Customer Reviews

Big Parade [VHS]

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The Big Parade is a lengthy film but, for the most part, it is lively and fast-paced. At the beginning, I thought the film was the classic tale of a naive, spoiled rich kid (played by the great John Gilbert) drawn to the battle field by the parades and glamorization of the war. It is so much more than that. The main character, Jim Apperson, acually adjusts to soldier life very well. He quickly acquires two close buddies (played by Tom O'Brien and Karl Dane), demonstrates impressive innovation and ambition (creating a shower out of a barrel) and--of course--gets a French girlfriend, Melisande (played by Renee Adoree).

The first half of the film is a bit slow at times, although the antics of O'Brien and Dane provide comedy relief that is often hilarious (especially Dane's character). It is definitely worth the wait when Jim's unit goes off to battle. Melisande desperately clings to Jimmy not to leave (symbolism that foreshadows Jim's ultimate fate). Once on the battlefield, the fighting scenes are as well-done as any I've seen on the First World War. The troops slowly move through the devastated landscape, preparing for the next sniper attack. The three buddies end up in a trench together and spit in a target to decide who will go over the top and take out a German machine gunner (the WINNER goes over the top), Jim goes after a German he has wounded in order to finish him off and then finds he is unable to when he sees that his enemy is just a young kid. When Jim realizes the horror of war, only one thing really matters: the French girl he left behind. He must find her again! The film is one of the funniest, suspense-filled, and touching films I've seen (yes, it's all those things and more). Give it a try!

In many ways, King Vidor's The Big Parade did for WWI films what Oliver Stone's Platoon did for Vietnam War films: it brought home the realities of the war in a fashion that better represented what had actually happened. In the process, it is thoroughly entertaining: scenes of typical silent melodrama are quickly replaced by serious thematics (eg, "patriotic" mob peer-pressure & bursts of nationalist fervor), fun male-bonding scenes, wonderful light romance and comedy, and finally, compelling and often very realistic scenes of warfare. The film is full of marvelous subtle allegorical references (eg, "mother knows best" comes to mind) and plays-on-words (the curse-rhyming soldier songs make one think of the title, which rhymes with the French-originated "charade"). I cannot praise this film highly enough for its modern story-structure and production values, which were eons ahead of the times.

I agree with the previous reviewer who said that the Big Parade does not best The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, primarily due to its later arrival, its more narrow theme, and the fact that John Gilbert was not Rudolph Valentino. But I do feel that in a funny way it completes what that film was trying to do; namely, by filling in its two greatest weaknesses: its reliance on silent melodrama and its lack of time dedicated to the actual horrors of fighting the Great War. Thus it is a perfect complement to that film.

As interesting trivia, both stars died shortly after the silent era came to a close, Gilbert of alcoholism/heart failure and Renée Adorée of tuberculosis. The actor who played Slim, a Dane, shot himself in the head after the talkie era had reduced him to selling hotdogs outside the studio, making his fate in the film all the more eerie...

Along with the earlier FOUR HORSEMEN OF THE APOCALYPSE and the slightly later WINGS, THE BIG PARADE is one of the three great World War I films of the 1920s--and the most financially successful. Made at a point when most producers believed the public only wanted to forget the horrors of World War I, THE BIG PARADE is generally regarded as the single greatest financially successful film of the entire silent era.

The story divides into two parts. In the first, spoiled rich boy John Gilbert whimsically joins up, ships out to France, and winds up in a small French village where he flirts and falls in love with Renee Adore. This portion of the film is leisurely told with many comic flourishes--and provides a necessary contrast to the second portion of the film, which begins when the troops are given orders to move out. The scenes in which Renee Adore searches frantically for Gilbert among the departing men are full of memorable images, as are the the scenes in which the company progresses slowly toward the front, first picked off by snipers, then by machine guns, and then facing the hell of "no man's land."

At the time of its release, THE BIG PARADE was considered an anti-war film. Seen today, it feels more like a balanced vision than anti-war per se. Matinee idol John Gilbert, who defied convention by allowing himself to be photographed covered in the muck of battle, is seen to great advantage here, as is Renee Adore and army buddies Tom O'Brien and Karl Dane. Although THE BIG PARADE doesn't really best the earlier FOUR HORSEMEN, it remains a landmark of the late silent era, a memorable film of World War I made by those actually old enough to remember it. Recommended.

The Big Parade is often cited as one of the premiere anti-war films, and one of the best WW1 movies ever made. I'll give the film credit. This film is very important and influential, as this was basically the first war movie to bring the reality of war in contrast to pro war rhetoric. While The Four Horseman of the Apocalypse touched upon anti war themes, this was the very first that was able to display how the reality of war is very much different to what people get from back home. It also was the first movie to really show the public what WW1 was really like. That type of message that we all know and have seen in a ton of war movies was first elaborated and explored with this movie. It's influence cannot be denied in war movies, and it's arguably the first anti-war film, even though Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse had anti war themes, this was the one that brought the topic first hand.

