User reviews

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. A relatively early Kubrick picture and, despite coming before what is considered his classic period, it is one of his best.

In contrast to his previous picture, The Killing, a definite Kubrick style is beginning to emerge now. One notable example is the scene in which General Mireau tours the trenches, walking towards the audience with the camera retreating away from him. This technique would be repeated years later in Kubrick's other war film, Full Metal Jacket. There is also something about the arrangement of objects in the frame, as well the tracking and dollying which hints towards his more familiar later style. His recurring chess motif appears as well, albeit subtly. At the court martial the floor is chequered, and the soldiers on trial are seated with guards standing behind them as if they are pawns about to be sacrificed.

The light and contrast in this picture is put to good effect. The palatial officers' headquarters is light and airy with few shadows. The trenches are gloomy and cramped. Kubrick was becoming a real master at contrasting locations and getting the look of a place just right.

The use of music in Paths of Glory is bold and brilliant. The pre-recorded score is almost entirely percussive – all rhythmic sounds with no melody. A weird kettle drum track is used to help build tension in the night patrol scene, while in the climactic scene the funeral march drumming instills a sense of dread, further heightened by having the shots edited in time to the beat. In the emotional final scene we get the complete opposite – a beautiful vocal melody. This has all the more impact after hearing nothing but militaristic drums for the rest of the film.

The casting is absolutely flawless. While there are no big names apart from leading man Kirk Douglas and the now elderly Adolphe Menjou, there isn't a single weak performance. The despair and resentment of the condemned soldiers feels so absolutely real. In contrast the smugness and fake sympathy of the upper class officers is brilliantly portrayed.

Throughout his career Kubrick never seemed to be particularly keen on blatantly emotional moments. Paths of Glory is the exception. The later scenes are incredibly poignant and moving, and the final moments in the soldier's bar are what makes it a masterpiece more than anything else – the icing on the cake. However it's quite probable that Kubrick regretted this as an overly sentimental approach, as woolly sentimentalism was a major gripe of his when he worked on Spartacus. Whatever the case, he certainly reined in the stirring stuff considerably after this, to the point where his later films became characterised by their understatement of emotions.

An arrogant French general (a superb George Macready) orders his men on a suicide mission and then has the gall to try to court marshal and execute three of them for cowardice in the face of the enemy. A former lawyer turned colonel (Kirk Douglas in his prime) is the voice of reason against gross injustice. 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. Things get juicier during the ensuing courtroom battle where the deafening disparity between the elite who propagate and profit from war and the common citizens who suffer and die in war is shown with great lucidity.

Unlike later Kubrick epics, this runs at a crisp 90 minutes, though suffers briefly from a slow and awkwardly staged opening ten minutes before Douglas comes on screen. Ultimately, this holds up very well to modern scrutiny thanks to the flawlessness of Kurbick's craft, the amazing ensemble acting, and the surprising depth of its philosophical and psychological pondering. "Paths of Glory" is more anti-arrogance than anti-war, and is unapologetically sentimental and pro-soldier. As such, much can still be gleaned from its message.

Sensational antiwar treatise based on facts with a relentless and vivid denounce against the military commanding class represented by two senior Generals (George Macready , Adolphe Menjou ) who order his men a suicidal mission . France 1916 , an upright officer , Colonel Dax (Kirk Douglas), must lead his soldiers against difficult enemy positions called the 'Ants Hill' . Then he's also the Colonel lawyer assigned to defend three (the privates Timothy Carey , Ralph Meeker , Joe Turkel) of them when the attack is lost against charges of cowardice and submitted to eventual firing squad. Never has the screen thrust so deeply into the guts of war! The most explosive motion picture in 25 years ! Bombshell! The roll of the drums... the click of the rifle-bolts... the last cigarette... and then... the shattering impact of this story... perhaps the most explosive motion picture in 25 years! It explodes in the no-man's land no picture ever dared cross before! Now the screen blasts open the bombshell story of a Colonel who led his regiment into hell and back - while their maddened General waited for them - with a firing squad!

