Paths of Glory Reviews and Ratings



  • October 30, 2009
    Review coming someday...

    99/100
  • October 29, 2009
    One of Kubrick's best. Even surpasses the likes of 2001: A Space Odyssey and Lolita.

    Stanley Kubrick, aged just 29 and with the 1956 masterpiece The Killing already under his belt, made this World War 1 classic. Touching and at most times hard to watch because of the raw emoti...( read more)on, it is his most emotional film to date with an ending that may not be his best but is certainly the deepest, as a German girl sings uncomfortably in a pub. It brought a tear to my eye for so many reasons and this is proof of Kubrick's budding genius. In fact it was already in full bloom.

    The scenes in the trenches showcase Kubrick's eye for angles perfectly, as the camera pulls backwards and gives us a sort of tour of the squalid conditions and the people who brave them whilst the way the doomed attack is filmed obviously inspired Spielberg's direction of the first scene in Saving Private Ryan.

    The cast were well incredibly well chosen. Douglas gives his all whilst the three accused also give masterclass performances and their powerful emotion gave me the chills.

    The screenplay is brilliant. Two soldiers discuss if they would rather die "by bayonet or bullet" whilst one concludes that "we are not afraid of death but pain instead". Is this a realistic portrayal of soldiers and their possible denial of fear? I can only imagine so. Great dialogue, great moments, great realism; Kubrick has always written above par sceenplays and this is no exception,

    Paths Of Glory is one of Kubrick's best but unfortunately is one of his most under rated. As I have already said, I prefer this to more widely acknowledged Kubrick classics such as 2001: A Space Odyssey and Lolita. Everyone should see this so they can see a master director tell one of his best films.
  • October 26, 2009
    I accidentally broke the version I owned right when I was about to watch it. I'm retarded.
  • October 21, 2009
    Nothing great....ok but why is it one of the 250 best movies ever?
  • October 2, 2009
    Great war movie from the master of genres!
  • August 11, 2009
    1. Es war einmal ein treuer Husar,
    Der liebt' sein Mädchen ein ganzes Jahr,
    |: Ein ganzes Jahr und noch viel mehr,
    Die Liebe nahm kein Ende mehr. :|

    2. Der Knab' der fuhr ins fremde Land,
    Derweil ward ihm sein Mädchen krank, |: Sie ward so krank bis auf den Tod,
    Dre...( read more)i Tag, drei Nacht sprach sie kein Wort. :|

    3. Und als der Knab' die Botschaft kriegt,
    Daß sein Herzlieb am Sterben liegt,
    |: Verließ er gleich sein Hab und Gut,
    Wollt seh'n, was sein Herzliebchen tut. :|

    4. Ach Mutter bring' geschwind ein Licht,
    Mein Liebchen stirbt, ich seh' es nicht,
    |: Das war fürwahr ein treuer Husar,
    Der liebt' sein Mädchen ein ganzes Jahr. :|

    5. Und als er zum Herzliebchen kam,
    Ganz leise gab sie ihm die Hand,
    |: Die ganze Hand und noch viel mehr, Die Liebe nahm kein Ende mehr. :|

    6. "Grüß Gott, grüß Gott, Herzliebste mein!
    Was machst du hier im Bett allein?"
    |: "Hab dank, hab Dank, mein treuer Knab'!
    Mit mir wird's heißen bald: ins Grab!" :|

    7. "Grüß Gott, grüß Gott, mein feiner Knab.
    Mit mir wills gehen ins kühle Grab.
    |: "Ach nein, ach nein, mein liebes Kind,
    Dieweil wir so Verliebte sind." :|

    8. "Ach nein, ach nein, nicht so geschwind,
    Dieweil wir zwei Verliebte sind;
    |: Ach nein, ach nein, Herzliebste mein,
    Die Lieb und Treu muß länger sein. :|

    9. Er nahm sie gleich in seinen Arm,
    Da war sie kalt und nimmer warm; |: "Geschwind, geschwind bringt mir ein Licht!
    Sonst stirbt mein Schatz, daß's niemand sicht. :|

