The main illusion of the film is the fact that the French prisoners of war being treated as guests when their freedoms have been capped. The prisoners of war are allowed free range of the yards and to receive parcels. However, beyond the veil of courtesy lays the harsh light of confinement. This picture is the perfect example of the situation of the French. notice how the men seated at the table are adorned in attire that make them resemble major figures of French history (the man on the left looks like Napoleon Bonaparte).
Also, the blocking of the prisoners in the shot have them carrying out an everyday action- eating lunch. tough, if one were to look out the window behind them, you could make out a line of soldiers standing at attention in the background. the shot has the guards out of focus to reinforce the idea of a "grand illusion". I also feel the shot can be a metaphor of Germany holding the French foundation hostage and on close surveillance. The lighting in the scene is quite interesting. You'd think for this shot that they'd use high contrast on the guards to emphasize the reality of the ever present prison. instead, the light is normal indoor lighting, which increases the mundane setting of the shot. This completes the irony of creating a sense of normality despite the reality of imprisonment and massive war.
Some interesting comments here, Jeremy. Just to be clear, the lighting key might be considered high key. It's an interesting observation because of the narrative context: the characters here are prisoners of war, and yet, the lighting and costumes seem to suggest comedy. Good that you noticed the line of German soldiers outside. And I think you make a good point about the irony. However, maybe it comes in a slightly different form than you suspect. In fact, the characters are preparing for their show, right? So they're not eating, but ironing, working with women's clothing. There's a kind of freedom in this, and perhaps in declaring that one is bored, as well, given that they're being held captive. Throughout the film, Renoir uses doors and windows as frames, enclosures, so we might also wonder how the enclosure of the window operates given the ironic freedom of the characters in the room.
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