Paths of Glory
Tags: bleak, anti war, boring

Plot synopsis:
A voice-over narrator explains that Germany and France entered World War I in August, 1914 and, with the construction of a continuous line of fortified trenches stretching from Switzerland to the English Channel, a costly military stalemate set in. By 1916, "successful attacks were measured in thousands of yards and paid for by casualties in the hundreds of thousands."General George Broulard (Adolphe Menjou), an elderly member of the French General Staff, arrives from Paris at the headquarters (a magnificent chateau) of his subordinate, General Paul Mireau (George Macready), to inform him that a major offensive is planned for General Mireau's sector and, in preparation for this offensive, General Broulard wants Mireau's division to capture a well-defended German position nicknamed the 'Anthill'. Mireau balks at the idea, claiming that his division is in no condition to defend the Anthill, much less capture it. Broulard reluctantly mentions that, in a completely unrelated matter, he was thinking that Mireau was due for a promotion, not that this should sway his decision concerning the feasibility of an attack on the Anthill. After explaining to Broulard at great length that the men he commands mean more to him than "all the stars and decorations in France," the ambitious Mireau concludes that an attack on the Anthill just might work.Mireau undertakes an inspection of the front line trenches with his loyal and cynical staff officer, Major Saint-Auban (Richard Anderson). The general stops to ask several soldiers (who later become major characters) the question, "Ready to kill more Germans?" When one soldier (Fred Bell) fails to answer, merely staring straight ahead, his comrades reply that the soldier is suffering from shell shock. Mireau says there is no such thing as shell shock. When the general enquires about whether the soldier has a wife, the soldier replies that he'll never see her again since he's certain to be killed, to which Mireau scolds the soldier for acting like a coward. When the soldier replies that he is a coward, Mireau flies into a rage and strikes the soldier across the face, yelling that he wants this "little baby" transferred out of the regiment. As they continue through the trenches, Maj. Saint-Auban says that the general was right to do what he did and adds that he thinks that the high morale of the 701st Regiment is the direct result of the general's inspections, which Mireau denies, saying that their fighting spirit was just born in them.The commander of the 701st Regiment, Colonel Dax (Kirk Douglas), is greeted in his headquarters bunker by Mireau. When Maj. Saint-Auban makes a disparaging remark about the enlisted men, Dax takes offense and Mireau asks the major to leave them alone to discuss the coming assault. Dax is informed by Mireau of his plan to launch an attack on the Anthill, for which Dax shows little enthusiasm. Mireau criticizes Dax's lack of enthusiasm and threatens to have him relieved of command if he does not agree to his plan. Not wishing to be "taken away from my men," the colonel reluctantly agrees that the 701st Regiment will (attempt to) take the Anthill.That night, a patrol is ordered to be sent out to reconnoiter no-man's land, the space between the opposing trenches. Corporal Paris (Ralph Meeker) is among the two men chosen to accompany the half-drunk Lieutenant Roget (Wayne Morris) on this patrol. Cpl. Paris' fellow soldier remarks that the corporal does seem to like the lieutenant, to which Cpl. Paris replies that he knew Roget before the war and didn't have much respect for him then either. Lt. Roget, having sought to bolster his courage with alcohol, leads the patrol through the barbed wire, water-filled shell holes, and general wreckage that is no-man's land. When they come to a halt, Lt. Roget orders the third member of the patrol to scout forward on his own, against the objections of Cpl. Paris. As they wait for the third soldier to return, Lt. Roget becomes increasingly nervous, saying he must have been killed. Finally, in a panic, Lt. Roget throws a grenade into the darkness and runs back to the French lines, leaving Cpl. Paris behind. Cpl. Paris, crawling forward, discovers the third soldier lying in a shell hole, having been killed by Lt. Roget's grenade.A little later, when Cpl. Paris shows up at Lt. Roget's command bunker, the lieutenant acts as if he's happy to see that the corporal is still alive. But Cpl. Paris confronts him with his crimes: drunk on duty, cowardice in the face of the enemy, killing a fellow soldier, etc. Lt. Roget pretends to be sorry and points out that a court of inquiry is more likely to believe the word of a lieutenant than that of a corporal, so Paris might as well forget it all happened. At that moment Col. Dax arrives to pick up the report on the patrol, but Lt. Roget states that it isn't finished yet. Dax clearly sees there's something going on between Roget and Paris, but doesn't pursue the matter.Dax has a final meeting with his officers to explain how the attack on the following day will proceed. One officer asks what the weather is supposed to be like, to which the colonel replies "Too good" -- meaning no rain or fog to provide cover for the troops advancing across no-man's land. Another officer asks how long they will have to hold the Anthill once they've captured it. Dax replies that they will have to hold it (against enemy counterattacks) for the entire day. While the officers discuss the details of the assault, the enlisted men consider what they will face in the morning. Conversing in