    10. Und als das Mägdlein gestorben war,
    Da legt er's auf die Totenbahr.
    |: Wo krieg ich nun sechs junge Knab'n,
    Die mein Herzlieb zu Grabe trag'n? :|

    11. Wo kriegen wir sechs Träger her?
    Sechs Bauernbuben die sind so schwer.
    |: Sechs brave Husaren müssen es sein,
    Die tragen mein Herzliebchen heim. :|

    12. Jetzt muß ich tragen ein schwarzes Kleid,
    Das ist für mich ein großes Leid, |: Ein großes Leid und noch viel mehr,
    Die Trauer nimmt kein Ende mehr.
  • June 20, 2009
    Just great. Pulls no punches.
  • June 11, 2009
    Another masterpiece from cinematic legend Stanley Kubrick. Paths of Glory is a film that can be described with one word: Perfect. It tells the story of a general whose force falls back under fire in an impossible attack and how their superiors decide to make an example out of the...( read more)m. Paths of Glory is an anti-war classic and one of the most compelling films I have ever seen. Stanley Kubrick first impressed me with The Killing, which is my favorite film, and then I saw this film which completely took my breath away. Its a powerful film with an everlasting message and brilliant performances. Kirk Douglas is spectacular as Col. Dax. This film is an American masterpiece and a film you might never forget.

    Paths of Glory is an American classic. Its a spellbinding cinematic experience and one of the greatest films you will ever see. This film is perfect in every way. An astonishing and breathtaking achievement. Paths of Glory is a brilliantly made and masterfully crafted film.
  • June 7, 2009
    This movie has a great script. The performances and directing also stand out in this film. Kirk Douglas is the only one in the cast that I recognize but the supporting cast is also very good. This is a must see if you are a fan of Stanley Kubrick or like war films.
  • May 8, 2009
    One of the greatest anti-war movies ever made. Kubrick's use of space and juxtaposition are genuis
  • April 29, 2009
    This is how a war film should be made. It doesn't try to impress with explosions, nor does it give us a montage of the most creative ways to dispose of a human being. While the one battle scene is a great spectacle, it's an afterthought to the scenes in the courtroom or in the ce...( read more)ll preceding the executions of the three soldiers. It's as anti-war as an anti-war film can possibly be, and there's absolutely no hypocrisy in glamorizing the battle or striving to accomplish the biggest and most violent visual achievements.

    "Paths of Glory" was Stanley Kubrick's first major film with large financing (thanks to the production company of A-list star Kirk Douglas), and it's also considered to be the film to cement him as one of the great directors of his time. For whatever reason it has been overshadowed by Kubrick's later works, however over 40 years since it's release it still retains it's powerful message.

    The story takes place in 1916 France where World War I has devolved into stalemate. The grueling trench warfare against the Germans is largely unsuccessful with nothing to show for after two years of battle. At the start of the film, General Broulard (Adolphe Menjou) orders a field general, General Mireau (George Macready), to advance position and take the "Ant Hill", an impregnable German fortress. The mission is absurd - a suicidal impossibility that will, in the best case scenario, result in the casualties of 55% of the French soldiers. Although Mireau hesitates at first, he is convinced when the topics of promotion and additional gold stars come into play. Colonel Dax (Kirk Douglas) is the commander of the unit which will have to go through with the attack.

    As expected, the attack is a disaster. A furious Mireau, watching his men hide in the trenches, demands his own troops to fire upon the men and draw them out. The next day, Mireau tells Broulard of the failed attack and suggests the execution of 100 men on the charge of cowardice. Eventually, a compromise is made and the charge is reduced to three soldiers - one from each outfit. Each commanding officer must pick their own soldier. They are Corporal Paris (Meeker), a soldier previously awarded for his bravery, Private Ferol (Carey), selected because of being a "social undesirable", and Private Arnaud (Turkel), selected after witnessing the cowardice of his commanding officer, Lieutenant Roget (Wayne Morris).

    The film explores class boundaries and the privileges they mean in warfare. The contrasting scenes of Generals sipping on coffee and men collapsed in trenches is powerful, and Colonel Dax's pleas at the defense of the doomed soldiers is something out of Kafka. It is about, simply put, man's inhumanity to man. A wonderful movie that sticks with you long after it's over.

