The Grand Illusion (1937)
Synopsis
World War I. During an air-reconnaissance mission, German ace pilot Captain von Rauffenstein shoots down the plane of aristocratic French pilot Captain de Boeldieu and his civilian mechanic co-pilot, Lieutenant Maréchal. Before long, the captured officers wind up in the Hallbach POW camp for officers, and they befriend Lieutenant Rosenthal, a wealthy former Jewish banker. There, they organise an escape along with a handful of determined compatriots. However, fate has other plans in store for them. Now, a heavily guarded train transfers the team to the impregnable Wintersborn fortress prison in Alsace, France, overseen by Rauffenstein himself. But something unexpected has happened. As respect and appreciation unite von Rauffenstein and de Boeldieu, the question remains. Will this delicate relationship, and the grand illusion, stand in the way of freedom?—Nick Riganas