whispers with another soldier, Private Arnaud (Joseph Turkel) considers what his fellow soldiers are most afraid of: poison gas, high explosive shells, a bayonet in the gut... He points out that what everyone is afraid of is pain, not death, since everyone knows that he's going to die some day. His comrade, rolling over to get some sleep, replies "You're too smart for me, professor. All I know is, nobody wants to die."The following morning Mireau, accompanied by his ever faithful lackey Maj. Saint-Auban, stands in an observation post waiting for the attack to commence. He offers his fellow officers a drink and they respectfully decline, leaving the general to toast the success of the assault on his own.In the trenches, Dax is walking past the men of the 701st Regiment who are pressed up against the sides for cover against the artillery barrage, which is intended to screen the men as they advance towards the enemy (this was known as a 'creeping barrage'). The shells roar overhead and many fall perilously close, showering Dax and his men with clods of dirt and waves of dust. (In his initial discussion with Dax about the assault, Mireau included a figure for the likely percentage of men who would be killed by their own barrage when calculating the possible casualties. This was, in fact, an unavoidable reality in the First World War.) A whistle between his teeth and a revolver in his hand, Dax climbs a ladder as Sergeant Boulanger (Bert Freed), staring at his wristwatch, counts down "...three, two, one, zero!" As Dax blows his whistle and waves his men to "go over the top," a mass of French soldiers emerges from the trenches into the open of no-man's land. Carrying heavy packs, with their bayonets fixed, the men move forward as fast as possible, over torn remnants of barbed wire, down into and up out of shell craters, seemingly an inexorable wave. But shells burst amongst them and enemy machine gun fire can be heard. The men go down, a soldier here, another there, and more and more fall, individually and in heaps. Others behind them step over the bodies, only to drop and add to the piles. In the deafening confusion, covered in mud, Dax asks a sergeant next to him where 'B' Company is, to which the sergeant replies he doesn't know.Mireau in his observation post also notices the failure of 'B' Company to advance. The general flies into a rage and orders his artillery to commence shelling the trenches occupied by the troops of 'B' Company in order to force them to advance (if only to escape from the shelling). The Battery Commander, Captain Rousseau (John Stein) refuses to comply with Mireau's order. "Sir, you have no right to order me to shoot down my own men without an order in writing and signed by the general. What if you're killed, then where will I be?" The psychopath Mireau replies: "You'll be in front of a firing squad, that's where you'll be! Hand over your command and place yourself under arrest for an immediate court-martial!"Meanwhile, Dax, racing through the wreckage of his trenches, reaches Lt. Roget and 'B' Company. The drunk Roget pleads with Dax that they've already tried twice and taken far too many casualties. Ignoring him, Dax climbs a ladder while blowing his whistle, trying to encourage the men to "give it another try," only to have a dead soldier falling from above knock him off the ladder. Around them, all the soldiers are falling back to their trenches. Mireau is informed in his observation post that the attack has failed all along the line. He instructs Major Saint-Auban to have the 701st Regiment pulled out of the line and to assemble a general court-martial. "If those little sweethearts won't face German bullets, they'll face French ones!"The following day, Dax meets with Broulard and Mireau at headquarters, where the cynical Mireau accuses the entire 701st Regiment of cowardice and proposes to have 100 men from the regiment randomly executed. Dax strongly objects and Broulard intervenes to break up their argument. Broulard says they don't want to slaughter the French Army, they just want to set an example, to which Dax replies that if it's an example that's needed, the logical choice is the officer most responsible for the attack. (Implying, of course, that if anyone should face a firing squad, it should be the scumbag General Mireau.) Broulard loses his temper and shouts, "This is not a question of officers!" Regaining his composure, Broulard suggests that one man from each of the regiment's three companies should be chosen to be tried for cowardice in the face of the enemy. Although he initially objects, Mireau accepts Broulard's proposal. Before they leave, Dax requests to be appointed defense attorney for the accused men and Broulard agrees, chiding Mireau for "hiding" Dax, an obviously talented officer, from him. (Earlier in the film it's established that Dax was one of France's top attorneys before the war.) Outside in the hallway, Mireau confronts Dax and virtually orders him to step down as the defense attorney, but the colonel refuses. Mireau rails against him for his apparent disloyalty and promises to ruin his career when this is over. When Mireau catches up with Broulard, they are met by the Battery Commander, Captain Rousseau, who says that Mireau had ordered him to meet with the general. Thinking fast, Mireau lies and says that he wanted to speak to the captain about some of his shells falling short and dismisses him. Broulard recommends a public hearing, the last thing Mireau wants, but Mireau talks Broulard out of it and the matter is forgotten.Dax meets with the three accused men. They include the intellectual