La grande illusione. FR 1937. D: Jean Renoir. SC+dial.: Jean Renoir, Charles Spaak. DP: Christian Matras. ED: Marguerite Renoir. AD: Eugène Lourié. M: Joseph Kosma. S: Joseph De Bretagne. C: Jean Gabin (tenente Maréchal), Dita Parlo (Elsa), Pierre Fresnay (capitano Boeldieu), Erich von Stroheim (capitano von Rauffenstein), Marcel Dalio (tenente Rosenthal), Julien Carette (Cartier), Jacques Becker (ufficiale inglese), Georges Péclet (il fabbro), Werner Florian (sergente Arthur), Jean Dasté (il maestro), Sylvain Itkine (tenente Demolder), Gaston Modot (l’ingegnere). PC: Réalisation d’Art Cinématographique (R A C ). Premiere: 4. giugno 1937. 2K DCP. 114’. B&w. From: Studiocanal e Cinémathèque de Toulouse. Restored in 4K by Studiocanal and Cinémathèque de Toulouse at L’Immagine Ritrovata laboratory in 2011. Wednesday 27 July 2012, Piazza Maggiore (Bologna, Il Cinema Ritrovato). E-subtitles in Italian / English. Introduced by Béatrice Valbin (Studiocanal) and Natacha Laurent (Cinémathèque de Toulouse).
André Bazin: “It is its ‘realism’ that has kept La grande illusion eternally youthful. Realism is most evident in the film’s multiple languages. Long before neorealism, Renoir based his film on the genuineness of human relationships through dialogue. While realism defines the film, so does the authenticity of human relationships, or rather their truthfulness. This is demonstrated in his characters – such as the English prisoners and the German guards: not simply extras, but not quite protagonists – who Renoir was able to masterfully sketch, infusing them with extraordinary humanity. His realism is less apparent in the main characters who, while never becoming completely ‘symbolic’, are nevertheless bound by the dramatic needs of the screenplay. It is invention rather than mere documentary reproduction. Realism is also applied to the camera takes, which never separate the central dramatic subject from the environment in which it is situated.” André Bazin, Réalisme et génie de Renoir, “Radio-Cinéma-Télévision”, n. 459, November 2, 1958
Natacha Laurent: “The original camera negative of La Grande illusion plays a central role in the history of the collections of the Cinémathèque de Toulouse. First, because it is a seminal work among the world heritage of motion pictures with a profoundly European theme. Second, because, together with French Cancan, it was the only film to provide Jean Renoir with both critical acclaim and commercial success. But the journey of this original camera negative, which made it to the Cinémathèque de Toulouse, illustrates both the uncertainties involved in film preservation and the special relationship between this archive and Russia.”
“Gosfilmofond’s decision to donate the original nitrate base of the film to the Cinémathèque de Toulouse evolved as part of a collaboration between the two archives which began in the Sixties, and has solidified over time. Raymond Borde, founder of the Cinémathèque de Toulouse, upon joining the Fédération Internationale des Archives du Film (FIAF) in 1965 decided to get in touch with his counterpart in Moscow (first Viktor Privato, then Vladimir Dmitriev). This was the beginning of an exceptional partnership based on mutual trust, passion for film, and a shared conception of film archiving.”
“It is within this context of the exchange of information, documents, and experiences that the original camera negative of the Jean Renoir movie became a part of the collection of the Cinémathèque de Toulouse.”
“But where, and under what circumstances, did Gosfilmofond, officially founded in 1948, find this prized item that Jean Renoir had searched for in vain his whole life?”
“When the Red Army entered Berlin in 1945, they took as war trophies a number of works of art, and especially films, stored at the Reichsfilmarchiv. These ‘film-trophies’, as the Soviets called them, were taken to the Soviet Union on such a large scale that they were one of the main reasons the Gosfilmofond was established. Among these prizes, together with American, German, and French titles – negatives, intermediate works, various positives – was also the original camera negative of La Grande illusion, which the Germans had taken from Paris in 1940 and brought to Berlin.”
