Featured Actors: Jean Gabin, Dita Parlo, Pierre Fresnay, Erich von Stroheim
Historical & Cultural Context
Released in 1938
Banned in Italy by Mussolini & in Germany by Goebbels
Renoir wanted to make a statement about peace
Film lost until 1946 (Nazis seized the print) when American Soldiers recovered it in a truncated form
Renoir reconstructed it — was re-released in 1958
The story is based on a WW1 French fighter Pilot that Renoir met who was shot down 7 times and escaped the prison camp each time
Renoir, himself, flew old school wooden planes in the War
The film gazes back to a different era, and to a war, in the words of the director, “based on fair play, a war without atom bombs or torture.” Hitler had not appeared. “Nor,” says Renoir, “had the Nazis, who almost succeeded in making people forget that the Germans are also human beings.”
Biography
Son of Impressionist Painter, Pierre-Auguste Renoir
Childhood (and adult) companion of Paul Cézanne Jr
Characterizations and Human Relations
A war of formal & educated gentlemen
People are caught in a tragedy (in the West) and only the furtherance and deepening of human relationships can prevent total destruction
The film constantly reminds the viewer that Germans are humans too
The brutality of the trenches is left out of the presentation (a decision which Renoir received criticism for) – instead he focuses the story on the prison camp
The story itself is quite conventional – prison camp – prison breaks, talent shows, packages from home, etc
Renoir’s treatment of these conventions creates the strength and timelessness of the film
Often the German guards are sympathetic to the prisoners – human decency prevails
Especially poignant is the German guard whose compassion toward Mareshal is shown through the gift of the harmonica and his excitement when Mareshal plays it and symbolically re-connects to the human realm
Cinematography
Often group shots are composed (sans cuts) to emphasize camaraderie and decency
Meals unite people
Economy of expression
Note tracking shots throughout
Use of Montage to conclude the first half & introduce the second half