Private Arnaud, who was randomly picked by lot; Cpl. Paris, who Lt. Roget chose because he knows what Roget did during the patrol in no-man's land the night before the battle; and Private Ferol (Timothy Carey), who was chosen because his Company Commander considered him to be a "social degenerate." Dax explains that the reason they were chosen is irrelevant, since they are all charged with cowardice. He explains that he doesn't have much time (the trial is that afternoon) and he needs to prepare. Dax urges them to show the same courage that they have shown in the face of the enemy.At the chateau, Arnaud, Paris, and Ferol sit in chairs in front of a group of officers behind tables in a large room. The officer serving as the chief judge of the Court Martial (Peter Capell) begins the proceedings by calling one of the men to testify, but Dax immediately objects, pointing out that the men have the right to hear the charges against them read out. The officer serving as the chief judge replies that the court does not wish to waste time with technicalities and that basically the charges are that these three men showed cowardice in the face of the enemy during the attack on the Anthill. Having been appointed (by Mireau) as the prosecutor, Maj. Saint-Auban grills each of the three men in turn, with Dax cross-examining them to show that they are not cowards, all to little avail. The entire trial is a farce. Dax sees his men's rights violated by the cynical military judges (who are clearly acting under the orders of Mireau, sitting nearby). Dax is barred from entering any evidence relating to the case.In his closing argument to the judges, Saint-Auban asserts that the actions of the 701st Regiment during the attack on the Anthill were a stain on the honor of France and, as such, asks the court to find these men guilty and impose the penalty of death to make an example of them. Afterwards, Dax protests in his summation about the nature of the trial. Mireau speaks up, asking Dax if he questions the legitimacy of the court, to which Dax replies that he objects to the fact that he was given practically no time to prepare his case, no written indictment was ever made against the accused, that he was prevented from introducing evidence that would have been vital for the defense, that the prosecution presented no witnesses to back up their claims, and on top of all that, that no stenographic records of the trial were being kept. He says that the attack by the 701st Regiment on the Antihill was no stain on the honor of France, but this trial is such a stain. He warns the officers serving as judges: "Gentlemen of the court, to find these men guilty would be a crime to haunt each of you till the day you die," and pleads for mercy. The judges adjourn to deliberate.The next day, Sgt. Boulanger is placed in charge of the guards for the prisoners. He strides up and down the line of men under his command, explaining the regulations and pointing out that he has been made personally responsible for anything that happens involving these prisoners, but that he will ensure that, if there are any mistakes, he will pass on any punishment with interest to the men under his command.Inside the stable in which they are being held, Arnaud, Paris, and Ferol consider their options. Ferol thinks he's going to get out of it somehow. Paris is worried what his wife will think. Eyeing a cockroach on the table, Paris ruminates over the fact that if he's executed the cockroach will have more contact with his wife and children than he will, it will be alive, while he'll be dead. Ferol slams his hand down on the table and mutters, "Now you've got the edge on him." Dinner is brought in to the men. Ferol is suspicious that the food is drugged to make them groggy. Arnaud thinks Ferol is being stupid, but Ferol refuses to eat anyway. Finally a priest (Emile Meyer) arrives with news of the verdict; they've all been found guilty and will be executed in the morning. Ferol breaks down and the priest tries to comfort him. The priest asks Paris if he would like to make his confession, but Paris says that he's not a religious man and that if he began praying now, he would feel like a hypocrite. The priest tells him that that would be an error and promises him that God is there for him and that death comes to us all. Arnaud, being eaten alive by the injustice of their situation, doesn't take this well and mocks the priest, holding up a bottle of wine he is drinking and pretends to pray to it. The priest says that he is there to help them, but Arnaud replies that back in his home town there was a cafe with an amusing sign above the bar that read, "Do not be Afraid to Ask for Credit, for Our way of Refusing is very Polite." Arnaud becomes increasingly angry, while Paris tries to restrain him, but he breaks free and punches the priest. Paris then gets between them and warns Arnaud not to try anything, but Arnaud lunges forward and Paris is forced to slug him. Arnaud stumbles backwards, hitting his head on a stone column and a doctor is summoned. Having patched him up as best he could, the doctor remarks that Arnaud has a very serious skull fracture and he may not live through the night. The priest asks whether they intend to execute a man in this condition, but the doctor informs him that the death sentence will be carried out and recommends pinching his cheek to wake him up in the morning if he still alive, since Mireau wants him to be conscious when he's executed.That same night, Lt. Roget arrives at Dax's quarters, asking what the colonel wanted to see him about. Dax asks Roget why he chose Cpl. Paris