Brilliant War Film.

Rating: 10/10 (4 April 2009)

Stanly Kubrick's "Paths of Glory" (1957) is one of the very few First Wold War movies. I my opinion, the reason is that the death in WW1 was unbelievable. On the the first day alone in The Battle of the Somme (1916), the British suffered 57,470 casualties, including 19,240 dead, the single most bloodiest day in the history of the British Army - and remember, this was before the Atomic Bomb. Hollywood would probably not be able to tackle something so grim and depressing (althouh Hollywood might do a WW1 film nowadays, especially after such films as "Shinderlers List" and "Saving Privet Ryan") when Hollywood mainly deals in escapism. And that what makes "Paths of Glory" so unusual. Seen from the French's point of view, it has three French solders being executed after taking lots because their unit is found guilty of cowardice while trying to take a German controlled hill, called the "Ant Hill". Kirk Douglas gives a fantastic performance as "Colonel Dax" and so do Adolphe Menjou and George Macready. Stanly Kubrick's first masterpiece, and one definitely one to watch.