Important truths

Rating: 10/10 (4 May 2006)

I was surprised how any one could criticise this film,I've always believed this to be one of the greatest anti war films ever made,it is so powerful.It was first shown on British TV in the early 80s,and before it was shown it had been announced that it was banned in France,i don't know if it still is,but they were not happy about this film,this maby why it was late being shown on British TV,after all our British Generals had our soldiers executed on ridiculous charges,so we cant be hypercritical.About 300 British soldiers were executed, the French about twice the amount,so this film is really important,and Stanley Kubrick was probably the first director to pick up on these terrible injustices.In Britain we have had campaigners trying to pardon our men,because the sad thing is their families at the time or their descendant's at the moment can not march pass at the centopath on Remembrance Sunday as where the soldiers were executed this is not allowed,and yet the majority of these men were executed for falling a sleep while on duty,one example that springs to mind was of a soldier who was executed for refusing to put on a wet cap,he was executed for insubordination.Paths of Glory really does open peoples eyes to what these poor soldiers were up against during WW1 as there are a lot of people out there who still don't realize what went on .For a 1957 film this is very harrowing stuff,you know that once the three men are going on trial their fate is already sealed they haven't a chance in hell.And the worst part about it all is that the French Generals actually believe the men had a fair trial,its all ludicrous but sadly true.I believe this film did get people more interested in learning more about WW1 as there were many cover ups and many untold truths like the amount of British soldiers bodies that keep being unearthed in France and Belgium at the rate of about 7 a year and sometimes as many as 20-30,our government kept this quiet for years,so it seems that WW1 is destined not to be forgotten.