The Grand Illusion refers to war--the Great War, and every other war. Renoir shows how life and social interactions remain unchanged in times of war; are we really in a war then? But its thematic underpinnings go so much deeper. Countries themselves are illusions, separated only by man-made, self-imposed differences. Even language is an illusion; with the right person speaking, the right emotions on display, the engaged listener, it doesn't even matter what words are coming out of their mouth. This was Renoir's point of view, and it seems a little too idealistic and romantic for me to believe. Also, I was not particularly impressed with the acting, the editing, or the music, but the story (on thematic and emotional grounds) and the camerawork were absolutely stunning. Without a doubt, Renoir knows long tracking shots and mise-en-scene.IMDb link: http://imdb.com/title/tt0028950/