The Big Parade (1925, King Vidor)

This gritty silent production is heralded as one of the screen’s most powerful anti-war films. The first half concentrates on the escapades of three American soldiers. I found this section a tad sluggish. The story moves much faster during its second half, which intends to demonstrate that war is a nasty business. It is here where director King Vidor shows why he is considered one of the best directors of the silent era. Vidor stages some of the most convincing battle sequences I’ve seen. These sequences convey the chaotic atmosphere of a war zone. You can almost smell the gunpowder. The work of cinematographers John Arnold and Charles Van Enger is stunning. Matinée idol John Gilbert is good in the starring role. The rest of the actors play mostly stereotypes. If not for the boring first halve, this could have been a perfect movie. If you can tolerate the first hour, I’m sure the rest of the movie will impress you.

~ by gelpi2008 on Wednesday, April 8, 2009.