Grand Illusion (1937)

Very much more of a character-driven look at the experiences of French prisoners during the first world war. The inmates represent - much as did their army - soldiers from all aspects of life. The aristocratic Pierre Fresnay as "Boeldieu", Jean Gabin "Maréchal" and Marcel Dalio "Rosenthal" as the more down to earth captives - but all proud Frenchmen with their own determination to escape their imprisonment. The film features many of their valiant escape attempts; along with providing us with quite an interesting illustration of the toughness of their existence and the diversions they sought from the terminal ennui. "Boeldieu" forms an unlikely, respectful relationship with the Commandant - Erich von Stroheim; a fellow aristocrat who feels himself a failure for ending up as a glorified jailor rather than fighting gallantly on the battlefield. On a basic level, it is really quite routine; and the ending almost incidental: what makes this distinctive is the way the story interweaves the decline of a centuries old class system; the chivalric honour between opponents being a thing of the past. This is very much about "Egalité" and "Fraternité" in order to secure "Liberté" and is told in as sympathetic a fashion as it is possible given the gritty peril of their circumstances. Gabin and von Stroheim are particularly effective as is Joseph Kosma's score and the tightly focussed direction on just a few central characters really does give this a sense of purpose.