to be court-martialed, saying that, of course the lieutenant had no personal motives for picking Paris. Visibly nervous, Roget replies that of course he had no personal reasons for choosing Paris, it was just that someone had to be chosen. Dax explains that he has the same problem, he has to find someone to be in charge of the firing squad and asks Lt. Roget if he would like the assignment. Taken aback, Roget protests by telling Dax he has never overseen an execution before. Dax explains that it is a simple matter: the two primary responsibilities are to offer the men a blindfold and to put a bullet in each man's head after the firing squad has finished. Despite additional protests by Roget, Dax dismisses him curtly from his quarters, telling him he's got the job. As Roget is leaving, the Battery Commander, Captain Rousseau, enters and tells the colonel that he has some information that may have an important bearing on the courts martial.Broulard is attending a lavish ball for general officers and other dignitaries when he is called away to the library, where he privately meets Colonel Dax. Dax confesses that his is not entirely a social visit, and the general protests that he doesn't want to go back over the whole affair, though he admits that, judging from the casualty reports, the 701st Regiment did make a serious effort. Dax asks him why, if that is true, the three men should be executed. Broulard says perhaps the attack was doomed to fail, but, on the other hand, with a little more effort, the 701st might have captured the Anthill. Broulard then gently accuses Dax of taking a narrow view of things, reminding him that the general staff is subjected to all sorts of unfair pressures from the press and politicians. Moreover, there's the matter of the troops' morale. "You see, colonel, troops are like children, and just as a child wants his father to be firm, troops crave discipline, and one way to ensure discipline is to shoot a man now and again." Dax asks the general, "Do you sincerely believe the things you've just said?" Broulard, making a tactical retreat, excuses himself to return to the party, but as they walk towards the door Dax brings up the subject of Mireau's order for his artillery to fire on his own troops during the attack. Broulard immediately slams the door to the library shut and turns around to face Dax while he continues to describe what happened. The general asks Dax if he expects him to believe something so fantastic. Dax produces the signed statements of Battery Commander Rousseau, the telephone operator, and his own observations, asking the general what the press and politicians would do with such material should it ever be made public. Losing his temper, Broulard shouts "Are you trying to blackmail me?!" Dax calmly explains that "too much has happened and someone has to take the blame. The question is who? A general launches an impossible attack and, on the same day, orders his artillery to fire on his own men. But when that same general tries to have three innocent men executed, those men are saved by the intervention of the general staff." Broulard pauses for a moment with the documents in his hand. Looking up at Dax, "If you'll excuse me colonel. I've been rude to my guests for too long." Broulard exits the room, leaving Dax alone.At dawn the next morning, Sgt. Boulanger opens the door to the stable to announce that it's time to leave. Cpl. Paris, struggling to act normal, tells the sergeant that he missed some great food the previous night. When the sergeant asks what they had, Paris can't answer, but asks if the sergeant has anything to drink. The sergeant hands him a canteen and tells him to take a swig. Paris begins to laugh, telling the sergeant that remarkably he hasn't had one sexual thought since the court martial and then crumbles to the ground weeping. The sergeant tells Paris to pull himself together, but Paris, sobbing, asks why he has to die. The sergeant reminds him that many of his comrades are likely to die in the near future in combat, but Paris, still sobbing, says he doesn't care, he still doesn't want to die. Finally, Sgt. Boulanger tells Paris that they have to go and that there are reporters present; how does he want to be remembered by his wife and children? Either he can walk out or be dragged out, in the end it's the same. Cpl. Paris collects himself, stands up and puts on his cap.With the rolling sound of drums in the background, the men of the 701st Regiment, standing at attention, are lined up on both sides of a path in a huge courtyard in front of a chateau on a beautiful sunny morning. The three condemned men slowly make their way down the path: Paris marching upright, staring straight ahead, Arnaud, unconscious and strapped to a stretcher, is carried along, and Ferol, completely unhinged, sobbing uncontrollably, has his arm around the priest who is accompanying him. They pass row upon row of soldiers; they pass the Regimental Band, drums still rolling; they pass a press photographer who takes their picture; they pass Broulard and Mireau, and they pass Dax. Finally they reach the posts they will be tied to in front of a wall of sandbags. Off to the side is a flatbed wagon with three coffins on it. The drums stop. The only noise is the sound of the firing squad's boots on the loose gravel as they march into position, with the cowardly Lt. Roget in command. Roget walks forward with blindfolds. Arnaud's stretcher is tilted up against the pole and the Sergeant pinches his cheek. In a groggy state, Arnaud looks with horror at the scene and appears to pass out once more. Skipping Arnaud, Roget