Review of The Big Parade (1925) by Lisa M — 15 Jul 2009

Just when it seemed Hollywood was finished with WWI anti-war films, "The Big Parade" appeared in 1925. The big difference in this film is the innocence and charm of the main characters as they are first thrown together and then begin to experience what war is.

We go with them as John Gilbert and his comrades see their first action, and the quiet, rising terror of a slow march into what is perhaps death is palpable. All the horrors of the trenches are there, too, but they become personal through the deft direction of King Vidor and his outstanding cast.

The most gut-wrenching scene is the goodbye between John Gilbert and Renee Adoree, the best farewell scene ever IMO. Unfortunately the film wraps up too quickly, but the ending is ultimately satisfying, although it leaves us with the question, "Why?"--truly the legacy of that brutal blood-letting we call WWI.