Cinema: An Old Man Laughs

The Elusive Corporal. "The young man who has not wept is a savage," said George Santayana, "and the old man who will not laugh is a fool." In Grand Illusion, made in 1937, when he was 43, Jean Renoir wept for the worlds that die in wars. In Corporal, made last year, when he was 67, Renoir laughs for the worlds that are born in debacle. And while he's about it he laughs at the ridiculous ideas people have about freedom. Renoir's laughter is contagious. Nobody will consider his new war film as fine as his old one, but even those...

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