“Paris-Berlin-Moscow-Toulouse: the incredible journey taken by this original camera negative over forty years is a reminder of the political weight that film has always had. But it also demonstrates that international collaboration is essential to the behind-the-scenes work performed by archives to save films.” Natacha Laurent, Cinémathèque de Toulouse
AA: Revisited the first half an hour of Jean Renoir's masterpiece. In it he showed his prowess as a maker of well-made popular cinema while never compromising his artistic standards. Deeply autobiographical and full of life. No matter how often one sees this movie it always manages to surprise with its richness. I came to the night screening to witness the glorious new restoration which was screened in 2K. It is impeccably sharp, clean and intact and perfect in every detail. It would be an excellent demonstration to show this in 4K with a print of the photochemical restoration that was performed ca. 10 years ago. I would watch at the atmosphere, whether the increased sharpness has been achieved at the price of airlessness. But for a young viewer watching La grande illusion for the first time this restoration is anyway a great way to see it.
André Bazin: “It is its ‘realism’ that has kept La grande illusion eternally youthful. Realism is most evident in the film’s multiple languages. Long before neorealism, Renoir based his film on the genuineness of human relationships through dialogue. While realism defines the film, so does the authenticity of human relationships, or rather their truthfulness. This is demonstrated in his characters – such as the English prisoners and the German guards: not simply extras, but not quite protagonists – who Renoir was able to masterfully sketch, infusing them with extraordinary humanity. His realism is less apparent in the main characters who, while never becoming completely ‘symbolic’, are nevertheless bound by the dramatic needs of the screenplay. It is invention rather than mere documentary reproduction. Realism is also applied to the camera takes, which never separate the central dramatic subject from the environment in which it is situated.” André Bazin, Réalisme et génie de Renoir, “Radio-Cinéma-Télévision”, n. 459, November 2, 1958
Natacha Laurent: “The original camera negative of La Grande illusion plays a central role in the history of the collections of the Cinémathèque de Toulouse. First, because it is a seminal work among the world heritage of motion pictures with a profoundly European theme. Second, because, together with French Cancan, it was the only film to provide Jean Renoir with both critical acclaim and commercial success. But the journey of this original camera negative, which made it to the Cinémathèque de Toulouse, illustrates both the uncertainties involved in film preservation and the special relationship between this archive and Russia.”
“Gosfilmofond’s decision to donate the original nitrate base of the film to the Cinémathèque de Toulouse evolved as part of a collaboration between the two archives which began in the Sixties, and has solidified over time. Raymond Borde, founder of the Cinémathèque de Toulouse, upon joining the Fédération Internationale des Archives du Film (FIAF) in 1965 decided to get in touch with his counterpart in Moscow (first Viktor Privato, then Vladimir Dmitriev). This was the beginning of an exceptional partnership based on mutual trust, passion for film, and a shared conception of film archiving.”
“It is within this context of the exchange of information, documents, and experiences that the original camera negative of the Jean Renoir movie became a part of the collection of the Cinémathèque de Toulouse.”
“But where, and under what circumstances, did Gosfilmofond, officially founded in 1948, find this prized item that Jean Renoir had searched for in vain his whole life?”
“When the Red Army entered Berlin in 1945, they took as war trophies a number of works of art, and especially films, stored at the Reichsfilmarchiv. These ‘film-trophies’, as the Soviets called them, were taken to the Soviet Union on such a large scale that they were one of the main reasons the Gosfilmofond was established. Among these prizes, together with American, German, and French titles – negatives, intermediate works, various positives – was also the original camera negative of La Grande illusion, which the Germans had taken from Paris in 1940 and brought to Berlin.”
“Paris-Berlin-Moscow-Toulouse: the incredible journey taken by this original camera negative over forty years is a reminder of the political weight that film has always had. But it also demonstrates that international collaboration is essential to the behind-the-scenes work performed by archives to save films.” Natacha Laurent, Cinémathèque de Toulouse
AA: Revisited the first half an hour of Jean Renoir's masterpiece. In it he showed his prowess as a maker of well-made popular cinema while never compromising his artistic standards. Deeply autobiographical and full of life. No matter how often one sees this movie it always manages to surprise with its richness. I came to the night screening to witness the glorious new restoration which was screened in 2K. It is impeccably sharp, clean and intact and perfect in every detail. It would be an excellent demonstration to show this in 4K with a print of the photochemical restoration that was performed ca. 10 years ago. I would watch at the atmosphere, whether the increased sharpness has been achieved at the price of airlessness. But for a young viewer watching La grande illusion for the first time this restoration is anyway a great way to see it.
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