The Big Parade (1925)

User Rating:

8.5/10   

Director:

King Vidor

Writers:

Harry Behn (scenario)
Joseph Farnham (titles)

Release Date:

1926 (Austria)

Genre:

Drama | Romance | War

Tagline:

King Vidor's PICTURIZATION of LAURENCE STALLINGS' GREAT STORY

Plot:

The idle son of a rich businessman joins the army when the U.S.A. enters World War One. He is sent to France...

Plot Keywords:

Gas Mask | WWI | Machine Gun | Sniper | Wine Cellar

Awards:

3 wins

Cast

John Gilbert	...	James Apperson
Renée Adorée	...	Melisande
Hobart Bosworth	...	Mr. Apperson
Claire McDowell	...	Mrs. Apperson
Claire Adams	...	Justyn Reed
Robert Ober	...	Harry Apperson
Tom O'Brien	...	Bull
Karl Dane	...	Slim
Rosita Marstini	...	Melisande's mother

Runtime:

141 min | USA:130 min (re-release) | 126 min (TCM print)

Country:

USA

Colour:

Black and White (with tinted sequences)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Silent | Mono (music and sound effects) (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

Portugal:17 (short version) | Spain:13

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

The U.S. War Department - the predecessor of the Department of Defense - loaned the film's producers over 200 army trucks, approximately 4,000 soldiers and over 100 airplanes for use in the film.

Goofs:

Errors in geography: The three future recruits live in New York City (one works construction on a skyscraper, another works a bar in the Bowery), but during the recruitment parade, there are shots of wide avenues lined with low buildings and palm trees - clearly shots of 1920s Los Angeles.

Quotes:

James Apperson: Orders! Orders! Who the hell is fighting this war - men or orders?

Movie Connections:

Featured in I'm King Kong!: The Exploits of Merian C. Cooper (2005)

An amazing view on love and war

Not only are the battle scenes exciting and dramatic, maybe even harrowing, but the scenes back home are just as memorable. John Gilbert and Renee Adoree make a wonderful couple. There's a lengthy scene where they are flirting and getting to know each other and two romantic leads never radiated more charm than these two. When Gilbert is sent off to war I was sorry to see the two split apart. Those early scenes give everything else in the movie a special meaning and it's a rare movie where I genuinely cared about the characters as if they were real people! **** out of ****