The Big Parade (1925)

Director:

King Vidor
(more)

Writers:

Harry Behn (scenario)
Joseph Farnham (titles)
(more)

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
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
George Beranger	...	Undetermined Minor Role (uncredited)
Harry Crocker	...	Doughboy (uncredited)
Julanne Johnston	...	Justine Devereux (uncredited)
Kathleen Key	...	Miss Apperson (uncredited)
Dan Mason	...	Undetermined Minor Role (uncredited)
Carl 'Major' Roup	...	Doughboy (uncredited)
Carl Voss	...	Officer (uncredited)

Directed by
King Vidor
George W. Hill		(uncredited)

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Harry Behn		scenario
Joseph Farnham		titles (as Joseph W. Farnham)
Laurence Stallings		screenplay (uncredited)
Laurence Stallings		story "Plumes"
King Vidor		uncredited

Produced by
King Vidor	....	producer
Irving Thalberg	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
William Axt		(sound reissue) (as Dr. William Axt)
Carl Davis		(1988 score)
David Mendoza		(uncredited)

Cinematography by
John Arnold
Charles Van Enger		(uncredited)

Film Editing by
Hugh Wynn

Casting by
Robert McIntyre

Art Direction by
James Basevi		(settings)
Cedric Gibbons		(settings)

Costume Design by
Ethel P. Chaffin
Robert Florey		(uncredited)

Production Management
Dave Friedman	....	unit production manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
David Howard	....	assistant director

Art Department
Robert Florey	....	set designer

Visual Effects by
Max Fabian	....	special photographic effects (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Carl Barlow	....	electrician
Hendrik Sartov	....	additional photographer
Ruth Harriet Louise	....	still photographer (uncredited)

Music Department
Oscar Radin	....	musical director: sound reissue
Maurice Baron	....	orchestrator (uncredited)

Other crew
Carl Voss	....	military advisor (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Distributors

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1925) (USA) (theatrical)
• Universum Film (UFA) (1926) (Germany) (theatrical)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1992) (USA) (VHS)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1992) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Critics' Choice Video (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Movies Unlimited (????) (USA) (VHS)

Other Companies

• United States Army Air Service, Kelly Field  special thanks
• United States Army, Second Division  special thanks

Runtime:

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

Country:

USA

Color:

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)

A Blockbuster Classic from the Silent Era

King Vidor's "The Big Parade" is the biggest blockbuster from the silent era, and, I am told, the movie gold standard to which all others were compared well into the 1930s. ("The Big Parade" was released in 1925).

The story focuses on three American doughboys, fighting in Europe during WWI. Two are working class; a tobacco spitting riveter, Slim, a barkeep, Bull, and a ne'er-do-well son of wealth, Jim, who was shamed into enlisting by his family. These three go through the hardships of military training together, bond, and become fast friends. Their friendships deepen after they are shipped to France where Jim falls in love with a French farm girl. This comprises the first half of the 2 ½ hour movie. The second half of the movie is the gritty reality of trench warfare.

Some say that this is one of the first big-budget anti-war movies. I don't quite agree. The movie shows the human cost of war without condemning it outright. Remember that WWI was 'the war to end all wars', and in 1925 this was still a possibility. But "The Big Parade" does take an unflinching look at the affect of war on both combatants and non-combatants.

The performances and direction are excellent and silent or not, this is a movie well worth seeing.