Year: 1925
Country: USA
Director: King Vidor
Producer: Irving Thalberg
Genre: Romance & War
Runtime: 140 minutes
Viewed: February 14, 2013
Review: Oh silent films how I have not missed you. I really cannot wait to be out of silent films in the book. I do try to see the positives in films such as this. Initially, I was surprised by the fact that there were actual sounds in the movie, such as the horn being blown at the beginning of the film. I did enjoy the Army music throughout the movie as well. It was fun that the director thought to put the words with music notes surrounding them into the film. The story begins with a rich boy, who is often described as "idle" which I believe to just mean lazy, spending time with his girlfriend. It isn't long before it is announced that WWI is happening. The young man decides to join based on his patriotic friends and his girlfriend who thinks he will be so cute in his uniform. All that to say as he is sent to France he falls in love with a girl, loses his two closest friends, and gets his leg blown off. One might ask what is better than that experience to which I reply, he returns home to find out his girlfriend has started dating his brother! To say the least I was not a fan of the girlfriend character. Of course the girlfriend is not supposed to matter at this point though because he is in love with the French woman and returns to find his love. Now, ever since I was a kid I remember people doing the long run into an intense embrace, whether it was joking between friends or on other TV shows/movies, and I believe this is where that came from. The ending of the movie of course is touching because what are the odds that he would be able to find his love again. Overall the movie was good, but long. I could definitely do without silent films lasting 2+ hours. Would I watch it again? Probably not. But I can understand why the movie was put in the 1001 book.
Rating:
2.5 Shamrocks
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