Unfortuantely, just because it was done first does not mean it's better. When it comes to war films, THe Big Parade sadly falls into this notion. Now, it's not a bad film by any means. It's reasonably entertaining at times (though certainly not in the humor and romance department), the production values are EXCELLENT, and it certainly is one of the better acted films of the silent era (though I only mean that technically, you'll see what I mean), with a refreshing lack of overacting, and a gritty silent film stock that really goes hand in hand with WW1 as a whole. Unfortunately, the silent notion of the film is a disadvantage rather than an advantage, and this, hand in hand with it's simpleness, keeps this film from being good.

THe message may have been fresh back then, but since so many people have tried to say the same thing in tons of war films, The Big Parade is forced to rely on other things, such as memorable characters, emotions, and the ability to make us feel for whatever is going on in the movie. Unfortunately, The Big Parade has none of these. The Big Parade really doesn't have much depth to it's message, and while it can get away with that by rocking our emotions, The Big Parade is severely limited in touching our emotions. John Gilbert may have been charming back in the day, but there's no depth to him, and since I really don't care what happens because the movie fails to get me involved, he just comes off as a stock character in displaying the idealism lost when a rich boy goes to war. The humor is annoying as well, since the comedy aspect fails to involve, it just comes off as howlingly tedious. The story isn't very interesting either, and the romance plot the movie is boring beyond belief. It just simply doesn't work well, all icing no cake regarding the plot and messages.

Despite what others think, the battle scenes have not aged all that well. I'm not going to compare this movie to movies like Platoon or anything, but they aren't emotionally involving. Hate to be rude, but the effects and sounds really do make a difference, and since The Big Parade has neither, it's all about the visuals. Too bad the visuals are utterly dated and unconvincing, despite what others are saying. Reading the box on the back makes me laugh out loud, considering that the VHS box has the nerve to tell me I can feel the fear. It's mostly just a mish-mash of over acting, obvious music, and unexpressiveness on top of that, and watching the movie is like watching mimes (miming is different from acting, and silent actors can act. But this still is like watching mimes) try to display the horrors of battle. It just doesn't work.

When it comes to earlier WW1 anti war films, there are two particular movies that leave this one in the dust. First, the all classic All Quiet on the Western Front. Cliched to say so, but this masterpiece still hasn't dated and I don'tthink it ever will be diminished. It's trench warfare scenes are still among the top, and the addition of sound adds a whole dimension to it's emotional expressiveness. It's one of the greats. Even though it was made 12 years later, The Grand Illusion still stands out as it really tackles the warning and defuses the lie that WW1 was suppose to be, which is namely the war to end all wars. The fact that it was banned by Joseph Goebbels really displays the thought provoking profoundness of one of the great war movies, one that still manages to make you think even after all these years. I suggest you see those instead if you want classic WW1 films that have not dated as much as this movie has.

I wouldn't say I would call this a disappointment, but it's safe to say that this movie is most certainly not as powerful as others make it out to be. I have nothing against silent films. Intolerance by D.W. Griffith is one of my all time favorite movies. A masterpiece, if you ask me. But the Big Parade really hasn't aged that well, and while I would be default recommend seeing this movie if you like war movies, don't be afraid to really look at it with a contemporary eye. Silent movies can really bring out, but other times just show their age. Sadly, with this movie, it show it's age. Recommended only if you are a war movie buff.

This is a review for THE BIG PARADE (1925) directed by King Vidor. Apparently THE BIG PARADE is not offically available on DVD, only on a VHS videotape made by WB in 1992.
That is a sad situation, one that should be remedied before long.

I believe that THE BIG PARADE was the war film responsible for the spate of WWI films that came out in the mid to late twenties and early thirties and as such was a groundbreaker. But much more than a trend setter, THE BIG PARADE is a very human story about an idle rich kid, played by John Gilbert, who, when he experiences life in the army, finds himself and is ready for the relationship that comes his way in fields and farms of France with a farmgirl played by Renee Adoree. Along the way the wealthy young man sees and starts to understand how most folks actually live and in the war, how they die.

All of this helps make the young man into a responsible adult and despite his war injury spurs him after the war, into relocating the love of his life back in France, almost in what could have been called a Borzagian manner, except King Vidor filmed this first. While I have emphasized the more romantic and individual aspects of this film don't forget about the tremendous battle scenes, most filmed at night, and how they must have been very effective on the big screen with the audiences of 1925. THE BIG PARADE is one helluva a film, a silent classic and because of its overwhelming success Vidor was able to make an amazing silent classic, THE CROWD (1928), another incredible film done in New York City and well worth seeing.

But THE BIG PARADE is Vidor's original spectacular film, one you will always remember. The supporting characters are well drawn and believably played and all the details that make a film into a realistic experience are there in this beautifully done silent film classic.

