Stanley Kubricks first genuine masterpiece (although 1956s The Killing might certainly also be up for consideration for that title too), Paths of Glory is one of the best films about war ever made and like all those best films, its a powerful anti-war statement. During World War I, a French General (George MacReady) orders an attack on a heavily fortified German hill. Knowing full well that the attack will be useless he still proceeds with the orders as he is trying to build his own reputation. The attack is a disaster and the French troops are decimated. A handful of French troops refuse to leave their trenches and the General, unwilling to admit that it was a horrible idea from the start, blames the failure on the cowardice of his troops and decided to set the example by executing three of his own men. Their Colonel (Kirk Douglas) takes on their defence but is fighting a losing battle as the powers that be will not lose face and are only interested in setting an example. Shot in stark black and white and a documentary-like fashion, Paths of Glory is a scathing indictment of the madness of war and the stark contrasts between those making the decisions and those fighting the actual battles in the trenches. The film hit some raw nerves and was banned from several European countries, most prominently France, where the film was only first shown in 1975, almost twenty years after it was first released. Truly one of the best movies about war as well as one of the most powerful anti-war statements ever made, this is a movie that should be seen by everybody.
Posted on: Mon, 10 Mar 2014 17:28:40 +0000
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