A gem

Rating: 10/10 (12 March 2000)

I believe that PATHS OF GLORY is to war movies what THE ASPHALT JUNGLE is to crime/noir films. It is a gem, perfect in every detail.
One of the neat touches is that the enemy, the Germans, are never seen, and are thus all the more threatening for that.
[SPOILER??} The theme, executing men to further one's career, or to shift blame from oneself, is one hardly confined to the French army, or to the military, for that matter. Fundamentally, this is not JUST a war film. It doesn't JUST show the horrors of war. Rather, it shows the lengths to which the human ego will go: other people's lives are a small price to pay for MY aggrandizement.
Relevance today? How about politicians who execute people, including the retarded, just to further their careers and to satifsy the bloodthirsty mob?
Bottom Line: A highly recommended movie.