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Grand Illusion
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Erich von Stroheim, in military uniform, sits beside Pierre Fresnay, who lies in a hospital bed, with a nurse standing behind them in a scene from Grand Illusion (1937). Pierre Fresnay and Erich von Stroheim in La Grande Illusion
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Erich von Stroheim, in military uniform, sits beside Pierre Fresnay, who lies in a hospital bed, with a nurse standing behind them in a scene from Grand Illusion (1937).
Jean Renoir: La Grande Illusion Erich von Stroheim (left) and Pierre Fresnay in La Grande Illusion (1937), a film directed by Jean Renoir.

Grand Illusion

film by Renoir [1937]
Also known as: “La Grande Illusion”
Written by
Lee Pfeiffer
Author/co-author of numerous books about the cinema and is regarded as one of the foremost James Bond scholars. His book The Essential Bond: An Authorized Guide to the World of 007 (written with...
Lee Pfeiffer
Fact-checked by
Britannica Editors
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....
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History

Grand Illusion, French war film, released in 1937, that was directed by Jean Renoir. Elegant, humane, and affecting, it has been recognized as a profound statement against war and is often ranked among the greatest films ever made. During World War I, a French plane piloted by two officers—a wealthy aristocrat, Captain de Boeldieu (played by Pierre Fresnay), and a working-class mechanic, Lieutenant Maréchal (Jean Gabin)—is shot down by a German pilot, Captain von Rauffenstein...

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