In War, Don't Expect Fairness

Rating: 9/10 (24 June 2019)

Although "Paths of Glory" certainly makes a powerful statement about the horror, misery, and insanity of war, specifically the hellish conditions of the World War I trenches, it addresses an even broader theme concerning the arrogant abuse of power by extremely flawed individuals who sometimes occupy positions of authority that control our very lives.
The "powers that be" demand that Colonel Dax (Kirk Douglas) and his men "take the anthill no later than the day after tomorrow", and the generals don't want to hear any ands, if, or buts about it. From the response of Dax, who seems able and reasonable, and other officers on the ground, we soon realize that the order by the distant and detached generals is all but impossible under the current conditions on the battlefield. The generals have barked their commands but appear indifferent to the suicidal nature of the mission. They dine and dance in palatial magnificence far away from the difficult and inhuman conditions of the foul and filthy trenches and then break for a few minutes to plan for the sure slaughter of their own subordinates without the slightest concern for the impact of their decisions upon the very lives of other human beings.
Filmed in stark black and white, Kubrick very ably recreates the maddening and terrifying conditions of the World War I trenches unlike any other film that I have ever seen. As Colonel Dax passes through his weary and injured troops, who line both sides of the narrow, fortified passages, a constant barrage of enemy explosions and whizzing missiles threatens them from all sides. What could Dax be thinking and feeling as he is about to lead his men beyond the trenches into an even worse hell of the open battlefield and toward the anthill beyond? We observe an undeniable look of terror in his face that is camouflaged by the strength and resolve that is required to lead in battle. To me, this sequence is one of those very special, unmatched moments in cinema, and, as to its intensity and complexity, who could deliver it better than Kirk Douglas?
When the predictable outcome of the mission is reported to the distant generals, that is, as soon as they find a moment to break from their perpetual partying, imbibing, and gorging, they decide to hold responsible one individual from each of the three companies for the failure. Corporal Paris (Ralph Meeker) is selected by his cowardly, drunken lieutenant only because he witnessed the same superior officer killing a subordinate in order to escape from a dangerous assignment, therefore conveniently avoiding his own court martial trial. Private Arnaud (Joe Turkel) is selected merely at random from the drawing of lots. Private Fierol (Timothy Carey) is chosen only because his superior took a personal disliking to him as a "social outcast". "Me a social outcast?" Fierol asks in outrage and disbelief. As in "The Killing", Carey is a special kind of an actor who portrays his characters so realistically that you feel as though you've met them somewhere in your life, but you can't recall exactly when or where. Was it in high school gym class? Homeroom? Afterschool detention?
As a perpetual, lifelong fan of "Blackboard Jungle", produced two years earlier, I take special note of the drastic conversion by actor Emile Meyer from gruff vice principal Halloran ("Shaddap!") to the compassionate and totally appalled priest here. This guy could probably play anybody, and play him well.
Rather than revealing the results of the trial, I'll skip to the final scene in which Dax's remaining troops are celebrating their fortuitous survival at a local bar. The proprietor introduces a very reluctant, captured German girl (played by Christina Kubrick, the director's wife!), who is forced to perform before the rowdy and raucous group. As she slowly begins her melancholy song, the camera shifts to the individual faces of some of the men who have suddenly quieted down as they listen to the music. The tune sung by the terrified, tearful girl somehow moves them to stop their noisy celebration and to focus instead on their own inner thoughts, perhaps of the lives they left behind or of their ability to survive the war. The men then start humming to the girl's nostalgic song as she finally succeeds in composing herself on stage. The camera then shifts to Colonel Dax who has paused in front of the bar to listen to the singing men, absorbed in his own most private thoughts. A sergeant arrives to tell Dax that his men must return to battle. "Give the men a few more minutes," replies Dax, fully aware of how very precious those moments are.