Picture Play Magazine (Mar-Aug 1926)

19 Were Filmed for "The Parade' ' Wooldridge Vidor, who directed the making of the picture, turned everything over to the army officers when the troops went into action, and was not even near Fort Sam Houston when the conflict raged. The picture probably will be one of the greatest exemplifications of what really took place on Flanders fields. The actual filming of the battle scenes required nearly ten hours. Beneath the full glare of a Texas sun, Colonel Bishop stationed himself alongside the main battery of cameras on a high hill just outside of the fort. The command, "Forward, march!" was transmitted to all officers and men by A halt in the screening forest. A shell bursting among troops. Relief troops on the way to the front. means of a red flag displayed at the camera stand. Ordinarily, in battle, orders are transmitted by telephone or by signals from a safe distance. But for dramatic purposes, Colonel Bishop was close in, where a sharpshooter could easily have picked him off. But he was where he could get concerted action quickly. And what a holocaust he arranged in a time of peace ! In Texas ! Twelve-inch six-inch guns, machine guns, ing an invitation death. Signal corps, medical corps, and enV gineers in rhythmical action. Supply trains, ambulances, and motor trucks moving hurriedly forward. Smoke bombs, whining shells, and exploding mines guns, and belchto sending forth clouds of swirling smoke. Crater holes torn into the surface of the earth into which eventually crept the wriggling forms of men. Airplanes — flocks and flocks of airplanes winging their way high above the Continued on page 111