Suuri paraati

This early MGM flick (one of its earliest and probably its first big success) achieves on many levels, despite being now 74 years old. It is funny, warm, touching and has some pretty good battle scenes once the boys leave the shelter of the French village and go to the front (most of pt.2 of the film). Leads pretty little Renee Adoree and the great John Gilbert (who has a passing resemblance to Valentino at times methinks) are excellent and they have a decent support cast alongside. The best scene of all undoubtedly comes at the end of pt.1, when Melissande frantically searches for her soldier lover as the wagons leave her village and is left as they drive away clutching his discarded shoe as if it is her baby. I don't buy that these two could have a future though - he doesn't understand French, she doesn't understand English. Apart from that little quibble though, this is a fine piece of escapism as far as the romance goes and is still pretty effective in its depiction of the camaderie and ultimate futility of war.