Rating: 
Summary: Kubrick's Least Acknowledged Masterpiece
Review: In my opinion, this is Stanley Kubrick's least acknowledged masterpiece. Not many people are familiar with this film and I don't know why not? I am convinced that any film about World War I will be excellenet, simply because the fact that the three I can think of off the top of my head: "All Quiet on the Western Front", "Grand Illusion", and "Paths of Glory" are all superbly brilliant films. No fan of war movies should miss this outstanding film! It won't thrill you with glorified heroism, but will rather make you detest and reel from the beaurocracy of the military machine. It is unpatriotic and anti-Nationalistic and that is why it is such an important work. If more of our world would educate everyone by portraying the hypocracy of warfare as realistically as this film does, then perhaps there might be alot less less wars altogether? The DVD is a good, sharp print and fits neatly into your Stanley Kubrick DVD collection. In fact, no collection of Kubrick films (as well as movies about war) would be complete without it!
Rating:
Summary: Humanity over Brutality
Review: Stanley Kubrick didn't make this a violent film. There's a charge or two, and a bit of reloading here and there, but all in all weapons aren't the stars of this film like most war movies these days, the people are. "Paths of Glory" is an interesting and superb in that it gets to the point faster and more unclicheed than any other war film I've ever seen. And the point is that human life is important, not the brutality of war or the crookedness of politics, not to say they aren't clearly represented in this film, but Kubrick makes it clear that what we're dealing with is life and death. and he does it in splendid style. The movie is short, around 1 hour and 45 minutes, and it's simple, no elaborate special effects, sets, costumes, or cinematography. It's bleak looking, but it fills the screen because it's real. And it surprises you, you experience a saddening and partly depressing yet intriguing and exciting film, and then they give you a strange victory and an ending that is thoroughly uplifting and beautiful. It's trying to portay rather than meticulously copy, and in striving to portray and relate to a theme, it achieves a higher level than even the best modern war films. It doesn't try to outdo or out speak or out blow things up- it stays simple. Here are some examples: Take the cinematography. Kubrick was a photographer so he knew how to set up his shots to maximum effect with as little palabra. There's very spartan use of music, so at one of the most moving moments in the film that is a direct on screen use of music, it becomes one of the greatest moments in film history. Dialogue written by a collaboration of authors is not cliche or sappy, attempts at sentimental soldier speak are rough but to the point and sound fresh. The actors are portraying Frenchmen, but come in an assortment of authentic American and British accents which have very little in common with fluid and lovely French dialects, but the actors reach the base humanity needed to run the film and the go with it. This is a superior war film not because of its use of special effects, it's blood and gore, or even it's amazing factual representation, but because of it's awareness of humanity in the face of adversity. It cares about real human emotions not recycled Hollywood ones they got out of the back lot. I'm not saying those aren't important, or that they're useless, not at all. But there are times when the fireworks can get old, but people never do.
Rating:
Summary: A testament towards military justice
Review: Although the movie doesn't have much in extra features it makes it up with great acting, good setting (music, lighting) and a well developed plot. This is one of those few jems that is worth finding. I would like to point out that in some ways juding by the timing of the release of the movie it may have had some relavence toward the current events of the times. In particular when Eisenhower fired General Arthur McDouglas during the Korean War.
Rating: 
Summary: Effective Propoganda
Review: This film is clearly based on the 1917 mutiny of French troops during the Nivelle Offensives. What happened was that the French troops tired of advancing against well prepared German positions in badly thought out offensives spat the dummy and said no more. They would defend but not attack. The French general staff shelled their own troops to try to get them going. This film is reasonably simple in structure. A poorly planned attack is carried out and fails. The French generals want to execute some randomly chosen men to encourage the rest to be more enthusiastic next time. A trial is held which is of course simply a joke and the men are executed. Kirk Douglas plays an officer who leads the original attack and then defends the men in what is a Kangaroo court. Kubrick's main problem as a director is the lack of complexity of his characters and the fact that he was a rather heavy handed director. This story which is basically a simple anti war tract is one of his better films as there are really no characters. He is talking about an event. The portrait of the French generals is something of a crude charactature rather than being realistic. Still it was necessary to show his notion of the idiocy of war to attack them as being remote. Kubrick's strong points are his photography and the construction of his scences. All of that is well done and it creates a series of powerful tableaus.
Rating: 
Summary: A lesser outing for Kubrick
Review: Yes, this is beautifully shot and well-directed. Unfortunately, the script is also extremely talky and very strident in its anti-war message. Not that strident anti-war messages are necessarily a bad thing, it's just not exactly something you have to pound in with a sledge, which is what Kubrick does here, and I have to admit, his trademark coldness doesn't help much for me. Don't be fooled; this isn't a war film, it's a courtroom drama about how war is very, very bad, children. The problem is there's no real suspense, humor, anything; it feels like one long lecture. I can't help but feel "The Grand Illusion" overshadows this film very strongly. That film got its message across rather subtly while demonstrating considerably more warmth, not to mention being more thrilling. Still, as overshadowings go, "The Grand Illusion" is a great shadow to be in. "Paths of Glory" is a very well-acted, well-directed film, and you can't beat the price, especially if you're a film nut. However, this is most certainly a lesser work of Kubrick's.