offers Ferol a blindfold and, still crying, he accepts. Roget then comes over to Paris and asks if he wants a blindfold. Paris angrily says "no". Roget meekly says he's sorry for what he's done to him. Paris doesn't speak, but nods his head, implying that he accepts Roget's apology. Roget marches back to the firing squad, while Major Saint-Auban comes forward and, in a weak and halting voice (in complete contrast to his performance as the evil and cynical prosecutor) he reads out loud the orders for the execution. For a moment the only sounds are the chirping of the birds on a sunny morning. Lt. Roget shouts out: "Ready, aim, fire!"A little later in the château over breakfast, Mireau expresses his pleasure that the executions went so well, that none of the condemned men spoiled it by doing something that would leave a bad taste in everyone's mouth. "It had a certain splendor about it." Broulard, choosing his words carefully, notes that he has never seen an affair of this kind carried out so well. When Dax arrives, the gloating Mireau compliments him on his men dying well. Angry and disgusted, Dax says nothing. Suddenly, and to Dax's surprise, Broulard mentions to Mireau that the colonel had come to him the night before claiming that during the attack on the Anthill, Mireau had ordered his artillery to fire on his own men. Mireau flatly denies the allegation, but Dax states that he has signed testimony from numerous witnesses. Broulard says that it doesn't matter for he's certain that the general will come through it. "Come through what?" asks Mireau with concern. "There will have to be an investigation. An inquiry," but, Broulard notes, "the public will forget." Horrified, General Mireau stands up and shouts: "So I'm the scapegoat, the only completely innocent man in this whole affair!" Aware that his military career days are numbered, Mireau storms out of the room, claiming himself to be a true soldier.After Mireau leaves, Broulard comments that France's armies and military destiny cannot be guided by arrogant fools like General Mireau and then, turning to Dax, asks: "How would you like to have General Mireau's job?" Dax is again taken completely by surprise, and replies "You're offering me General Mireau's command?" The elderly general responds "Come come, my boy, we all know you've been after it from the start." Dax responds angrily: "I am a lot of things, but I am not your boy." Broulard sternly tells Dax not to get defensive around him, but with Mireau's days in the French Army numbered and aware that he will be forced to resign his command regardless of the inquiry to be brought on him, his command needs a replacement and Broulard assumes that Dax will do just right and it would be a shame for Dax to lose the promotion before it is ever given to him. Dax replies: "General, would you like me to suggest what you can do with that promotion?" Broulard becomes furious with Dax and shouts: "Colonel Dax, you shall apologize at once or I will have you placed under arrest!" Speaking in a subtle tone that quickly turns into anger Dax replies: "I apologize.... for not being completely honest. I apologize for not showing my true feelings. I apologize for not telling you sooner that you're a sick, degenerate, heartless, sadistic old man. And you can go to hell before I apologize to you now or ever again!"Briefly stunned by Dax's furious and defiant outburst, Broulard slumps back and sighs, now realizing that he was wrong about Dax. In a calm tone, Broulard shakes his head and responds by saying: "Colonel Dax, you are a disappointment to me. You've spoiled the keenness of your mind by wallowing in sentimentality. You really did want to save those three men... and you were not angling for General Mireau's command." The impassive and unfeeling Broulard then ridicules Dax by adding: "You're not a soldier. You're an idealist. For that I pity you as I would the village idiot. We're fighting a war, Dax. A war we've got to win. Those men wouldn't fight, so I had them shot; you brought charges against Mireau, so I demanded that he answer to them. Wherein have I done wrong?" Dax replies, "You really don't know the answer to that. I pity you for that." Dax leaves.Now outside, Dax wanders over to a tavern where he hears men from his regiment having a good time. (It's not clear if these are merely troops from the 701st or, perhaps, the men from the firing squad.) The proprietor (Jerry Hausner) brings a young German woman (Susanne Christaina), who is clearly frightened, on stage to entertain the troops. The men hoot and whistle and jeer; "Talk in a civilized language!" one yells out. Dax, standing outside, cringes in disgust, seeming to reflect his general disillusionment with not only generals Mireau and Broulard, but the entire human race. But as the girl begins to sing the German folk song, "The Faithful Hussar", the catcalls and whistles gradually die down and the men, captivated by the only decent, innocent being they've come in contact with for a very long time, begin to hum along; some of them even begin to shed tears.Outside the tavern, Sgt. Boulanger appears before Dax with word that the 701st Regiment has been ordered to return to the front. Dax, his faith in common humanity restored, tells the sergeant to give the men a few minutes more, and walks away to his office as his smile turns into a hardened look once again.THE END

Review: Although Kubrick's films are marked by their massive variation of genre and tone, one theme that crops up again and again is a strong anti-war sentiment, and this was never stated more strongly than in Paths of Glory.
