La grande parade

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.

There are a lot of great silent films that surprisingly for so long ago do not show their age and aren't as creaky. Am not saying anything negative about silent films in general, or trying to generalise if it comes over that way, quite the contrary (appreciate them hugely actually, though some don't hold up as well as others). There are also a lot of great WW1 films that still hold up in emotional power and are of vast historical significance, a strong primary example being 'All Quiet on the Western Front'.

Whether 'The Big Parade' is the best WW1 film there is very up for debate when there are many contenders for that title. For me though, it is definitely up there with the best (certainly of the "anti-war" ones) and still stands as a beautiful and powerful film that surprisingly pulls no punches and doesn't play safe. Wholly deserving of its lauded status, and for anybody that loves silents, war films and classic film (the case with me on all counts) in general 'The Big Parade' is a must watch.

It does start a little slow and some of the humour, especially that from Karl Dane, is overdone.

Everything else is on the money and obliterate any faults. It's beautifully and atmospherically shot, the editing flowing smoothly. Regarding the music, both William Axt and Carl Davis' scores are well worth listening to. With a personal preference for the truly haunting one of Davis. King Vidor's direction is masterful, some of his best. He clearly connected with the subject and does so in a very artistic and human way, the drama hitting hard and not being over-idealised.

Slow start aside, 'The Big Parade' is one powerful emotional wallop of a film. The love story is truly beautiful and the comradeship is similarly poignantly handled and where one particularly cares for the characters and what happens to them. The battle sequences were an achievement back then and are still astonishing now, having a full sense of horror in a pull-no-punches way. As others have said, the parting of the lovers is unforgettable and truly touching. Don't know many that are this moving actually.

Pretty much all the acting is excellent, apart from some over-doing at times with Dane. Especially understated John Gilbert, whose eyes tell so much. Renee Adoree is lovely too, but acting-wise this is Gilbert's film.

All in all, truly fabulous. 9/10

THE BIG PARADE (1925) is set in the United States in 1917. It tells the story of Jim Apperson (John Gilbert), an idle young rich man who enlists to fight in World War I. He finds friendship and love during his time in France, but is soon plunged into the chaos and horror of war. Directed by King Vidor.

SCRIPT: THE BIG PARADE is often acclaimed as the first Hollywood movie to realistically portray war. This is very accurate. The lead character, Jim, is reluctant to enlist but does so due to peer pressure and finding himself caught up in the patriotic fervor of the moment. Along the way, his character is changed forever by what he experiences. On my first viewing, I did feel that it took a while to get to the war…but the first hour of the movie really lays the groundwork for the great changes to come. Jim finds friendship and romance along the way, and we get to see him bond with the characters (even though he did seem to rather conveniently and inexplicably forget about his fiancée back home – that part could have been handled better IMHO.) The movie shows abundant humor, warmth, and humanity. This causes the shift to the war to have more dramatic impact. THE BIG PARADE does not glamorize war, but shows it for what it really is – a brutal and senseless waste of life. However, even then it has time for humor, and shows realistic character development. We see the toll the war takes on Jim, but the film does end on a hopeful note. SCORE: 9/10

ACTING: John Gilbert became a star after this movie, and it's easy to see why. His performance still holds up very well today – understated, realistic, and yet very charismatic. He displays a great emotional range that never seems exaggerated. Renee Adoree contributes a moving performance as his love Melisande – she conveys the character's strong will, and the depth of her love for Jim as he is taken away is very evident in this pivotal scene. The rapport between her and Gilbert is very good. Tom O'Brien contributes good support as Jim's buddy Bull. I wasn't a big fan of Karl Dane's performance as the tobacco-chewing hayseed Slim; it seemed a little broad to me, but just a little, not nearly as overdone as, say, the characters in DW Griffith's WAY DOWN EAST. Karl Dane gets to display more depth and determination during the war scenes. Claire McDowell is excellent as Jim's mother, and the relationship between her and Gilbert is moving and believable. Quite well done overall. SCORE: 9/10

CINEMATOGRAPHY/PRODUCTION: King Vidor showed his considerable directorial talent with this film. The cinematography and editing are nothing less than first rate. There are quite a few powerful sequences here – Melisande pursuing Jim as he is taken to the front; the soldiers' doomed march into the forest, with tracking shots and polished editing; the climactic battle at night…Vidor shows a great command of his use of light and shadow during the battle scene. You really do feel the impact of the battle. The editing is smoothly done throughout, and this movie helped set the standard for war movies to follow. SCORE: 10/10

SUMMARY: THE BIG PARADE is a pivotal moment in cinema, for daring to show the reality of war, rather than an idealized or propagandistic point of view. It has warmth, humor, and camaraderie, as well as a realistic viewpoint of war's horror and senselessness. The performances, cinematography, and production are first rate. Though there are minor flaws, the movie as a whole stands as a masterpiece. SCORE: 9/10

This is one of the best silent movies ever made, and probably the best WWI movie ever made, silent or sound. It's one of the greatest movies I have seen to show how war can turn one man's world upside down, yet not necessarily in a completely negative way as have other films. The direction is superb. The acting is wonderful. In particular, Renee Adoree's character is adorable as the French heroine. In one of the movie's most romantic scenes (and a much parodied one), Renee's character anxiously finds Gilbert, who is in the process of moving on to battle. When they unite, the two almost can't be seperated, even as the cars are moving. It's one of the most emotional scenes ever.

Then there are the battle scenes, which are stellar. The character development is wonderful, as lazy, rich boy Jim joins the war only to please his friends and fiancee. Then, he finds out what war is all about, as well as true love. "Slim" makes a nice comedic supporting character, who again is finally seen in a different light in the face of battle.

One thing I should note, is that the version of this film I saw is the one scored by Carl Davis. I also heard his score for "the Lodger" and thought it was distracting if anything. But this score is an example of the perfect silent score. It actually shows the maximum "potential" of the film. It's always appropriate, is molded to every scene, takes advantage of a modern orchestra while still preserving several stylistic nuances of older films. Kudos to Mr. Davis for a fine score.

Finally, why wasn't there room for this on AFI's 100 list? It's certainly better than "the Jazz Singer" or "Easy Rider", and probably a ton of others on the list. Part of the problem, I realize is that so few people have seen this. There's only about 150 votes so far on this site. This masterpiece should be seen at least once by any serious film lover. A perfect 10!

A young American soldier (John Gilbert) witnesses the horrors of the Great War.

The film was groundbreaking for not glorifying the war or ignoring its human costs, exemplified by the lead character's loss of a leg from battle wounds. It heavily influenced a great many subsequent war films, especially "All Quiet on the Western Front" (1930).

What really stands out is the new score from Carl Davis. While the film itself is powerful (and has held up very well over the past century), Davis has made it even more engaging and triumphant with his music. I have not heard the old score and cannot compare, but surely it never had the power it does now.