Grand Illusion

Data
Title: La grande illusion
Year: 1937 (France), 1938 (US)
Length: 114 minutes
Director: Jean Renoir
Writers: Charles Spaak & Jean Renoir
Starring: Jean Gabin, Dita Parlo, Pierre Fresnay, Erich von Stroheim, Marcel Dalio
Music: Joseph Kosma
Distinctions: Oscar nomination for Best Picture (1939)



My reaction
Synopsis: French POWs in WWI attempt escape
How I saw it: on video (rented from Netflix), yesterday
Concept: Great.
Story: Great.
Characters: Good.
Dialog: Good.
Pacing: Indifferent.
Cinematography: Indifferent.
Special effects/design: Good.
Acting: Great.
Music: Good.
Subjective Rating: 6/10 (Okay). A nice enough movie. It's a little slow in places but mostly entertaining.  I expect it was a lot more powerful and significant when seen in the context 1930s Europe than it is in 2010s America (although the storytelling is strong enough on a literal level to hold up to time).
Objective Rating: 3.0/4 (Good).