This excellently staged and wonderfully acted production is as much an acting showcase for Douglas as it is a directorial masterstroke by a young Stanley Kubrick who adapted this to the screen from a novel based on actual accounts.Kubrick displays a great control of sound effects and camera movement in the brief but effective battle scenes that expertly depict the controlled chaos that was trench warfare during WWI.
Therefore, the significance of the film lay not so much in its anti-war message, but in its brilliant expose of the "monsters within" the general staff, superbly acted by Adolphe Menjou and George Macready.
They're kind of like the posse in The Oxbow Incident, just an ordinary group who become ennobled in martyrdom as they go to the firing squad for the sake of politics.Paths of Glory is one of the best anti-war films ever made.
In France, in the First World War, the insane and ambitious general Gen. Paul Mireau (George Macready) orders Colonel Dax (Kirk Douglas) to lead his men in a suicide attack against Germans in the unattainable Ant Hill.
The entire ensemble cast is superb with special mention to George Macready as the utterly pompous power-mad glory-seeking "soldier", General Mireuo (who thinks nothing about ordering his troops to open fire on his own men for not charging out of the trenches and dying for his "country"; which smells a bit like ME ME ME).
This is just one of his many masterpieces, but Paths Of Glory is probably as good a film as any of Kubrick's other best works.
The arrogance and total disregard for the welfare of the soldier as beautifully portrayed by Menjou and McReady, in opposition to the care and concern of the Colonel so humanly portrayed by  Douglas adds to the reality of what the world was like in the days of the "Great War." Additionally, the roles played by Wayne Morris, Ralph Meeker and the self serving aide to McReady add to the greatness of this memorable motion picture.
Incredible acting performances from Kirk Douglas, George MacReady and Adolphe Menjou attract the viewer's attention and become the central focus in a war film with scarce amounts of action.
Paths of Glory' is easily one of the most powerful films of all time and a pejorative anti-war statement where the only real failing is the short length of the movie and occasional poor performances from the supporting cast.
There is no glory in Stanley Kubrick's PATHS OF GLORY, a devastating anti-war film that looks at the Generals who command soldiers as cowards themselves.
Kubrick's camera angles and photography, as usual, were a treat for the eyes.Although Kirk Douglas gets top billing, I thought George Macready was the unofficial "star" of this film, playing the obsessed "General Mireau." Douglas' picture dominates the cover of the DVD and is featured in most of the stills seen here on the IMDb home page of the movie.
Paths of Glory is one of the two war movies Stanley Kubrick directed throughout a splendid career (the other being Full Metal Jacket).
The only person who seems to understand what is really going on is Col. Dax (Kirk Douglas), and it is his difficult job to convince his superiors of the necessity of the squad's behavior.Anyone who is even vaguely acquainted with Kubrick knows this is not going to be a fairy tale: Paths of Glory is one of the most effective anti-war films ever made because it is not afraid to expose the more rotten aspects of what happens in these situations (and it invites comparison with the M*A*S*H episode where Alan Alda makes a documentary and says :"This is no way to end a movie, I know that, but war is no movie").
The director openly criticizes the very nature of conflict by immediately taking Dax's side, showing that he, unlike Mireau who admires the size of the trenches (one of the most beautiful of Kubrick's many tracking shots) and only wants to be remembered as a great general, is more concerned about bringing his men back home as unharmed as possible, putting glory aside.One scene in particular supports the filmmakers'point more than anything else: the trial.