This is a thought-provoking and intelligent war drama perfectly acted by strong cast and masterfully directed. Interesting screenplay based on a Humphrey's Cobb's novel has been well adapted by Stanley Kubrick and Jim Thompson . It depicts a brooding study about futility and insanity of war , making a shattering accusation against the military ruling staff who cares on promotions more than the soldiers . Kirk Douglas is very good as compassionate French Colonel who commands his troops in some spectacular scenes on the trenches . Stunning support cast beautifully performed by notorious secondaries , such as : Emily Meyer as the priest , Wayne Morris as the lieutenant , Richard Anderson as the Major prosecutor , Ralph Meeker , Timothy Carey , Joe Turkel and Suzanne Christian , Kubrick's wife . Special mention for the two selfish and ruthless Generals exceptionally performed by George Macready and Adolph Menjou . Excellent cinematography in black and white by cameramn George Krause , filmed on location in Schleissheim Palace, Munich, and Bavaria Film studios, Geiselgasteig, Grünwald, Bavaria, Germany (studio). The motion picture was wonderfully realized by the maestro Stanley Kubrick and lavishly produced by James B. Harris , his usual producer at the time . This magnificent film along with ¨ All quiet on the Western front ¨ , ¨Westfront 1918 ¨, ¨ Captain Conan ¨ and ¨King and country¨ result to be the best ones about the powerful antiwar theme . Time hasn't dimmed its power , or its poignancy and remains untouchable the critique to the military hypocrisy in an ultra-lucid exposition . Rating : 8.8/10. Phenomenal and marvellous film , above average . Essential and indispensable watching .

I consider Paths of Glory as one of the most memorable of Kubrick's entire output. The most remarkable aspect of this pioneer anti-war film is the complete absence of any persons depicting the "real" enemy. 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. The message here is that the enemy lurks much closer to home. In most war films, whether they glorify or condemn the carnage, there is rarely any venturing at all into the darker side of the politics. This film is a tour de force in its unabashed depiction of just how misguided is the quest for glory as an end in itself; and in the portrayal of the leaders who would shamelessly sacrifice others for their own self aggrandizement. Truly, one of my all time favourite movies.

I saw this movie for the first time on television today, after being persuaded by the reviews I read beforehand praising it. Also I like Kirk Douglas. Although I am not directly familiar with Kubrick's work, a shameful admission I know. Out of what I have seen so far I loved Dr Strangelove and despite only seeing it once while flicking through channels liked The Shining too. Anyway back on target, Paths of Glory was brilliant in my opinion!

Winston Churchill famously claimed that it was this movie that was closest to evoking the atmosphere of WW1 and the military mind. And you know what, he is right. For one thing, Paths of Glory is gorgeously filmed, with relentlessly beautiful cinematography and nice costumes and scenery. The screenplay is sometimes humorous, sometimes moving and sometimes even haunting, either way it was some fine writing. The efficiency of Kubrick's direction is proof of a great man at work.

The performances were superb. As the general who orders the hopeless attack on the German position, Adolphe Menjou's character is perceived as a villain not because of being an officer adhering to the letter, but that he is seen as "the arrogant aristocrat" because of his fear of the working classes than his hatred of the enemy. Among the cast, Timothy Carey and Kirk Douglas especially were outstanding. And the music? That is one rousing score I can tell you. Great movie. 10/10 Bethany Cox

Paths of Glory is one of the best movies ever made, and possibly the best "war" movie, period. Paths of Glory does not portray war as conflict between armies or individual soldiers arrayed against one another on the battlefield. Nor does it portray the acts of great leaders and heroes of war. No this film takes a different tact.

The setting is the Western Front of 1916 in the trenches with French soldiers faced off against an invisible German force across a barren No Man's Land. The German's are never seen and the dramatic "combat" is between vain French officers as they vie for prestige and honors. The victims are the innocent French soldiers under their command who suffer miserably because of their arrogance and ignorance.

Brilliant, gripping, and definitely a "must see".

In an attempt to enhance his own reputation, General Mireau (George MacReady) orders his troops to advance and seize the heavily fortified `Ant Hill' from the German army. Despite realising the hazardous nature of the order, Colonel Dax (Kirk Douglas) reluctantly agrees to lead the charge. As expected the attack goes badly and many French troops lose their lives which results in a large number of men refusing to leave their trenches. General Mireau sees this from his safe position and, refusing to admit that the attack was suicide from the outset, blames the cowardice of those who refused to fight for the devastating outcome of the battle. As a result Mireau demands that three soldiers from the regiment be held accountable and face an immediate court martial followed by death by firing squad. Dax seeks for the French military hierarchy to admit the truth.

This dramatic condemnation of the politics-over-people attitude of military forces during World War I is an all too accurate portrayal of how the conflict resulted in one of the largest and most pointless losses of life in all known history. Taking place in the trenches amidst the height of the futile conflict between France and Germany, director Stanley Kubrick (in only his second feature film) seeks to press home a fiercely anti-war statement backed up by actual historical facts rather than the typical embellishment that can be found in more modern war films. While the story itself is somewhat fanciful, the portrayal of the morally corrupt military leaders that sent hundreds of thousands of men to their deaths for no more reason than to satisfy their own expanded egos and enhance their perfidious reputations is, unfortunately, all too accurate and a powerful indictment of not just the French army, but all those who participated in one of the most bloody conflicts in human history. What makes the film so stinging in its approach is the flat out lies told by protagonist Mireau, who claims that one man's life is worth more to him than a reputation, yet when presented with the opportunity for political acclaim and honours is all too willing to send troops to battle when freely admitting that four thousand will probably perish in no man's land. A quick glance through history proves such on-screen bald faced lies to be inherently and tragically true off-screen, even in relation to Britain's very own Field Marshall Hague. The French government found the representation of their military too close to fact and banned ‘Paths of Glory', eventually lifting the ban in 1970.

