalio
1. Story takes place in 1916, during WW I, before the Americans joined the Allies. Close-up of record playing on a photograph. Camera up to show Lt. MARECHAL, the main character, a French officer and pilot. He sings along. He's in the Officer's Mess. He meets BOIELDIEU, who wants to fly over some terrain to verify certain positions.
2. Another officer, this time a German pilot, VON RAUFFENSTEIN, enters the Mess after a flight. He tells an aide he shot down a German plane, and then he tells the aide to invite the officer--if he survived--to lunch! All congratulate him, and we hear music playing here too.
3. Later, the same scene, and the aide brings in two French officers, MARECHAL and BOIELDIEU. Everyone welcomes them as EQUALS, and they sit down to a sumptuous feast. One might think we are watching a Sunday afternoon meal between members of the Aristocracy. As they eat, an aide brings in a large wreath, dedicated to a French flier, and presented by their German enemies.
4. At the German prisoner of war camp for French Officers. All the men line up and are given instructions as to how to act in this camp. Most of the scenes are reminiscent of dorm life--some of the men have special food sent to them by families. At the end of the scene the officers sit down to a private table filled with goodies.
5. Focus on MARECHAL being washed by another officer in his dorm. They talk about the status of the war. The one asks MARECHAL if he can trust VON RAUFFENSTEIN. MARECHAL believes he can be trusted.
6. After lights out, the dorm erupts with activity. The officers are digging a tunnel to escape. One of the men goes down to continue digging. They have rigged a system to pull him out of the hole in an emergency with twine.
7. One of the officers goes out into the compound when MARECHAL hears some noise. His job is to put the Germans off catching them. One of the guards tells him a man trying to escape was caught hiding in the garden and shot. When that man returns to the barracks, there is a small emergency. The man crawling in the hole gives the signal to pull him out--the men do so, and he comes out dazed but feeling all right.
8. More comedy. The men go out into the compound and talk about the status of the war. Two of the officers bring bags of dirt (dug from the tunnel) and drop the dirt onto the ground.
9. More comedy. The men are dancing around, acting silly. Then a large set of packages come, and the men pour through them. Some of the material includes woman's clothing. One of the men puts on a dress and stands before everyone.
10. New recruits are shown drilling. An old woman, standing outside the compound, says, "Poor boys." Inside the compound, several of the officers are gathered. Some of them are working on costumes--for a big play production apparently. BOIELDIEU waxes philosophic as he looks out the window: "On one side children playing at soldiers, and the on the other, soldiers playing as children" (the men sewing costumes). As they talk, conversation turns to one of them, Rosenthal, a Jew, from Vienna. He notes that the members of the French aristocracy seldom own much land anymore; whereas the Rosenthals own three castles. So he represents the Nouveaux Riche class. The scene ends in more silliness.
11. Newspaper headline. The city of Douaumont is captured, 20 February, 1916. Cut to the officers in the window, as they listen to Germans being entertained across the courtyard. They look somber. They seem concerned that their play will not be presented. The scene ends with a quick shot of the Germans listening to music.
12. But wait. The play goes on, and some of the German officers are in the audience. A Charlie Chaplin like entertainer leads the bill. Here comes a line of English officers, dressed like women, and singing one of their favorite anthems, "It's a Long Long Way to Tipperary"--based on experiences in the Boer War a decade earlier. Suddenly MARECHAL interrupts the performance with the news that the German press admits the city of Douaumont has been recaptured by the French! Suddenly one of the English officers rips off his wig and begins to sing the Marseillaise, the French national anthem. The German officers leave and all the rest continue singing.
13. MARECHAL is in solitary confinement. This is penalty for leading the men in singing the French national anthem (previous scene). But when a guard comes in to check on him, he makes his escape. But soon he is dragged back in by numerous German guards. Then another notice that the contested city was retaken by German troops. Back to MARECHAL in his cell. A guard comes in and MARECHAL breaks down and screams that he wants to see daylight, he wants to hear French. The guard leaves him a small harmonica and then enjoys listening to him play.
14. Some of the officers discuss the escape they plan to make from the tunnel in four days. But they hesitate at leaving MARECHAL behind. Then everyone is delighted to see MARECHAL brought in by the guards. No more solitary confinement. Now cut to the night of the big escape. All the men are dressed and ready to go through the tunnel. Then a guard comes in to announce that everyone is expected to move to a different building tonight. "Pack your bags."
15. French officers stand to one side, while English officers stand to the other side. Now some of the English officers will move into the same building where the exit to the tunnel exists under the floorboards. MARECHAL daringly moves out of his line and tries to tell an English officer the French secret. But the officer doesn't understand the message.
16. Another series of tracking shots as the French soldiers are moved miles to the other camp--where the British had been staying. Then more tracking shots that show the movement to another POW camp. Then another set of tracking shots that takes us to a third POW camp.
17. We see the interior of a large chamber. Inside is VON RAUFFENSTEIN, the pilot we saw earlier in the film. Now he wears a back brace (after a plane crash) that keeps his body rigid and inflexible. He goes out to meet some of the prisoners, including MARECHAL and BOIELDIEU. Again they are perfectly civil to each other. Aristocracy meets aristocracy. The reason these men are here? They have tried to escape 4 or 5 times. Now they have been brought to this impregnable castle fortress, and there will be no escape. He tells them there is no escape. But "I will apply French rules." He shows them around. NOTE: Why is VON RAUFFENSTEIN here? Because he is disabled and no longer can fly. All the guards, too, are old and decrepit. This is the last stop for VON RAUFFENSTEIN. Inside one of the rooms, VON RAUFFENSTEIN apologizes to BOIELDIEU that he cannot give him a single room. A guard comes in to search them.
