The Gulf of Humanity

Rating: Null/10 (2 June 2012)

Although less than 90 minutes in length, Paths of Glory has a great amount of depth in the scenario it presents. A critical anti – war perspective on how formal war can be and how it distances itself from humanity.
Their lavish surroundings immediately showing the gap between themselves and their troops, Generals Broulard and Mireau hatch a plan to overtake the Ant Hill. Yet even though they are fully aware that they do not have enough troops to overtake the Ant Hill successfully they simply push on with the plan. This shows no respect for their troops resulting in a complete disaster. This scene establishes the direction of George Macready and Adolphe Menjou performances, playing men so stubborn in their ethics that they are excellent within the narrative as the aloof villains.
Lead by Col Dax, the troops try but fail to complete their mission. Again the gap between authority and their troops is conveyed. Whilst the camera makes memorable tracking shots of Dax and the troops advancing against bullets and shellfire, Mireau and his colleagues watch the fighting from a safe distance. It is oblivious who the sympathy lies with here, the fighting is shown through close tracking shots and close ups of the soldiers in no man's land whilst Mireau in a distant long shot orders his own troops to be shelled for not advancing ignorance to their plight. The abuse of power does not stop there.
Unwilling to listen to reason he along with Broulard agree to hold a trail to judge three chosen soldiers. This leads to a trail which can only be described as a masquerade as there is already a predetermined outcome. It is from this point on where the levels of humanity are severely contrasted. Dax removes himself from the coldness of authority. Not only does he offer himself to be shot for being the commanding officer for the ill fated mission but then decides he will defend the three men showing his loyalty and heartfelt sympathy to his troops unlike Broulard and Mireau.
This is where Kirk Douglas' performance becomes its most passionate. A man willing to defend the accused making his presence felt using the tone of his voice to get across his character's standpoint on the issue most memorably stating "I am ashamed to be a member of the human race and this is one such occasion" stressing the contrast of the court's humanity. However Dax's efforts are in vain as the soldiers were not given a fair trial and are sentenced to death. Not only are we shown the injustice of their execution through the completion of the act but also the hopelessness the condemned soldiers feel. Cpl Paris compares himself to a cockroach stating it will live through tomorrow while he will not. Even later in their final moments they are not given dignity, with one of the condemned executed whilst injured and confined to a stretcher. It puts the situation in context of Paths of Glory's humanist theme.
Even at Paths of Glory's finale a dim view of humanity continues to be shown even at the sight of hope. Dax, feeling defeated and angry by his hierarchy, watches the troops in a moving final scene. Listening to the beauty of a young woman's voice begins to let out the emotions of the troops. A montage of the troops still faced with tears welling in their eyes. It shows us not only that these troops underneath their exteriors are human but it becomes a piece of tragedy at the thought of these men dying because of people like Broulard and Mireau's take on humanity is futile. "Give them a few more minutes", Dax states knowing what Broulard and Mireau failed to realise in terms of the troops humanity as well as the somber knowledge of the inhumanity which will continue to rule the reins.
Paths of Glory sums up the stains trusted on humanity and its devastating effects. How the ones who do not appreciate its core cause recklessness are ironically in power to preserve their countries civilisation.