The Big Parade (1925)

User Rating:

8.7/10   

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:

Silent Film | Two Strip Technicolor | Lost Technicolor Scene | WWI | Based On Play

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 movie was a huge hit. When MGM discovered that a clause in director King Vidor's contract entitled him to 20% of the net profits, studio lawyers called a meeting with him. At the meeting, MGM accountants played up the costs of the picture while downgrading the studio forecast of its potential success. Vidor was persuaded to sell his stake in the film for a small sum. The film ran for 96 weeks at the Astor Theater and grossed $5 million (approximately $50 million in 2003 dollars) domestically by 1930, making it the most profitable release in MGM history at that point. Said Vidor, "I thus spared myself from becoming a millionaire instead of a struggling young director trying to do something interesting and better with a camera."

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.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in So Funny It Hurt: Buster Keaton & MGM (2004) (TV)

One of the Finest Movies of Its Own or Any Other Era

A fine silent classic that has held up very well, "The Big Parade" is one of the very best films of its era and of its genre. It has a nice blend of drama, action, and lighter moments, with plenty of good photography and settings. The characters are simple, believable, and unpretentious, and they are brought to life well by the cast. Its commentary on the war is to the point, yet in a thoughtful way, without the heavy-handed cinematic ranting that mars so many films about war.

The early scenes work very well in introducing some of the characters and themes. Its portrayal of the USA's entry into the war is intelligently done, while holding nothing back in its perspective. By not assigning blame or responsibility to any specific persons or countries, it enhances its portrayal of the kind of mentality that so often prevails in such situations. It is a believable, and sometimes subtle, sequence that works quite well.

Once the movie gets into the main story, it uses the "parade" imagery well, and combines it effectively with the personal development of the characters.

John Gilbert and Renée Adorée work quite well together, and Gilbert's army pals are both used effectively. There are quite a few memorable scenes as it depicts a full variety of wartime experiences. The lighter sequences are used particularly well, not as raucous humor but as moments of the more sensitive side of human nature that is still there somewhere amidst all of the turmoil.

There's much more that could be said about such an absorbing film, but watching the movie is more rewarding than reading about it. It's neither an action-heavy war film nor a superficial, easily understood movie contrived to prove a particular point; it's something much better that fully repays careful attention and appreciation.