    "Paths of Glory" is available on NetFlix Instant View.
  • March 20, 2009
    Brilliant! I wasn't expecting such a blunt reality of the trenches, but it's very well done, and quite an emotional journey.
  • March 13, 2009
    Stanley Kubrick at his best
  • March 10, 2009
    Amazing film. Again, I am catching up on my film history here, but glad I got experience this film. This is probably the greatest anti-war film ever made (at least that I have seen). Kirk Douglas is so good and George Macready is one of the most convincing movie villans of all ti...( read more)me. This is why Stanley Kubrick is a master. One of the best endings of all time. God bless Timothy Carrey, this movie would not have been the same without him.
  • March 3, 2009
    "Too much has happened. Someone's got to be hurt. The only question is who"

    10/10

    Paths of Glory is less of an anti-war film and more of a protest against power abuse. A masterful work which showcases the realities and tragedies of war.

    There's no doubting that Kubrick ...( read more)was a genius. He blended genres and brought out the emotion in every scene. Paths of Glory is only further proof to this as an examination of war and the disparities it causes.

    Kubrick's artistry once again shine with one of his early masterpieces.
  • February 21, 2009
    Short but very sweet (though the story is less than sweet). As expected with Stanley Kubrick this is great. It shows the measure of an artists if he/she can produce great works even in miniature form. Great acting all around in this film and a thought provoking story.
  • February 4, 2009
    Cinematography is the standout in this Kubrick film; his use of the wide-angle lens to create a sense of disorientation is groundbreaking and well used, as is his use of lateral tracking shots that breathtakingly capture both simple interaction scenes between only a few actors an...( read more)d large scale battle scenes. This film demonstrates the inherent weaknesses in all class-based or caste systems, and can easily be interpreted as not only both anti-war and anti-authority, but also as an indictment of McCarthyism. The subject matter will likely remind viewers of Kubrick's later film "Full Metal Jacket," and the courtroom scene certainly foreshadows "Dr. Strangelove." Recommended.
  • January 27, 2009
    película totalmente anti militarista de frente nos hace cuestionarnos acerca de la guerra es el consejo de guerra mas heavy que se ha podido ver en el cine
  • December 21, 2008
    What can you say about a movie like this. Classic on all points. It even rebelled against the Hollywood status quo, but had to sacrifice some for its studio dogmatism. Still great.
  • December 7, 2008
    one of the greatest anti-war movies of all times. well written screenplay and realistic war scenes.
  • November 16, 2008
    One of the best anti-war movies ever. Douglas and Kubrick do an excellent job.
  • November 15, 2008
    Stanley Kubrick's 1957 antiwar masterpiece starring Kirk Douglas as a French Colonel in his battle-worn regiment of World War 1. Under the threat of German artillery in the trenches of warfare, Kubrick's brilliant use of cinematography, music, lighting, etc. result in some of the...( read more) most effective battle sequences ever filmed.
    The camera work in the trenches is gripping, and an utter reminder of how war truly is hell, and how soldiers are thought so little of as a fault of selfish, personal ambitions and self indulgence resulting in senseless executions.
    Though the film touches on themes of courage and loyalty in warfare, it's more about the historical realities of World War 1, and military leaders who orchestrate the deaths of thousands from the comforts of their luxurious headquarters.
  • November 6, 2008
    At the time of this rating, this film was the #43 best film of all time according to the voters at IMDb. I, on the other hand, would have trouble putting it in my top 43 WAR movies of all time! Although Kirk Douglas is at his best (or close to it), and I did like the way the film...( read more) was shot; it just came across too forced. I'm not a huge fan of Stanley Kubrick, but that's not why I didn't love it. It's extremely anti-war/anti-patriotism, but that's not necessarily why I didn't love it either. There were just to many elements of exaggerated insubordination on the parts of the soldiers. Whether they were right, or not, doesn't matter that much to me. I'll admit, I've never been a soldier in the army, but I cannot imagine one where enlisted men blatantly disrespect their commanding officers the way they do in this movie.
  • November 5, 2008
    General Broulard: "Colonel Dax, you're a disappointment to me. You've spoiled the keenness of your mind by wallowing in sentimentality. You really did want to save those men, and you were not angling for Mireau's command. You are an idealist - and I pity you as I would ...( read more)the village idiot. We're fighting a war, Dax, a war that we've got to win. Those men didn't fight, so they were shot. You bring charges against General Mireau, so I insist that he answer them. Wherein have I done wrong?"
    Colonel Dax: "Because you don't know the answer to that question, I pity you."


