Categoria: Film

The Making of The Big Parade (1925)

su da theain Cronologia 1925, Film
The Big Parade
The Big Parade (1925)

March 25, 1925. Frank Borzage and John Gilbert left for the Coast Saturday, following a short vacation here. Gilbert’s next part will be in “The Big Parade,” to be directed by King Vidor.

June 7, 1925. King Vidor’s “The Big Parade” — Although I hesitate to answer directly for several reasons, I really believe that this is my best picture. Here is a combination of a gripping story, sterling actors and  a producing organization that stops at no expense in providing realistic settings and the other physical requisites of picture making.

Vidor Starts on Interiors. Hollywood — King Vidor has completed war scenes for “The Big Parade” and has commence shooting interiors.

August 24, 1925. Exteriors Filmed in Texas

King Vidor, wih a staff of cameramen and assistants, is in Ft. Houston, Texas, where he is photographing final scenes for “The Big Parade,” for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.

August 31, 1925. Talk of Road Show

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Considering Special Presentations for “The Big Parade”

Metro – Goldwyn – Mayer officials have under advisement a road show plan for “The Big Parade” a war picture directed by King Vidor from a story by Lawrence Stallings.

If advance reports are to be credited the picture is big. John Gilbert has the title role. The history of the production is interesting. Stallings who wrote “What Price Glory?” was engaged by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer to do special work at the studio. This led to reports that M.-G.-M. had purchased the latter play which had been frowned upon by the Hays office.

Later Stallings wrote “The Big Parade” as an original. It contains much of the same atmosphere as “What Price Glory?”

September 24, 1925. A Sensation

Hollywood — “The Big Parade” now being completed by King Vidor. For Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. “Will be the sensation of the year. When released. It will probably be some time before it reaches picture houses. For it will be roadshown first.

The first day I was in Hollywood Sol Lesser of West Coast Theaters met me. “You will see the greatest motion picture ever made,” he said, “if you are lucky — ‘The Big Parade.’

A few days later talking to Joe Schenck. Rambling along about various matters. Schenck always an interesting talker. Quite incidentally he said : “I just saw the greatest picture ever made — ‘The Big Parade’. It is marvelous. You must see it.

William Randolph Hearst who saw it at the same time I did declared it is the greatest picture he has ever seen. Norma (Talmadge) says the same thing. It is wonderful.

Talking to Norma an hour later. Asked her if she liked “The Big Parade.” “Did I?” she asked, “Well, it knocked me out. It is perfectly marvelous. I think it is the greatest picture ever made.” And Sid Grauman says : “It is a marvelous picture. A showman’s delight.”

If five people of the importance of Joe Schenck, William jR. Hearst, Norma Talmadge, Sol Lesser and Sid Grauman told you such a thing what i would you do? Would you try to see it? I’ll tell the world you would. But when the idea was suggested to Louis B. Mayer and his aides, Irving Thalberg and Harry Rapf it was another story. A very different sort of story, indeed. There was much shaking of heads; many negatives. “You see,” said Mayer, “we haven’t really completed it yet. We are still shooting. Yes ; it is practically ready for showing, but — ” And that ‘but’ was ominous.

It took a long time to argue them out of their position. But two days ago I saw it. “The Big Parade” is a marvelous picture. A very great picture indeed. It may be the greatest of all pictures ever made. If it isn’t, it is so close to it that I don’t want to be on the jury deciding the point. And “The Big Parade” makes King Vidor a place way on top. Way up front. Among the greatest of picture directors.

And while Vidor is entitled to a tremendous amount of credit much is also due. To Laurence Stallings, the author, to the M.-G.-M. organization and Thalberg personally. Who deserves the most is incidental. There is glory enough for all. And still some to spare.

November 6, 1925. “Big Parade” Opens on Coast

Los Angeles — “The Big Parade” had its world’s premiere at the Egyptian last night. The opening was handled in usual Coast style.