While the prosecutor just wants to have the three soldiers sentenced to death and barely pays attention to them, Dax (played with solemn authority by Douglas) allows them to explain what actually occurred during the attack and uses this to openly express his contempt for what the war has done to everyone around him, depriving them of any reason and consideration for human life.
Let me preface this review by stating that if anyone has seen Paths of Glory and afterward is unable, for whatever cockamamie reason, to give the biggest kudos to Stanley Kubrick's writing and directing work, then he/she quite simply is swine before whom those of us in the know ought not to cast our pearls.The film is a masterpiece.
From the brilliant choice to shoot in black and white cinematography (thus giving a gritty, darker feel to the entire story, and refraining from sugarcoating the absolutely hellish experience that trench warfare must have been), to the effective use of zoom-ins, to the short, poignant dialogues, and to the generally minimalistic approach to the anti-war message of the screenplay--it all mixes together incredibly.
It is however the mark of a director well on his way to greater things that he nails the themes, conflicts and most striking images of the movie with just five tracking shots - General Mireau inspecting the shellshocked soldiers inside the trench, Col. Dax moving through the trenches before the attack, Col. Dax and the division moving through the wartorn battlefield full of ditches and old fenceposts, the guests of General Broulard dancing, and finally the three soldiers being escorted to their deaths.Interested more in the moral dilemmas pertaining to war and those who wage it as opposed to the physical act of war itself, emphasizing the absurdity and futility of sending out men to die by the thousands for a couple yards of shellshocked dirt, perhaps the best observation on the human nature Paths of Glory has to offer is that idealism has no place in the act of war.
At any rate, Kirk Douglas does a wonderful job of portraying quiet, white-hot rage, and I especially liked Ralph Meeker, who reminded me a little bit of a young, goateed Orson Welles.The black and white really stood out as well-I really liked the scenes in the basement of the chateau.If I had to criticize anything about the movie, I suppose the very end with the German girl and the men didn't really work for me.
We're still wondering where Stanley Kubrick wanted to go with this Paths of Glory.Even though the historic facts on which it relies on are far from being uninteresting, the plot is, the dramatic tension is almost non-existent and the story goes from one subject to another from scene to scene with not much coherence.As for the form, granted the cinematography is beautiful with some excellent tracking shots in the trenches and an exceptional travelling shot in the no man's land, but the mise-en-scène is sometimes almost ridiculous when for example two characters are climbing stairs, then stop halfway through, then separate in opposite directions.To sum up, it's hard to grasp Kubric's logic, what he wanted to tell, the level of analysis is superficial and even though the movie is barely an 1h30 long, you just want to get to the end of it..
The movie is infamously known not only as a damning anti-war film but as one of Kubrick's first great masterpieces in a career marked by nothing but.
Stanley Kubrick's Paths of Glory is holding up rather well these days, in fact it's as pertinent and relevant as ever.It's 1916 and the French and German armies are in opposing mud trenches, when the French are ordered to undertake a suicidal assault on a German held hill, many of the soldiers are quick to realise it's an impossible order to see through to its conclusion and retreat, something which brings charges of cowardice from the military hierarchy.
Which leads to the astonishing finale, heartbreaking whilst inducing fury, and crowned by an elegiac song that brings tears for characters and viewers alike.A monochrome masterpiece full of technical skills, towering performances and writing to die for, Paths of Glory, candidate for one of the greatest anti-military films ever crafted.
Stanley Kubrick's 1957 war film, "Paths of Glory" based on a novel of the same name by Humphrey Cobb is more of an anti-war statement.
The story of the first world war French soldiers sent to an almost sure death by their corrupted generals and then randomly court-martial-ed and sent to death for cowardice when they face the predictable failure is turned by Kubrick into a splendidly built and beautifully filmed pledge for humanity.
That's the general message of Stanley Kubrick's "Paths of Glory," but it's not meant in the sense of people killing other people is bad, it's because war makes us dehumanize ourselves, make poor decisions and devalue human life.
When the general charges the survivors with cowardice punishable by death, Colonel Dax (Kirk Douglas) must defend the lives of three of his men from the military powers that want to make an example of their execution.
Each prisoner's battle becomes a microcosm for the initial conflict of the soldiers retreating or in some cases not even leaving the trenches."Paths of Glory" is an incredible statement film about war's dark side, about how we're taught to fight for certain things like glory and patriotism and to obey all orders.
The way the soldiers end is not happy but the last scenes of the movie give a spark of hope which can be a little bit silly for some viewers, which I understand, but I liked the ending.It is a good court drama, with great acting and I like these kind of films.