The film does not stand out in mere message alone. For those familiar with Kubrick's later work such as ‘2001: A Space Odyssey' (1968), ‘A Clockwork Orange' (1971) and ‘Full Metal Jacket' (1987) the director's soon-to-be trademarks can easily be spotted. As with many Kubrick films there is a remarkable ability to portray to the viewer what is not seen on the screen. The full carnage of the war is displayed in a darkly amusing, yet chilling scene where one soldier questions another on whether he is scared of death or merely getting hurt. As this precedes the actual battle scenes by a matter of minutes the viewer becomes rapidly acquainted with the carnage, fear and suffering these men faced despite a distinct lack of on-screen bloodshed. One could argue that the short, virtually bloodless battle scene in ‘Paths of Glory' is even more powerful than the bloody, disturbing and prolonged beach scenes from ‘Saving Private Ryan' (1998). Kubrick wonderfully crafts this movie around the composition of the filming rather than relying on any sort of special effects or visual trickery. Throughout the movie, particularly during the battle scenes, the viewer is given a third person perspective of the struggles of men to come to terms with life and death under such harsh conditions. 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. Kubrick condemns the politics of war through the use of the politics that control war.

It is very difficult to write about this film and fully do it justice. The pre-Vietnam anti-war sentiment is easily the main focus of the movie and it is through competent acting that the movie is made great. It becomes somewhat irrelevant that the movie is set in WWI as the same message applies to every major war, particularly the following decades Vietnam War. It wasn't until Oliver Stone's ‘Platoon' (1986) that viewers were again treated to an historically based condemnation of war that focused less on heroes and more on the way things really were in battle. Wisely, the movie opens with a narrated epilogue which informs the viewer of the absurdity of WWI and then ends with a melodramatic and almost tear-inspiring scene which, although not in place when compared to the sombre and melancholy feel of the previous eighty minutes, ends the film in such a way that the film itself must be contemplated. ‘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. My rating for ‘Paths of Glory' - 7½/10.

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. After a massacre of the French soldiers, Gen. Mireau orders his artillery to drop bombs between the French front line of attack and the trenches, to avoid the soldier to return to the protection of the trenches. The commander of the French artillery refuses to accomplish the order. Gen. Mireau asks his superior, Gen. George Broulard (Adolphe Menjou), to send three men to Court Martial and execute them for cowardice through shooting, as an example to the other soldiers. Colonel Dax, a former lawyer, defends his men in the unfair trial.

Yesterday I watched this outstanding masterpiece for the first time and certainly it is among the best movies of the cinema history. The disgusting story shows the insanity of a war, where men are treated like numbers and not as human beings. The reality of the battles scenes is amazing. The cast has a stunning performance, highlighting the trio George Macready, Adolphe Menjou and Kirk Douglas. The lack of sensibility and respect for the human life and the cynicism in the dialogs of the two generals are fantastic. Two other points that called my attention are the fancy reception for the general staff, while their subalterns are fighting in the front and the misunderstanding of the real intentions of Colonel Dax by Gen. George Broulard. A must-see movie! My vote is ten.

Title (Brazil): 'Glória Feita de Sangue' ('Glory Made of Blood')

Note: On 07 February 2025, I saw this film again.

How well I remember the audience of 1958 sitting in stunned silence as the daring iconoclasm of the film washed over us like a bucket of cold water at a snoozer's convention. Post-war generations had seen nothing like its brutal honesty before. Instead, Hollywood had taught us that soldiers don't bawl like babies before being shot, that chaplains aren't part of a murderous war machine, that military justice really is about justice, and that generals however far removed are ultimately good and honorable men, (and that cameras always look away from execution scenes). Sure, the movie was not about our army, but the power of its message could not be missed, and no one from that era, having seen it, could again accept Hollywood's platitudes at face value.

