Principal cast
Jean Gabin, Dita Parlo, Pierre Fresnay, Erich von Stroheim and Julien Carette
Film 218 of 498 on the Screen Path
Grand Illusion
A Great Drama of Human Emotions
About the film
Grand Illusion at a glance.
Screen Path places this 1937 film at stop 218 in one curated journey through cinema. The learning experience adds context before you watch and deeper analysis after.
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.
Key craft credits
Christian Matras (director of photography), Marguerite Renoir (editor), Marthe Huguet (editor), Joseph Kosma (original music composer) and Eugène Lourié (production design)
- Director
- Jean Renoir
- Release
- 1937-06-18
- Runtime
- 114 minutes
- Genres
- Drama, History and War
- Country
- France
- Quiz
- 50 questions
The Screen Path journey
Before. After. Remember.
The featured film is watched outside Screen Path. The app provides the learning experience around it: a guide, an analysis, and a quiz with explanations.
01
Before you watch
Start with a spoiler-free video guide to the context and filmmaking choices worth noticing.
Spoiler-free02
After the film
Return after watching for a deeper video analysis of craft, meaning, and legacy.
Contains spoilers03
Quiz yourself
Answer 50 questions with clear rationales designed to make the ideas stick.
50 questions in this journeyCitizen Kane is the complete public example: both learning videos and a five-question sample quiz are available below.
Start the example →Full cast
Full cast
- Jean GabinCharacter: Lieutenant Maréchal
- Dita ParloCharacter: Elsa
- Pierre FresnayCharacter: Captain de Boëldieu
- Erich von StroheimCharacter: Captain von Rauffenstein
- Julien CaretteCharacter: Cartier, the Vaudeville Performer
- Georges PécletCharacter: Officer
- Werner FlorianCharacter: Sergeant Arthur
- Jean DastéCharacter: Teacher
- Sylvain ItkineCharacter: Lieutenant Demolder
- Gaston ModotCharacter: Engineer
- Marcel DalioCharacter: Lieutenant Rosenthal
- Jacques BeckerCharacter: British Officer (uncredited)
Full crew
Full crew
- Jean RenoirCredits: Director, Writer
- Joseph KosmaCredits: Original Music Composer
- René DecraisCredits: Costume Design
- RaffelsCredits: Makeup Artist
- Frank RollmerCredits: Producer
- Christian MatrasCredits: Director of Photography
- Albert PinkovitchCredits: Producer
- Eugène LouriéCredits: Set Decoration, Production Design
- Marthe HuguetCredits: Editor
- Joseph de BretagneCredits: Sound Designer
- Marguerite RenoirCredits: Editor
- Raymond BlondyCredits: Production Manager
- Jean BourgoinCredits: First Assistant Camera
- Carl KochCredits: Technical Supervisor
- Maurice BarnathanCredits: Location Manager
- Robert RipsCredits: Second Assistant Director
- Ernest BourreaudCredits: Camera Operator
- Claude RenoirCredits: Camera Operator
- Emile VuillermozCredits: Conductor
- Jacques BeckerCredits: First Assistant Director
- Suzy BertonCredits: Wardrobe Supervisor
- Charles SpaakCredits: Writer
- Sam LevinCredits: Still Photographer
- Françoise GiroudCredits: Script Supervisor
- Alexandre LauriéCredits: Props
- Raymond PillonCredits: Props
- Pierre BlondyCredits: General Manager
Film data and images provided by TMDB. This product uses the TMDB API but is not endorsed or certified by TMDB.