A classic movie from 1957.
I recently watched Paths of Glory, a masterpiece by Stanley Kubrick. Somehow I’d never even had it on my watchlist because honestly, watching films about WW1 is never enjoyable. If it is made by Kubrick and starring Kirk Douglas, it is certainly worth watching, though. So I’m glad I got a chance to see it in a work context. Here is why.
Against the backdrop of the harsh fight in the trenches of World War I, Douglas plays Colonel Dax, whose regiment is given an impossible task and fails. In the aftermath, questions of blame and possible cowardice are raised. Dax does his utmost to stand up for his men, against all odds. The conflict exposes conflicts of moral values and personal gain, which certainly hold different values for the various characters.
A war film which is clearly an anti-war statement, for film lovers who are interested in political and military plot elements, as well as courtroom drama. I felt at times reminded of A Few Good Men (Reiner) and J’accuse (Polanski) for those reasons, as well as 1917 (Mendes) in terms of the WW1 setting and the impossible mission. If you enjoyed any of these (or as in my case, all of the above), Paths of Glory is a must watch. Shot in 1957, it has aged remarkably well in terms of content and especially cinematography.
(Images: IMDB)