It follows the planning and potential execution of a suicide mission in World War One. If you can use your suspension of disbelief and accept the fact that no one in the movie has a French accent, you'll be in for a very riveting, well-acted film.Adolphe Menjou and George Macready are big-wigs in the French army, and they plan out a mission for their boys in the trenches that has virtually no likelihood of success.
There's not much one can add here to what has been said regarding this excellent and classic War World I film based on actual facts.Perhaps just point out that in a brilliant cast (Kirk Douglas renders one of his best performances ever and George McReady his best), the one who steals the show is Adolph Menjou in my opinion.In his General Broulard character Menjou shows superb acting.
The movies uses three soldiers for the storyline.On a time when the French and German army developed into a continuous line of heavily fortified trenches a selfish overambitious French general during World War I orders a regiment on a suicidal mission to take the Ant hill to get promotion he has been promised.
The general's order to open fire on his own squad and his accusations of mutiny of the simple soldiers display how Paths of Glory,with a masterly finesse, is making a mockery of the idiocy of high-ranking officials in the army.It depicts the wanton characteristics of the homo sapiens who could just rule out his entire nation for his personal ambitions.Kirk Douglas as the Colonel Dax, who leads the soldiers in the attack and is the counsel of three soldiers before the court-martial is totally great.
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..
For a time, the film wasn't permitted to be shown in France, and it holds the dubious distinction of joining the ranks of a small number of other films that the Defense Department BANNED from being shown at US military base theaters.The only other military theme films (tho not war films) so "honored" by the Pentagon that I know of are Rod Steiger's THE SERGEANT (which depicted Steiger as a homosexual noncommissioned officer), and Kirk Douglas' TOWN WITHOUT PITY (which tells the story of the court martial of four American occupation troops in Germany who are charged with the rape of a German teenager).Were PATHS OF GLORY to be released today, it would probably STILL be banned from post movie houses; it asks far too many questions and reaches too many conclusions that make the military uncomfortable.PATHS OF GLORY shows the results an ill conceived (and ultimately unsuccessful) attack, ordered by officers who are far more concerned with their own egos, images and reputations than they are with either the successful prosecution that attack or the wellbeing of the troops...
Paths of Glory (1956) **** (out of 4) Stanley Kubrick's masterpiece anti-war drama centers on a Colonel (Kirk Douglas) who led a group of soldiers on a suicide mission but when the troops refuse to leave the trenches, three of them are hand picked to be executed on grounds of cowardice.
Incensed, the general accuses his men of cowardice in the face of the enemy and orders one man from every company to be executed by firing squad.This doesn't sit well with Colonel Dax (Kirk Douglas), the regiment's leader, and he appoints himself as their defense at the court-martial.It's an early Kubrick film and thus it doesn't have quite as many "But what does it mean?" scenes than his more famous films.
This black and white Stanley Kubrick movie quite isn't one that shows great action scenes of war, it is more about the moral aspect of it and has heart and brain.
The only German that is shown ( The female singer in the final scene ) is depicted as an array of light and hope, instead of hate and anger as is usually associated with the enemy.The acting is generally superb, with in particular an outstanding performance by Kirk Douglas in the lead role, who truly seems to be the sole 'human' officer depicted in the film.
It's World War I: Upon the orders of his superior officers, Colonel Dax (Kirk Douglas) leads his entrenched regiment of the French Army into a battle to take "The Anthill", an impenetrable German stronghold.
There's a throbbing human passion in the way he attacks the character, as there is throughout the entire film, somewhat rare for Kubrick, whose later movies would tend toward the emotionally detached.A surprisingly candid film for its time, "Paths of Glory" would be tough medicine for people to swallow today, when everyone wants to believe that the military establishment has nothing but our best interests at heart.
Pathes of Glory (1957) has to be one of the greatest anti-war films ever made.
The name of this movie is Paths of Glory and it is a story about men who are fighting in the WW1.These men refuse to continue with an impossible attack and they are accused for cowardice and are sentenced to death.Kirk Douglas plays Col.Dax and he does it brilliantly.All the other actors are great too.Stanley Kubrick was an amazing director and he didn't make one bad movie in his career.This movie is filled with scenes that make you catch your breath.This is a very realistic portrayal of war and makes you see how horrible thing war really is.It hurts to think that people would kill other people because they're afraid.Afraid of dying.Cowardice is not a crime.It's only humane..
PATHS OF GLORY (war/classic, 1957) France 1916: During WW1 Col. Dax (Kirk Douglas) is ordered by General Meraud (George McReady) to advance the enemy and take an important 'ant hill'.