18. The men settle into life in the castle. Meanwhile, Rosenthal has drawn a map of their location. They talk about escaping into Switzerland at Lake Constance--15 days away. Later, the men are shown preparing a rope they can use to descend from their tower. But here come the guards to search the room. In the middle of the search comes VON RAUFFENSTEIN, who tells the guards not to search in the corner, where BOIELDIEU has his bed. He goes over to BOIELDIEU and asks him, word of honor, is there anything in the room that is being hidden. Of course, the rope is "technically" not in the room. "I give you my word," says BOIELDIEU.
19.VON RAUFFENSTEIN and BOIELDIEU have a smoke together in VON RAUFFENSTEIN's private chamber. They reminisce about the good old days. VON RAUFFENSTEIN describes his physical condition. VON RAUFFENSTEIN declares, this war "will be the end of the Rauffensteins and the Boeldieus." In the meantime Rosenthal and MARECHAL talk about similar issues. They feel distanced from BOIELDIEU because he is part of the French aristocracy.
20. Then a silly scene of the men opening a big box. They imagine there are bottles of champagne inside. But there are only books. Angry, the officers start the straw in the box on fire. The guards come running. MARECHAL, BOIELDIEU, and Rosenthal talk about possible escapes. But now is not the right time. BOIELDIEU notes that if one of the officers provided a diversion long enough, others could escape. BOIELDIEU concludes, "It would amuse me." He offers the other two a chance to escape. He will be the diversion.
21.MARECHAL and BOIELDIEU discuss plans for escape. Note the large cage with a squirrel inside it--right between them. Later, the two talk again. MARECHAL wants to speak his feelings, but BOIELDIEU won't allow it. A soldier never deals openly with emotions. Why is BOIELDIEU washing his white gloves? Tonight he is going to be the perfect aristocrat. He is also going to die. MARECHAL keeps after him. Why does BOIELDIEU only address the men in the formal ("vous" rather than "tu")? BOIELDIEU says, "I address my mother and my wife as 'vous'--" the formal.
22. Two German officers discuss their situation in the castle. Suddenly they hear an uproar. The prisoners are playing flutes. One of them goes to confiscate them. But this is all a ruse to set up the escape of MARECHAL and Rosenthal. After the confiscation, all is quiet for a short time. But then comes the pounding of pots and pans. The men are called out for a roll call. MARECHAL says good-bye to BOIELDIEU, who is dressed to kill in his dress uniform.
23. The men are on the outside. But VON RAUFFENSTEIN is shocked when he learns that BOIELDIEU is not present. How could another member of the aristocracy do this to him? BOIELDIEU then begins to play a flute--to divert attention from MARECHAL and Rosenthal. BOIELDIEU climbs to the ramparts, and the Germans follow him. Searchlights, whistles--pandemonium. Meanwhile, the two French officers escape. Each rappels to the ground below the tower. Then BOIELDIEU is surrounded. Then the obvious--VON RAUFFENSTEIN confronts him, and cries, "Have you gone insane?" They speak to each other in English--a private conversation. "I beg you, man to man, come back!" BOIELDIEU says "It's impossible." VON RAUFFENSTEIN fires and kills him. Then VON RAUFFENSTEIN learns that the two French officers escaped. "So that's why," he muses. He orders the dogs out after them.
24. BOIELDIEU is not dead yet. "Please forgive me," VON RAUFFENSTEIN says to him. OF course, BOIELDIEU lies on his deathbed. "Duty is duty," BOIELDIEU says. "Are you in pain?" BOIELDIEU admits, I'm going to die, but you--VON RAUFFENSTEIN--"you are not finished dragging out a useless existence." IN a few moments, BOIELDIEU is dead. VON RAUFFENSTEIN goes to his window and looks out at the snow. He touches the blossom on his flower. Then he cuts it off with scissors.
25. The two escaped officers hiding in the fields. Rosenthal hurt his foot, but he limps along. Suddenly MARECHAL's anti-Semitism flares up. MARECHAL storms away from him. Suddenly, though, he returns. "Come on, friend," he says. They hide in a barn, and later a woman who lives there finds them. She is German.
26. She takes them into her house. She warns them that her child is asleep. She only speaks German, but MARECHAL understands her and translates for Rosenthal. She feeds them. Suddenly some German soldiers appear. A soldier appears at her window and asks direction to the next town. Then he and the others leave.
27. Later, she shows MARECHAL a picture of her husband, killed at Verdun. While Rosenthal heals in the house, MARECHAL works in the barn. Back in the house, the daughter plays with Rosenthal. MARECHAL watches affectionately. The mother suddenly appears uncomfortable around MARECHAL.
28. Christmas in the small house. The new family seems comfortable with each other. Then they celebrate Christmas. All head for their beds. But MARECHAL spies the mother standing at the table. He goes out toward her. They embrace.
29. Time has passed, and Rosenthal's leg has healed. He tells the young woman they must leave, but she tells him she already knew that. MARECHAL and the young woman have their farewells. The two men leave.
30. The Alps. The two men confer about trying to cross into free Switzerland. MARECHAL says, "We have to finish the war and let's hope it's the last." Then he cracks, "An illusion! Back to reality." They head out into the border. Suddenly a patrol of Germans spots them and begins firing. One of the soldiers orders them to stop firing. "They are in Switzerland!" The other soldier says, "All the better for them." The camera moves from the soldiers to trhe right and reveals the men in the distance. Then a closer shot of them heading away from Germany. They are surrounded by the snow of the mountainside.
Summary written by Robert E. Yahnke,
Copyright, Robert E. Yahnke, © 2001
Professor, General College, Univ. of Minnesota,
Reprinted by permission of the author
for educational use only