Rating:
Summary: The insanity of war is revealed
Review: This, i.e., Paths of Glory VHS ~ Kirk Douglas , has to be considered to be one of the greatest anti war movies of all time. The story focuses ona group of soldiers whom are accused of cowardice after a "suicide" attack on a hill called ant hill is unsuccesfull. Kirk Douglas shows here that he must be considered on of the best actors of all time. His performance is filled with vigor, fortitude and resolve. The special effects are very good and the lines, scenes and costumes feel quite authentic. Highly Recommended.
Rating:
Summary: Amazing Film Timely As Ever
Review: One of Kubrick's best yet most obscure films, this movie is one of the finest anti-war productions ever. Kirk Douglas and Stanley Kubrick paired up for the first time here, with astounding results. Powerful and intelligent, this film is the story of corruption and decadence among the French general staff and of innocent men killed to satisfy the ego of the leaders, which is what war is anyway. Colonel Dax is ordered on an impossible charge, then his men are put on trial by such "legal" methods as drawing lots or because a commanding officer didn't like them. The trial scenes are poignant, and show what happens in a society where pride is the only thing that matters and an objective pondrance of the facts is forgone in favor of making examples and flying a flag. Just watch it for the ending, which is so moving, so symbolic and metaphoric, I will not put it into words. Enjoy. -m-
Rating:
Summary: If you haven't seen it yet, I pity you.
Review: General George Broulard (Adolphe Menjou) appoints General Paul Mireau (George Macready) to plan an attack on "The Anthill": An important German position that has been heavily fortified and deemed impregnable. The Regiment chosen to attack is the 701st, lead by Colonel Dax (Kirk Douglas). Though it has been estimated that more than half of Dax's men will be killed, the 701st should be able to take and hold the Anthill until reinforcements arrive. A day later, the attack begins. After a light bombardment, the first wave charges toward the Hill. However it is found to be merely a suicide charge. Many of the troops are either killed or wounded. The bombardment is so intense that some of the soldiers never even leave the trenches. General Mireau (Who was observing the battle from afar) deems the men cowards and orders a court martial with a sentence of death if the men are convicted.
Paths of Glory is a bold and powerful statement against the self-serving officers of all armies. General Mireau did not capture the Anthill. So, although the charge was impossible, he court-martialed and had killed some of the "cowards" who made him look "ridiculous". These Generals, although they must be geniuses to have risen to such high rank, also have no clue what some of these soldiers go through. They live and work and dine and drink in their spacious, nice, clean mansions while the soldiers who do the fighting and win the wars live in cramped, ugly, dirty trenches under the constant fear of death and disease. In one scene, as General Mireau inspects the trenches, he comes across a shell-shocked soldier. In a scene reminiscent of Patton, he hits the soldier who he then claims is a Baby. Maybe if he had been in the first wave of the attack on the anthill, he might have respected the men rather than court-marital them. I will not talk much about the court martial, for there is not much to talk about. It is also more of a kangaroo court; The outcome has already been pre-determined and the defense is futile. The three men court-martialed are Private Paris (Ralph Meeker), selected because his unit commander has a personal grudge against him (The film shows why), Private Ferol (Timothy Carey), chosen because his commander finds him to be physically unattractive and Private Arnaud (Joe Turkel), elected to be court-martialed just because he drew a slip of paper marked with an X. Paths of Glory has often been renowned as one of Stanley Kubrick's best films. However, despite wide critical acclaim, it was not a commercial success and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences denied it even a single Oscar nomination. This is a pity, for Paths of Glory is not only one of the best war films but is also one of the greatest movies of all time. Period.
Rating:
Summary: An apprentice Kubrick work of major promise.
Review: 'Paths of Glory' has much that is undeniably brilliant, and that points to the three great Kubrick masterpieces, '2001', 'Barry Lyndon' and 'The Shining' - the ambiguity that arises from a camera whose movement is synonymous with those in power (watch the anthill attack, where the men's literal immobility (i.e. death) is contrasted with the camera's inexorable momentum); the playing with audience's emotions, promising Hollywood respite, and always undercutting it; the astonishing use of interior space; the use of Enlightenment values to record the debasement of the Enlightenment; the recreation of history to satirise Kubrick's own society. But, unlike those three timeless, eternal works, 'Paths' is bound by its time. Its philosophy is rooted in an outmoded, but than fashionable, existentialism and Absurdism; it feels the (uncharacteristic for Kubrick) need to assert humanist values in the form of the song and Kirk Douglas' integrity (although this is interrogated, especially during the climactic ritual). Most disappointing is the one-sidedness of the debate. Later, Kubrick would ask us to sympathise with moral monsters against a violent and repressive society, which isn't always easy; in 'Paths', how could we not side with men chose to die by lots?
Rating:
Summary: Saving Colonel Dax
Review: This film has stood the test of time. It will last. The work that Stanley Kubrick has done here served as the basis for countless other war films especially Spielbergs. I cannot say enough about how much I love this film, I can only say it hits me in the stomach every time I see it. Beautifully photographed and acted, easily one of the greates films ever made.
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