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Grand Illusion (movie)

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Sir Edward:

Here's a decent description/review of the film: http://mcrae_tony.tripod.com/grand_illusion_commentary.htm

Grand Illusion (1937)  (IMDB:  http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0028950/)

Set in World War I, the story deals with French pilots captured by the Germans. The film is full of old-school chivalry. The German commander invites the officers to dinner, and treats the French officer in charge very well throughout the film.

I say old-school chivalry, because it ties into some other concepts that we've discussed recently elsewhere on the forum. Chivalry defined how knights should behave toward one another, but there was always the sense that once the fight is on, you are duty bound to do the best you can to win. Here in the film, the officers treat each other with mutual respect, discuss philosophical issues (for instance how different the war is for "men like us"), and yet its always understood that the French officer must, at some point, attempt escape... unless he promises not to. But then there's a moral choice, upholding a promise, or the duty to your men?

It's a subtitled foreign film, but it's well worth watching, IMHO. It's been several years since I've seen it, but I'm tempted to add it to the collection.

Sir Wolf:
sweet. i've been looking into WW1. have to look this one up

Sir William:
I may give this a go someday...although in all honesty, someone would have to 'make' me watch it.  I have almost no interest in movies of that genre...or war movies in general.  I did like Saving Private Ryan but I think it was because it was so unapologetically gruesome at times I could not look away...there have been other good ones, like FMJ, Hamburger Hill, even Rambo but when it comes to deciding between this and a medievally-inspired one, I'll always choose the latter, even if it hurts.

Like when I watched the Christopher Lambert-led version of Beowulf...were it not for Rhona Mitra, I would not have made it to the end of that one.  ;)

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