    The bitter, numbing inanity of war and the exploitation of military ranks is made brazenly obvious in Stanley Kubrick's Paths of Glory. Vehemently an anti-war feature, this compelling masterpiece is a piercing attack on the military hierarchy, and a film that proved so controversial it was banned in France until 1975 and unreleased in Spain under Franco's rule.

    This was Kubrick's fourth feature film (previously he'd directed 1953's Fear and Desire, 1955's Killer Kiss, and 1956's The Killing), but this blistering indictment of military politics made a name for the young director. What's so startling - and impressive - about Kubrick's storytelling in Paths of Glory is the cold, matter-of-fact manner in which the film unfolds. As the anti-war statement develops, all rage and dismay becomes targeted at war itself instead of individuals. The product is an unforgettable, enthralling landmark war movie; a significant lesson in humanity and social incompetence. Decades later the power and intensity of the film still resonates.

    Paths of Glory explores the whole spectrum of misguided personalities at times of war. The setting is 1916, during the latter period of World War II. The French and German armies are dug into trenches in a hopeless stalemate. The impatient French General Staff pass an order to take a strategic German hill known as the "Anthill". This would be an obvious suicidal charge, yet the Generals are all-too-willing to risk the lives of their soldiers. A reluctant Colonel Dax (Douglas) is handed the assignment. Despite the knowledge that possibly 60% of his soldiers will die, he has little choice. As Dax leads his men, the chaos and mayhem results in the soldiers becoming pinned down in dangerous territory. The mission is an utter failure. The furious generals are embarrassed about the defeat, and cover up their abject blunder by selecting scapegoats: three soldiers from Dax's regiment who'll be court marshalled for cowardice under fire and made an example of.

    Inspired by Humphrey Cobb's book as well as a string of real newspaper articles, Stanley Kubrick's 87-minute Paths of Glory briskly moves from a misconceived attack to the courtroom trial following it. The powerful Generals depicted in the film are merely corrupt, self-centred marionettes strung up to participate in a game of profligacy and opportunism at the most inappropriate of times. In the somewhat short but gripping attack sequence, Kubrick manages to portray the carnage and the horrors of war in a succession of remarkable images that set the stage for the events to follow. The film views war in terms of power. Those higher up in the ranks have the power to simply court marshal any random soldier. How can any man who isn't standing side-by-side with these men at the front lines possess the arrogance to accuse them of cowardice? As the story unfolds, this question is literally screaming at the viewer. The truth of the matter is on the screen for all to see, yet the Generals play the ignorance card. All we can hope is that sanity will somehow prevail. The underlying subtext concerns the abuse of power and the consequences of not standing against it.

    Paths of Glory is astonishingly photographed. The captivating black and white imagery makes this one of the most memorable and authentic-looking anti-war films in the history of cinema. Even during the early days of his career, Stanley Kubrick's camera movements are graceful and masterful. The courtroom scene is particularly stunning and admirably unconventional. Whenever we expect Kirk Douglas to deliver an amazing, long, inspirational speech, the Generals counter these possibilities. At 87 minutes, the film is extremely concise and to the point. By circumventing the clichés and challenging an audience's expectation of a happy ending, the film is all the more devastating and compelling.