Now, fifty years later, the film is still timely, having lost none of its power to illuminate. Thanks be to Kirk Douglas for taking a chance on an unproven Stanley Kubrick and getting Allied Artists to finance what was so clearly a non-commercial project. I suspect too, that it was at AA's insistence that Hollywood veterans be cast, even though the movie was shot to great advantage amidst the majestic settings of old Europe. Given the film's message, I think Kubrick would have preferred no-name principals, but then, who could have surpassed the oily charm of Adolphe Menjou's diabolical general, or the pathetic repulsiveness of Timothy Carey's sacrificial dog-face. (It's ironic that the part of the cowardly lieutenant went to an authentic war-hero, naval air-ace Wayne Morris, then only two years away from an untimely death.) This many decades later, I still have mixed feelings about the celebrated final scene. On one hand, it's so clearly manipulative (someone once called it a "male weepie"), that I try to steel myself against its undeniable force; on the other, it's so superbly well done that the humming chorus of universal brotherhood never fails to move me, even after this many viewings.

Researchers digging into origins of 60's counter-culture should check out themes and characterizations of the screen-play, particularly Timothy Carey's social outcast and Fred Bell's absolutely stunning thirty seconds of emotional break-down. For this is one of the few films from the conformist Eisenhower era to cast a shadow forward in time and serve as a reference point for future generations. The film's abundant cynicism may no longer be as revealing as it once was, thanks to Vietnam. Yet the emotional honesty remains as fresh and compelling as ever in its search for a gut-level depiction of real human anguish. Above all, Kubrick's anti-war classic points toward a more civilized potential amidst the barbarities and passions of combat, whether French or American, and given present political realities, still has many lessons to offer.

Paths Of Glory is a masterpiece without doubt. Usually a masterpiece is the pinnacle of a directors career. However when you are talking about Stanley Kubrick, you are talking about genuine genius. 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. I have seen tons of war films in my life, many great ones. Honestly, this is my favorite of them all. When I first saw this film I didn't expect it to blow me away. After all it is an early Kubrick film, however it blew me away constantly, and completely. This is not only one of the greatest war films ever made, not only one of the greatest black & white films ever made, it is simply one of the greatest films ever made bar none. The film screams integrity, in each and every way. This film is a joy to watch, and in my estimation, Paths Of Glory will remain forever as one of cinemas greatest accomplishments.

10/10

You've been posted to the front, to serve your country in the war, now they want you to go over, and face the enemy once more, only problem that you have, is you know it's certain death, there'll be no gains made here today, but there'll be, almighty mess.

As powerful a film as ever existed against those who pursue war as a solution, painting a portrait of the incompetence of command and the futility of armed conflict, as French soldiers on the front during WW1 discover the penalty for disobedience, the consequence of insubordination and that everyone is accountable, and that nothing's fair, there is no love in war.

Top performances all round, especially from Kirk Douglas, and a director that went on to make his mark quite significantly in the world of film.

General Paul Mireau demands that a group of soldiers are executes after they refuse to attack an enemy's strongly held position, only Captain Dax tries to seek justice for the men.

The more I watch Stanley Kubrick's films, the more I am genuine blown away and captivated by his incredible film making. He captures the claustrophobia and futility of trench warfare, what a ghastly piece of history The First World War was.

It shows the true depravity of some men, as well as the extraordinary humanity some have inside. Definitely dramatic and full of some impressive sequences, it also boasts and ending that may just

It's so twisted, Mireau is one of those characters that manages to get under your skin, he burrows away into the unit like a termite, it's a terrific performance from George Macready, he's so twisted and full of malice.

Kirk Douglas is incredible, it's performances such as this that make it clear he was a great, that scene where turns down the promotion was fantastic.

It truly is a brilliant film.

9/10.

I was rather disappointed by this movie. It is supposed to bring a strong message about the cruelty of war, not only created by the fights but also by the nature of man. The problem is that the good guys are too perfect while the bad guys are too bad. The story is too simple, and I am not sure it has any intellectual value, despite the evident willing to criticize.

It's 1916 France. General Georges Broulard convinces General Mireau to send his men on a suicide mission to attack the fortified Anthill. The men are worn out. General Mireau with glory in his eyes downplays the difficulties to Col. Dax (Kirk Douglas). He even threatens to relieve Dax when he gives less than full enthusiastic support. On a 3-person night patrol, drunken lieutenant Roget kills fellow soldier Lejeune and then falsifies the records despite Corporal Paris (Ralph Meeker). Dax leads the attack the next morning. The first wave is wiped out and the men refuse to continue the attack. Mireau court-marshals a man from each company for cowardice. Roget sends Paris as one of those men. Dax defends them in the kangaroo court.

Stanley Kubrick creates one of the classic anti-war movies of all times. Its indictment was biting at the time and finds its glory by the opposition it faced. Kirk Douglas is at his heroic best. The vision is sharp. The story is poignant. The movie finds its target and doesn't let go.

i was very impressed with this film - it details the petty politics of war very well. it is a horrible story. the acting is great as is the look and feel of the film. it made me feel as though there were bugs crawling up my arm but there was nothing i could do about it.