A Great Movie!

Rating: Null/10 (1 January 2003)

It is interesting to read the range of reviews regarding "The Paths of Glory". While some consider it a classic, others decry it as mediocre or much worse. As far as I am concerned it is indeed a great movie. Upon its release, the New York Times film critic, Bosley Crowther, was highly critical of it... for among other reasons, that the actors do not have French accents and are more likend to WW2 GI's. For me the message of this movie is not dependent on French accents,nor is it a microscopic view of one war time incident. It goes to the very heart of moral ambiguity, personal ambition, and rationalizations that enter into so many political and war time decisions. The dialogue, acting, directing, and characterizations make this a true classic. Being filmed in black and white evokes the somber and realistic theme of this movie.
I consider this to be Stanley Kubrick's and Kirk Douglas' masterpiece. It is a film that only gains in stature as the years pass. I rate it a ten.
Kirk Douglas, Adolph Menjou, Ralph Meeker, and the rest of the cast are superb. Wayne Morris is especially fine as the repentant officer who regrets the choices he made.