    There's an assortment of top-notch performances from head to toe. Kirk Douglas is brilliant as Colonel Dax. He's the only high-ranking character in the film with a hint of veracity. As the Generals defy respect for human life with their orders, Dax stands up to them. Even when offered a promotion he bluntly refuses in a series of insults. Douglas is energetic and charismatic. It is his wisdom, sincerity and determination that make the intolerable injustice we witness so despicable. In Douglas' Dax we see all the qualities of a true hero without glorifying the character in any way.
    George Macready is outstanding as the pompous, twisted, fictional French commander General Paul Mireau who possesses not an ounce of sympathy for his embattled troops. In the face of a shell-shocked soldier he offers nothing but blunt insults and orders to have the man removed from the regiment. His character also wilfully orders a suicide mission, and then in embarrassment he perversely finds a scapegoat to use in order to direct the blame away from him. Macready is authoritative and, frankly, quite terrifying.
    There is only one single flaw in the film which unfortunately reverberates to other areas: lack of French accents. Soldiers are of different accents, such as American. It destroys one aspect of the film's authenticity. The fact that the soldiers are supposedly French is therefore only evident in the dialogue mentioning it.

    Overall, Paths of Glory is a timeless and compelling masterpiece, and certainly one of Stanley Kubrick's best movies. Anti-war films of this calibre are few and far between in this current age of cinema. Unfortunately, this is a film seen by relatively few. It even missed out on a spot on the AFI Top 100! Classics are far too unfairly overlooked in this day and age. With a brilliant ensemble cast, enthralling cinematography and an effective script, Paths of Glory is an outstanding essay on the madness of conflict, both in war and in politics. The terse and remorseless final flourish is one of the most emotionally devastating endings in Kubrick's career. You won't soon forget it.


    "I apologize... for not being entirely honest with you. I apologize for not revealing my true feelings. I apologize, sir, for not telling you sooner that you're a degenerate, sadistic old man. And you can go to hell before I apologize to you now or ever again!"
  • November 5, 2008
    heartbreaking story about the disconnect between commanders and the troops in the trench in WW1.
  • November 1, 2008
    Hello, there soldier. Ready to kill more Germans?
  • October 25, 2008
    This anti-war film still has a lot of impact. Kubrick's visual and structural mastery bring the story to life beautifully. Extremely disturbing and brutal, this is a message movie that actually works.
  • October 24, 2008
    Still packs one hell of a punch, you'd be a tough man not to cry. Actually you'd be quite soulless.
  • October 16, 2008
    Oldie but a goodie...
  • October 16, 2008
    It is somewhat uncommon for me to underestimate a movie. So it was with Paths of Glory. I expected it to be good; I didn't expect it to be THIS good. On a very upfront and basic level this film is an excellent - allbeit somewhat disturbing - look at the disparity between the clas...( read more)s differences in the early 20th century militaries of most countries, which was a reflection of the class differences and struggles of those societies as a whole. The indifference of the aristocratic officer corps towards the hardships and sufferings of the lower class foot soldiers is characterized by the central conflict in this film, which portrays 3 common soldiers of the French army during WWI (selected by random and vengeful means) put on trial for cowardice in the face of the enemy, in order to discipline their respective units for failing to achieve a near-impossible strategic objective. Kirk Douglas admirably stars as the mid-level officer who knows what his men must endure because he chooses to endure it beside them. He is given the unenviable task of defending his men before a biased tribunal, whilst simultaneously trying to expose the callousness and treachery of his commanding officer who not only ordered the court martial but ordered artillery to fire on his own men during the assault in order to press them forward. The French were understandably none-too-pleased with this film, to the point where Germany (less than two decades after WWII) refused to show this film in order to maintain good relations with them. It is, of course, not meant as a specific indictment against the French but as an honest and dramatic look at the nature of armed conflict and of human society as a whole and is one of Kubrick's finer moments in filmmaking. A terrific anti-war film that avoids over-sentimentality.
  • October 3, 2008
    The best movie ever.
  • October 1, 2008
    Stanley Kubrick's Paths of Glory is a film depicting World War 1. In the beginning of the film, a French general orders an attack on a hill despite protest from the colonel to whom he gives these orders. It is obvious from the beginning that the attack is nothing but a suicide mi...( read more)ssion, but the troops attempt to proceed losing many men in the process before abandoning the mission. In an attempt to cover up his own incompetence, the general orders 100 (later reduced to 3) French soldiers to be executed for cowardice. They are court-martialed and their defense attorney is the colonel who protested the attack to begin with. Overall, this film is pretty good. My main complaint would be the ending. Just moments before the ending, Kirk Douglas delivers some pretty good dialogue but then there's a scene that seems mostly irrelevant right after this. I would say that ending the film two minutes sooner would leave a much better final impression. While I can appreciate what Kubrick was attempting to do at the end with a singer at a bar, I feel like this ending sequence had very little to do with the rest of the movie and totally ruined an otherwise great ending.