Passione Slava – Ambrosio 1919

su da theain Cronologia 1919, Film
Passione Slava
Passione Slava, Soc. An. Ambrosio 1919

Messa in scena: Ermanno Geymonat, Roberto Omegna; soggetto dall’omonimo romanzo di Daniel Lesueur; riduzione per lo schermo: Roberto Geymonat, Ermanno Geymonat; fotografia: Giovanni Vitrotti; interpreti principali: Dirce Marella, Giovanni Cimara, Roberto Villani, Gerardo Peña. Produzione Società Anonima Ambrosio 1919.

I bambini nella foresta – S.C.A.G.L. 1912

su da theain archivio in penombra, Cronologia 1912, Film
I bambini nella foresta 1912
I bambini nella foresta (1912)

Scene fantastiche tratte dal celebre racconto inglese: The Babes in the Wood.
Pathécolor, 395 metri circa, bellissima partitura per orchestrina, del M. Louis Blémant.

E’ questa un’antica leggenda inglese svolta in un celebre racconto: leggenda dolorosa e poetica che raffigura lo sgomento di chi si perde nella foresta della vita.

I bambini perduti nel bosco seguono il destino di terrore e di angoscia che il caso ha loro segnato: e alla cieca baldanza con la quale si avventurano nel bosco tentatore seguono le inquietudini e le paure per tutti gli spiriti che si agitano negli alberi fatati.

Questa leggenda infantile, magnificamente riprodotta dal Pathécolor, è una grande fiaba per persone grandi.

La storia:

James Barfield morendo, ha istituito eredi universali i suoi due piccini, Harry e Lilly. In caso di morte degli eredi naturali, tutti i suoi beni avrebbero dovuto passare al suo fratello, lord Barfield.

Spinto dal suo egoismo, lord Barfield decide di sopprimere i due fanciulli, e li conduce in campagna coll’intenzione di mandare a effetto il suo piano, ma dopo infiniti tentativi, non ha il coraggio di compiere l’odioso atto. Li conduce allora in un rifugio di banditi e incarica uno di questi di uccidere gli innocenti.

Il brigante, non volendo avere la morte dei fanciulli sulla sua coscienza, li abbandona nella foresta. Ma la foresta era incantata e sotto ogni albero, dietro ogni roccia, si annidavano dei mostri strani. Degli esseri invisibili agitavano i rami delle foglie. Da un rigagnolo vicino emergevano delle sirene, che con la dolcezza della loro voce attiravano Harry e Lilly, Ma appena si lasciavano toccare, si cangiavano immantinente in piccoli gnomi orribili…

I due piccini, spaventati, si rifugiarono in una caverna, ma anche là una turba di fantasmi danzavano intorno e i due piccini, che sbigottiti e ormai senza forze, morirono di terrore e di sfinimento.

E degli angeli dalla bianche ali, portarono in paradiso le loro animuccie candide.

Il film fu presentato in Francia (titolo originale: Les enfants perdus dans la forêt), Italia, Spagna (Los niños perdidos en el bosque), Inghilterra e gli Stati Uniti (The Babes in the Wood) nel dicembre 1912.

The Babes in the Wood. — Released December 21st. Length 1,270 feet.

The Wicked Uncle schemes to rid himself of the two pretty Babes by endeavouring to throw them over castle heights and offering them cups of poison. Ultimately the Wicked Uncle, feeling himself unequal to the work of murder, approaches the robbers, and the children are dragged off into the forest. The great quarrel between the robbers ensues, and after the fight, the children, deserted by the remaining bandit, find themselves alone in the Enchanted Forest. Adventures follow upon each other with startling rapidity. They become wearied, however, by their exhausting wanderings through the thick forest, and when they reach a great cave it is peopled with ghosts, and the boy once more is called upon to fight for his life and that of his sister.

His strength is no longer equal to the task, and death comes to him just a few moments after the girl, having heard the call of angels, glides away into the Children’s Paradise. Her brother comes to join her, and midst the brightness of flowers the children pass on to join in the merry gambols of other tiny folk.
(da Cinema news and Property Gazzette, London, December 1912)

Copia nell’Archivio del Cinema Muto (archivio inpenombra).

Altro: The Babes in the Wood, traditional children’s tale