The Big Parade

Dir. King Vidor (1925).
Vidor’s great silent film, although it has comedy relief and a moving love story, gives a fairly realistic account of an American private’s experience of World War I. It came at the beginning of a swing against the romantic view of war—public opinion was ready to see it depicted with intelligence and truth, and this MGM epic added visual beauty to those qualities. John Gilbert turns in a fine performance in the lead, showing the box office appeal that made him one of the top stars of the period.

Wednesdays-Fridays, 1:30 p.m. Starts: Feb. 24. Continues through Feb. 26, 2010