    The film stars, amongst others, Kirk Douglas. Although this type of film probably doesn't necessitate any big stars, Douglas is still quite good and I can't imagine the film with someone else. His speeches during the trial and at just before the end of the film are both quite well-done.

    Although Kubrick denies that any of his war films were necessarily anti-war, this film does carry a reasonably strong anti-war message. It isn't as strong as in other World War 1 films such as All Quiet on the Western Front, but is stronger than in Kubrick's Full Metal Jacket. Kubrick instead said this film was anti-authoritarian ignorance, and I would agree with this assessment as well. This theme was revisited in several of Kubrick's later films and is probably much stronger in something like Dr. Strangelove.

    Overall, this is a pretty solid effort. As mentioned earlier, I did not care for the last two minutes of the film at all. Generally having someone sing a song in a bar at the end of a film wouldn't be that big of a deal, but this film had a perfect ending just moments earlier and I will therefore penalize the film's final score rather severely as a result of this ending. Even with this rather major flaw, the film is pretty good and a must-see for fans of war movies.

    82.5/100
    B-

    UP NEXT: Still more Stanley Kubrick, The Killing.
  • September 22, 2008
    French soldiers charged with cowardice may sound redundant, and it is, but that's OK.
  • September 16, 2008
    Wonderful film. I thought it was really riveting, & quite emotional.
  • September 15, 2008
    Good warfilm which really shows how pointless many soldiers die in a war. All because of the glory or pride of one man.

    There is something missing in this film, which could have made the film a bit longer, but other than that, it was good.
  • September 15, 2008
    An overwhelmingly great movie!
  • September 5, 2008
    while the dialogue was only adequate compared to the overall story, this was nonetheless a compelling film with strong characters and powerful themes of standing against blind authority and a corrupt hierarchy. some of the acting seemed a bit off, but Douglas and Macready were s...( read more)pot on pro and antagonists. typical of Kubrick, the camerawork was also subtle yet effective.
  • August 9, 2008
    downright amazing you must watch this film
  • August 8, 2008
    Honestly, how friggin good was Kubrick? This movie is extremely powerful and one of his best.
  • August 4, 2008
    Troisième long métrage de Stanley Kubrick, alors âgé de seulement vingt-neuf ans. Se déroulant à l'époque de la première Guerre Mondiale, on y raconte l'histoire d'un colonel qui se rebelle contre ses supérieurs après que ceux-ci aient envoyé ses hommes dans une mission suicide, ...( read more)puis condamné trois d'entre eux à mort pour leur échec. Y est ainsi révélée toute l'absurdité du système de justice interne de l'armée.

    Les fans de Kubrick reconnaîtront sa griffe, mais ceux qui n'ont pas apprécié son travail plus connu pourront quand même se délecter de cette oeuvre intelligente et sans fioritures. Le style de réalisation un peu impersonnel du cinéaste n'était pas encore tout à fait installé, ce qui plaira ou déplaira. J'ai beaucoup apprécié le travail de caméra, atteignant son paroxysme dans la scène de l'attaque suicide tournée avec brio. Il s'agit plutôt d'un film sur la guerre que d'un film de guerre, à l'instar de Full Metal Jacket. Kirk Douglas y est excellent. À voir.
  • July 27, 2008
    DO I REALLY NEED TO SAY SOMETHING ABOUT A KUBRICK MOVIE?

    let me just say two words about this one: DELICIOUSLY DIRECTED.
  • July 26, 2008
    Por alguna razon pensaba que esta pelicula iba a ser aburrida y una de las mas debiles de Kubrick, pero resulto siendo una pelicula muy interesante y con una fuerte direccion.-
  • July 21, 2008
    A great movie, i understand why its a classic
  • July 20, 2008
    War, what is it good for? Absolutely nothing.

    An early masterpiece by Kubrick with an incredibly moving ending.

Summary


Paths of Glory Summary