--- title: "Grand Illusion: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/grand-illusion/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/grand-illusion" critics_score: 88 critics_reviews: 12 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Grand Illusion (1937): what the critics said Critics' score 88 from 12 reviews: 12 positive, 0 mixed, 0 negative. Twelve reviews, and not one of them dissents: the critics agree this is an anti-war film of lasting force, and that its power lies in what happens between people rather than in the mechanics of a prison escape. The praise clusters on Renoir’s humanism, his refusal to sentimentalise, and the way the film treats class and nationality as the real borders. The ensemble is admired throughout, with Erich von Stroheim’s commandant named more than any other performance, and Gabin and Dalio close behind. Several reviews single out the courtesy between the two aristocrats as the film’s most affecting thread. The spread is narrow, and what reservations exist are about the film’s outlook rather than its craft. The Skinny finds its faith in reconciliation naive, given the moment it was made. The Guardian is warm but more measured than the rest, dwelling on the tragic irony of the title. Nobody questions the direction, the performances or the restoration. ## The Times — Kevin Maher Rating ★★★★★. 29 January 2021. It is a peerless film that makes sweeping rhetorical statements about the futility of war while maintaining a laser-sharp focus on an ensemble of meticulously drawn characters. The defiant rendition of La Marseillaise from the mouths of hopeless prisoners still brings tears to the eyes. [Read the review](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/film/article/la-grande-illusion-1937-review-a-peerless-film-about-the-futility-of-war-78f6lrmdj) ## Los Angeles Times — Kenneth Turan Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 18 May 2012. The critic praises the film as a model of simplicity and grace whose emotional effects move viewers unexpectedly, calling it a paean to shared humanity. He highlights Renoir's gift for celebrating the human spirit without sentimentality and the impact of small moments. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/la-xpm-2012-may-18-la-et-grand-illusion-20120518-story.html) ## RogerEbert.com — Roger Ebert Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 3 October 1999. The critic calls it a masterpiece and meditation on the collapse of the old European order rather than a simple prison-escape story. He singles out the performances, especially Erich von Stroheim as the German commandant, and Renoir's subtle visual style for praise. [Read the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/great-movie-grand-illusion-1937) ## Slant Magazine — Budd Wilkins Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 9 May 2012. The critic calls Grand Illusion a universally recognized masterpiece and a compassionate, unsentimental anti-war threnody on the obsolescence of European aristocracy after WWI. Renoir's ironic humanism, precise compositions, mobile camera, and strong ensemble cast (especially Gabin, von Stroheim, and Dalio) are singled out for praise. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/grand-illusion/) ## The New Yorker — Michael Sragow Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 11 May 2012. The critic affirms its status as the supreme antiwar film and an overwhelming experience with robust humor and poignancy. He singles out its economy, epiphanies, and vision of common humanity across class and national lines as unmatched. [Read the review](https://www.newyorker.com/culture/culture-desk/the-miracles-of-grand-illusion) ## The New York Times — A.O. Scott Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 13 May 2012. The critic describes the film as one of the greatest ever made, an enduring antiwar comedy whose lessons about humanity and democracy remain relevant. He highlights its warm, democratic sensibility and the restored print's luminous quality. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/13/movies/renoirs-vision-for-a-united-europe-in-grand-illusion.html) ## Time Out — Dave Calhoun Rating 5 out of 5 stars. 3 April 2012. The critic calls the restored film a relevant masterpiece about common values, decency across boundaries, and the rigidity of class divides, while noting its anti-war stance. The politeness and empathy between aristocratic characters Von Rauffenstein and De Boeldieu is singled out as especially striking. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/la-grande-illusion) ## The Guardian — Peter Bradshaw Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 5 April 2012. Renoir's great anti-war film develops the fallacy of its title with tragic and ironic grandeur. It explores the illusion that wars can be fought according to gentlemanly rules. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2012/apr/05/la-grande-illusion-review) ## Collider — Jay Liu Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 25 February 2024. The critic praises Renoir's humanist anti-war masterpiece as one of the greatest war films ever made and the first foreign-language Best Picture nominee, highlighting its timeless call for peace and understanding across class and national lines. The piece singles out the film's psychological focus on relationships in POW camps and its warning about the futility of war, made in the interwar period. [Read the review](https://collider.com/the-grand-illusion-movie/) ## HeyUGuys — Craig Skinner Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 26 April 2012. The critic calls the film a multi-layered humanist masterpiece and thrilling POW story that cuts through the idea of war via class and personal interactions, deeming it funny, touching, gripping and essential viewing. [Read the review](https://www.heyuguys.com/la-grande-illusion-blu-ray-review/) ## Eye for Film — Amber Wilkinson Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 24 June 2007. The critic highlights the film's focus on human relationships and class differences over standard prison-escape action, praising its vibrant script and emotional depth alongside its anti-war humanist message. [Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/la-grande-illusion-film-review-by-amber-wilkinson) ## The Skinny — Keir Roper-Caldbeck Rating ★★★★. 4 April 2012. The critic highlights the film's enduring faith in common humanity amid pre-WWII tensions, viewing its vision of reconciliation as ultimately naive. Renoir's humanism deepens the POW escape story through warm character bonds and standout performances, especially Erich von Stroheim's. [Read the review](https://www.theskinny.co.uk/film/dvd-reviews/la-grande-illusion) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/grand-illusion.md