Before there were special effects (at least like we know them), before the actors ruled the movies and stories were set aside, there were movies like The Big Parade that focused on story, and story alone. A 1925 film that focused on the ‘Great War’ and how it changes the lives of people involved in it is certainly something that hasn’t been done often, or done quite as well. So, without further delay, lets get right into it.
The beauty of The Big Parade is that it captures just how much change our main character, James Apperson (John Gilbert), goes through thanks to the sight of war. At the beginning of the film, James is a rich kid that doesn’t have a care in the world. When his mother mentions the war and enlisting, James simply scoffs at the idea. Once he’s pushed out of the nest, James finds himself slowly changing from irresponsible boob to someone who understands what is at stake in the world from the ‘Great War’. Along the way, he meets up with a beautiful French woman named Melisande, who teaches him that he doesn’t need more than love in his life to keep going. Just as everything is settled in with Melisande, James and his company are sent to the front, and he loses almost everything — including his love. When he returns home, he isn’t the same and he no longer belongs in his old life.
Simply put, directors King Vidor and George W. Hill don’t waste a single moment in the film. They didn’t drag out certain parts, which are common in 20s silent films. The directors and writers put together a perfect story in the allotted amount of time and give effort at every turn. The war portion of the film is balanced and mixed beautifully with the love story between James and Melisande. You get a firm grasp of how badly things can go in war quickly. The flip side to that is that you get a methodically built love story that is given enough time to develop properly, so by the time you need to care about the lovers parting, you actually will give a damn. Tell me the last time a silent film did that to you? Exactly.
Anyway, while the film isn’t exactly perfect on every front, especially the hokey acting (try not to laugh when Melisande is being dragged by the military vehicle, while James is throwing almost every article he owns to her), it is definitely a strong film that seems a lot more put together than other movies during its time period.
If you’re a film lover or a film teacher, don’t let this one slip through the cracks. Definitely worthy of your time and attention.
Now, about the Blu-ray… it’s a bit a rough. I’ve seen really good looking films around this time period, like The Jazz Singer and Mutiny on the Bounty, but The Big Parade falls somewhere in the middle. There are times where the film looks absolutely stunning in HD, mainly during the love scenes and day time scenes. Then there are times where you get a heavy amount of graininess and a few artifacts (sometimes even a shift in frame), such as during the nighttime war scenes. Overall, the blacks and whites certainly look a lot cleaner and better than the original material, but there have been better transfers in or around this time period. Not bad, though.
As for the special features, here’s what you should look for:
– Commentary
– Studio Tour
– Trailer
Honestly, what more could you possibly demand from a film that is 12 years shy of 100 years? I’m impressed they found and brought a trailer to this list. I’m even doubly impressed with the long studio tour feature that you get with this release. You get to meet literally everyone involved with the film, and all of it in perfect silence. It’s kind of weird and creepy, but cool nonetheless. Excellent commentary to boot.
Now, the final add-on you get with this Blu-ray release is the hardcover booklet that makes up the Blu-ray case. You get some fantastic information on the film, how it was made and the story. It’s all impressively done and makes for a wonderful ‘extra’ for this release. Warner Home Video usually does a fine job with their Blu-ray booklet releases.