Jean Renoir's La Grande Illusion -- What Makes This Movie Great? (Episode 127)

[@sanidhyasingh227]

Orson Welles said that if all the movies were destroyed and he could save only two. He said he would have Grand Illusion and then something else

[@C_Jj_G]

The other might of been a Buster Keaton movie 🤔

[@LearningaboutMovies]

I wonder when Welles said that. 1940s, or later? We know he watched Stagecoach repeatedly to prep for Citizen Kane. I am curious as to when he watched Grand Illusion first.

[@sanidhyasingh227]

@@LearningaboutMovies I don't know when he first watched it. He said it on the Dick Cavett Show around 1970. The interview is on youtube.

[@arnewouters01]

@@LearningaboutMovies kzbin.infoUgkxPCxdzFmfe8pDzZuHPqzP6lAJBuwcoQgE?si=9bBhKUc8VyYjyll5

[@domwalker6526]

One of the best movies ever made

[@linkbiff1054]

I adore the hell out of Renoir’s Rules of the Game, so this will be next

[@svetislavljubisavljevic674]

If by some chance this work of art had been understood at the time, it would have become an achievement valued more than Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samurai. Unfortunately, even today, most people are not interested in true works of art. It would not be right for humanity to repeat such a mistake. We must preserve the true values, or the horrors will be repeated.

[@ricardorodriguez5549]

An absolute masterpiece

[@ottowalter6102]

No one mentioned that the titel is a reference to Norman Angell's well known book The Great Illusion from 1909, where he argued that a future war between European nations is futile and therefore unlikely because of common economic interests. Man, where did I hear that before?^^

[@Winnerrr-nz7pm]

Hey just finished watching after your recommendation truly a masterpiece 9.5/10.🙂🙂LOOKING FORWARD TO WATCH MORE JEAN RENOIR MOVIES

[@alanwatson4249]

Great stuff Josh. Have that Blu-ray. Terrific film - von Stroheim exceptional. Thought of the amazing British POW scene in 'Blimp' where Livesey confronts Anton Walbrook and the dinner afterwards. Keep it up.

[@LearningaboutMovies]

thank you. yes, I think Blimp might be referencing Grand Illusion, though I hadn't noticed that before. Great!

[@alanwatson4249]

@@LearningaboutMovies Quoting David Thomson talking of 'Blimp', "The friendship compares with the bond between Stroheim and Pierre Fresnay in 'La Grande Illusion'. The French film, finally, is stronger because it knows one man may have to kill the other. But you could do only good by playing the two films together." Great stuff Josh.

[@markcianciolo9384]

Elsa's child is a little girl. Not a boy. Rosenthal even explicitly makes that clear. Thank you for another another worthy review!

[@giacomoboganini7823]

Thank you, I started watching this movie, but after an hour it was not clear to me why it was so important. the use of close-ups was visibly great and the respect between the French and the English very interesting. otherwise it seemed like a list of war movie clichés. Thanks to your video I will be able to continue watching it more consciously.

[@LearningaboutMovies]

you're welcome

[@gregoryrobinson9069]

I like this movie. Thanks for your insight.

[@LearningaboutMovies]

you're welcome.

[@tejnoortj4448]

your right about the crisp quality, I checked the criterion collection version its quite bad

[@dmk5n1]

That one actor looks like Danny Kaye and Kenneth Branagh's child.

[@chickencharlie1992]

That dirt thing is real, that's how it was often done back in the day.

[@ishia55]

It is Orson Welles's favourite movie.

[@kilgoretrout2918]

and not one mention of "Come Sail Away"

[@LearningaboutMovies]

made this months ago so I forget what you are referring to. All I can think of is Styx, which can't be right.

[@kilgoretrout2918]

@@LearningaboutMovies the hit from their album The Grand Illusion=sorry for the obscure reference-

[@ksheltonification]

Um... I understood Lotte as a little girl, not a little boy...

[@LearningaboutMovies]

it's been so long that I made this that I don't recall what you are talking about.

[@ksheltonification]

@@LearningaboutMovies Sorry about that, Dr. Matthews. Around the 7 minute mark, you talk about how one of the characters "almost becomes the husband and a sort of step-father to a young boy." Else's child is a girl, not a boy. I appreciate your analysis of this movie though... it is one of my favorites. Thank you.

[@walterbenjamin1386]

@@ksheltonification And sadly that little child died of influenza before the movie's premier.

[@ksheltonification]

@@walterbenjamin1386 so sorry to hear about that. Very talented.

[@walterbenjamin1386]

@@ksheltonification She was adorable. Lotte hat blaue Augen.