This is The Only Film John Turturro Called ‘Perfect’
John Turturro, the acclaimed actor known for his stage and film work, has named the one movie he considers “perfect.”
In a conversation with Rotten Tomatoes, Turturro shared his admiration for Jean Renoir’s 1937 French war drama La Grande Illusion. The film narrowly beat out Akira Kurosawa’s Seven Samurai for the top spot on his list. “I’ll just say… La Grande Illusion, which I think is a perfect film,” Turturro said.
La Grande Illusion explores the lives of French officers held as prisoners of war during World War I. It examines class differences and human relationships, offering a deeply humanistic view of characters from multiple nationalities.
Turturro praised the movie for its intelligence, emotional depth, and joy, saying, “Jean Renoir’s films have such a tremendous intelligence and humanity, and there’s all this great depth and there’s this great joie de vivre — there’s this great joy in the film.”
Critics and historians widely regard La Grande Illusion as one of the greatest French films ever made. It was a major success in France, drawing an estimated 12 million viewers, and received acclaim internationally.
It became the first foreign language film nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture in 1939 and won Best Foreign Film awards from both the New York Film Critics Circle and the National Board of Review.
Orson Welles once named it as one of the two films he would save for posterity, and filmmakers including Akira Kurosawa and Billy Wilder have cited it as an influence.
The film faced controversy when it was first released. Nazi officials, including Joseph Goebbels, viewed it as a threat due to its anti-war message and confiscated prints. French authorities also banned it in 1940 to maintain morale during the war.
Despite this, the film’s reputation grew over the decades. Critics continue to celebrate it for its subtle storytelling, moral insight, and the way it captures the collapse of pre-war European society.
Roger Ebert noted that the movie influenced later classics, including The Great Escape and Casablanca, while still standing out as a profound meditation on human nature.
Beyond La Grande Illusion, Turturro also counts films like The Godfather, Casablanca, On the Waterfront, and Federico Fellini’s Nights of Cabiria among his favorites. He continues to stay busy in Hollywood, appearing in Orlando Bloom’s latest film The Cut and preparing for the third season of Severance, expected to air in 2026.
Turturro’s admiration for La Grande Illusion highlights how timeless storytelling and rich character work can resonate across generations. It’s fascinating to see a modern actor celebrate a film that is over 80 years old, proving the lasting power of classic cinema. What do you think, have you seen La Grande Illusion, and does it live up to the praise? Share your thoughts in the comments.
