The Big Parade

While The Big Parade is a fictional narrative, it captures the realities of World War I trench warfare based on the experiences of soldiers. The plot follows Jim Apperson, played by John Gilbert, a wealthy young man who enlists in the American Expeditionary Forces. The film was praised for its realistic depiction of the Battle of Belleau Wood.

Released in 1925, The Big Parade was the highest-grossing film of the silent era, cementing Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer as a major studio. Directed by King Vidor, it moved away from patriotic propaganda, offering a more humanistic and gritty view of war. It heavily influenced subsequent anti-war films, including All Quiet on the Western Front.

The Big Parade is available to view on Warner Archive's DVD and streaming platforms, as the rights eventually passed to Turner Entertainment. Because it is a silent film, viewings are often accompanied by specially commissioned orchestral scores. It is also occasionally screened at classic film festivals celebrating early Hollywood cinema.

While the original 1925 film was entirely silent, MGM released a synchronized sound version in 1930. This version featured a recorded musical score and sound effects, though it lacked spoken dialogue to accommodate theaters transitioning to sound. A complete remake, also titled The Big Parade, was later filmed with sound in 1955.