I give THE BIG PARADE an enthusiastic Five Star rating.

American silent melodrama may not be given the kudos of contemporary Soviet or German cinema, but there are some rare achievements here by the likes of Frank Borzage and King Vidor. This masterpiece by the latter is one of the great anti-war films. It reveals the horror of war in two different, but influential ways. First he divides his film in two: the first half a wonderful mixture of comedy and romance, as we get to know and even love the disparate characters, the second the brutal destruction of these relationships by war. The emotional jolt between these two halves approximates the arbitrary horror of war.

Further, the war scenes are terrifying. After the very human and detailed comedy, Vidor moves into the abstract (although there is some barmy surrealims in the first half, and subtle hints of the horrors to come. The famous scene that everyone laughs at, of Melisande chasing James and clutching his leg as he leaves for the front, is actually profoundly moving when you find out that this is the leg he will lose). The heroes become abstracted figures in a geometrical procession through a stark forest. The gas masks heightens this anonymity. The wholesale slaughter is as frightening as anything in 'Saving Private Ryan' precisely because the human is weeded out. The finale is heartwrenching, and does not cop out on any of the film's bitter insights, including a fierce denunciation of a certain sort of capitalism that will farm out workers to be butchered, while cheating with the women they've left behind. The fact that this was the highest grossing silent ever shows that the quality of audiences have rapidly declined.

King Vidor's 1925 silent film war drama "The Big Parade" is a great work of the silent screen for several reasons. First, the film was groundbreaking for not glorifying the war or its human costs, exemplified by the lead character's loss of a leg from battle wounds. It heavily influenced all subsequent war films, especially "All Quiet on the Western Front" (1930). Second, it had a great cast with the co-stars of John Gilbert (James Appeson) and Renee Adoree, (Melisande); both actors would be teamed up again in the excellent 1927 silent movie "The Show."

"The Big Parade" proved to be one of the greatest hits of the 1920s, boosting Gilbert's career, and making Adorée a major star. Gilbert's acting career was on a meteoric rise, right behind Rudolph Valentino in popularity with the ladies. However, John Gilbert in real life had a torrid affair with Greta Garbo and was left at the alter which devastated John and his career went down hill and Louis B. Mayer of MGM made sure his career was over. Tragically, Renée Adorée would soon be diagnosed with tuberculosis and die only a few years later. The film is the highest grossing silent film in cinema history, grossing $18-$22 million. In some larger cities this film was shown for a year or more continuously. After the film's producers found a clause in Vidor's contract, entitling the director to 20% of the net profits, studio lawyers called for a meeting with him. At this meeting, accountants played up the costs of the picture while downgrading their forecast of its potential success. King Vidor was thus persuaded to sell his stake in the film before receiving his percentage. However, the film's tremendous success did establish Vidor as one of MGM's top directors for the rest of his career.

It tells the story of an idle son of a rich businessman who joins the US Army's Rainbow Division and is sent to France to fight in World War I, becomes friends with two working class soldiers, experiences the horrors of trench warfare, and falls in love with a Frenchwoman, but has to leave her to move to the frontline.

One of the great lines in the movie by John Gilbert: "Waiting! Orders! Mud! Blood! Stinking stiffs! What the hell do we get out of this war anyway!"

The film was re-issued in 1931 with a sound-track consisting of William Axt's score. Composer Carl Davis created a new orchestral score for the film in the 1980s (quoting the theme associated with Melisande in Axt's original setting), and it was restored and released on video in the late 1980s as part of the MGM and British television Thames Silents project.

Great war film I just watched on this silent classics VHS, which at the moment is the only place its available. There's nothing wrong with this release at all, in fact it has a score by the wonderful Carl Davis, the highest sought-after silent film composer. Nice picture, and a great film, sorely missed on a more stable format that doesn't have the scrolling tape problems of VHS.

The love interest in the story makes it a little slow at the beginning if your interest is primarily in the war movie. But the musical score that has been added is perfectly fit to the action so that you nearly forget that it is a silent movie. The screen is not filled with a caption for everything but the music and the expressions of the actors makes it easy to follow the conversations with your imagination. The characters are well-developed so that you are drawn into the film and that is something missing in many movies even now. The picture quality is quite good and not at all like many of the older films that end up with poor quality picture and flickering when restored. The restoration of this film was quite well done and the age is hardly noticable. A great restoration of a great old movie.

This is one of the best World War I movies ever made. It has lost none of it's impact over time. It features many memorable moments such as; the french girl saying goodbye to her love and Jim throwing her his watch, chain and shoe, a march through woods thick with enemy snipers, Jim spending a night with the young German soldier he killed. Powerful and poignant, and it's also one of the few silent films that has aged well. It also adds successfully some comedy into the mix. A real treasure. From a scale of 1-10 I give this film a 10!