The Big Parade
The epic of the American doughboy!
Country
Production
Budget
$245 000
Revenue
$11 000 000
Director
Actors
John Gilbert, Renée Adorée, Hobart Bosworth, Claire McDowell, Claire Adams, Robert Ober, Tom O'Brien, Karl Dane, Rosita Marstini, Julanne Johnston
All actors and roles (10)
All actors and roles (10)
Scenario
Producer
Operator
Charles Van Enger
Composer
Artist
Audition
Editing
Hugh Wynn
All team (10)
All team (10)
Short description
The story of an idle rich boy 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 men, experiences the horrors of trench warfare, and finds love with a French girl.
What's left behind the scenes
- The U.S. War Department (precursor to the Department of Defense) provided the film's producers with over 200 army trucks, approximately 4,000 soldiers, and over 100 aircraft for filming.
- Once, director King Vidor (1894-1982) complained to Irving Thalberg (1899-1936) of "MGM" that he was tired of making films that lasted only a week in theaters before losing audience interest. He then told Thalberg about his vision for a realistic war film. Thalberg was enthusiastic and tried to acquire the rights to Maxwell Anderson (1888-1959) and World War I veteran Laurence Stallings' (1894-1968) Broadway play "What Price Glory?" The rights to the play had already been purchased, so Thalberg hired Stallings to come to Hollywood and write a screenplay for a new, realistic war film that Vidor dreamed of making. Stallings wrote "The Big Parade," an anti-war story that eschewed traditional notions of heroism, focusing instead on a love story between an American soldier and a French woman. After Vidor finished filming (which cost $200,000, or approximately $2.1 million in 2003 dollars), Thalberg showed this version to an audience in Colorado. The audience reaction was positive, and Thalberg decided to make the film more epic, resulting in Vidor directing a war film without many battle scenes. Thalberg and Vidor reshot the famous scene of troops marching in formation, adding 3,000 extras, 200 trucks, and 100 airplanes. Soon, Vidor moved on to other projects, and at Thalberg's direction, George W. Hill (1895-1934) completed filming the remaining scenes. The result was a hit, becoming "MGM's" most famous (and highest-grossing) silent war film.
- Once, director King Vidor (1894–1982) complained to Irving Thalberg (1899–1936) of MGM that he was tired of making films that stayed in theaters for only a week before audience interest waned. He then described to Thalberg his vision for a realistic war film. Thalberg was thrilled and attempted to acquire the rights to the Broadway play 'What Price Glory?' by Maxwell Anderson (1888–1959) and World War I veteran Laurence Stallings (1894–1968). The rights to the play had already been purchased, so Thalberg hired Stallings to come to Hollywood and write the screenplay for the new realistic war film that Vidor dreamed of directing. Stallings wrote 'The Big Parade,' an anti-war story that left no room for traditional notions of heroism and instead focused on the love story between a Yankee soldier and a French woman. When Vidor finished principal photography (which cost $200,000, or approximately $2.1 million in 2003 prices), Thalberg screened this version for audiences in Colorado. The audience reaction was positive, and Thalberg decided to give the film more scale; consequently, Vidor had produced a war film without many battle scenes. Thalberg and Vidor reshot the famous scene of the marching troop column, adding 3,000 extras, 200 trucks, and 100 aircraft. Soon after, Vidor moved on to other projects, and by Thalberg's order, other scenes were filmed by George C. Hill (1895–1934). The result was a hit that became MGM's most famous (and commercially successful) silent war film.
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Auditions in India
Casting calls in USA
Castingi w Polsce
Кастинги в Україні
