Paths Of Glory (dir. Stanley Kubrick)
Runtime: 88 minutes
Stanley Kubrick’s criminally under-appreciated Paths of Glory is a timeless project, and one of the most effective anti-war films ever made. Set in World War I, the movie stars Kirk Douglas (who would later star in Kubrick’s Spartacus) as Colonel Dax, the commanding officer of the French 701st Regiment. The French and German armies have been battling over a stretch of land for two years when the film takes place, each entrapped along 500 miles of narrow trenches, and only No Man’s Land separates them.
What Dax understands is that any attempts of advancement result in incalculable causalities, but when his superior officer, General Mireau (George Macready) is offered the chance for a promotion, Dax is ordered to lead an assault on the German’s “Anthill.” Reluctantly, he follows orders, and as expected, the attack fails and the French are forced to retreat before getting halfway across the field. Outraged, Mireau charges the entire 701st with “Cowardice in the Face of the Enemy,” and has one man from each of the three companies tried. Dax attempts to defend them during the court-martial.
A persistent attack against the dangers of rank and how war is handled amongst authority, Paths of Glory strikes up some important questions. Does a title give someone the right to play God? To choose who lives and who dies? The entirety of the film is dedicated to refuting that question, and its preposterous place in human nature.
Led by a powerful performance from Douglas and the cinematography of the Master, Paths of Glory is simply one of the best movies of all-time.
Quote to remember: “There are times when I am ashamed to be a member of the human race, and this is one such occasion.” -Dax
Published: Jan 29, 2017 01:00 pm