Paths of Glory

Rating:
Summary: A must for war movie fans
Review: I never saw this movie before I bought it, but saw the previews when I bought A Clockwork Orange from the Stanley Kubrick collection. Being a war movie buff, I though it would be good especially being directed by Mr. Kubrick. I have never seen such a compelling movie about the horrors of war, or the depths of insanity that one man's quest for glory can reach. Kirk Douglas is brillian as Colonel Dax, a criminal lawyer turned soldier who is forced to defend 3 men from his company charged with cowardice and facing the firing squad. Charges brought by a man desperate to save his reputation

Although the ending is a little weak, it does not diminish the the impact that this film will have.

Rating:
Summary: Kirk Douglas Gets Angry!
Review: A good, sad war film with the definete Kubrick touch. It's all about three guys who have to be executed for no reason so the crazy commander can make a statement. Boy, war is fun! Good performances all around. Movie works like a magnet; whenever it's on AMC I can't help but watch it.

Great for the kiddies, with its sadistic killings.

Rating:
Summary: A powerful film! It will leave you in awe.
Review: This film is amazing. Not your conventional war film. The emotional impact of this film stays with you for days, no, weeks after you've seen it. Everything from Col. Dax's reluctant acceptance of his task at hand, to the horrified, condemned soliders as they realized the fragile state of their mortality. If you watch this film and feel nothing...you are not human. Let's not forget that Kubrick's direction is perfect as always.

Rating:
Summary: One of the Best War Movies
Review: Though you won't get an argument from me if you say Dr. Stangelove or 2001: A Space Odyssey were Kubrick's best films, this one is my favorite. Kubrick analyzes war from the generals down to the lowest private -- all in about ninety minutes! Pure Kubrick! Enjoy.

Rating:
Summary: Anger and Sadness
Review: This is one of the best war movies of all time because it combines a true story with historically accurate filmaking and fantastic performances. The plot is straight foward and extremely shocking. An attack fails, the overall commander blames the soldiers, three are selected to stand trial as cowards, there is a trial and verdict. The action sequences do a good job of capturing the hell of trench warfare. The political / judical scenes are even more hellish. No cliques, no glory, only death and injustice. It is not so much an anti-war movie as an anti-government / class struggle movie. Do not see this movie if you want a rah-rah experience.

Rating:
Summary: WAR IS HELL!
Review: A masterpiece by the visionary genius Stanley Kubrick dealing with the absurdity that takes place durning and after a war. General Broulard (Adolphe Menjou "A Woman of Paris") comes to General Mireau (George Macready) with a special mission, but one they both know will cost many lives. That is all spared, as if the mission goes thru General Mireau will be given yet another star. The strive for greed and power then sets the stage for one of the most powerful film ever made, whether by Kubrick or in general on the subject of war. Colonel Dax (Kirk Douglas "Spartacus")right from the begining is all but too aware of the amount of lives this will cost. But is called a coward in the process, and is told to take time off if he can't pull thru. With that being said, he accepts command. The odd, or should I say the amazing thing about this story is the screenplay written by Jim Thompson, Calder Willingham, and Kubrick himself is all based on a book by Humphrey Cobb which is a true story! To think that these unprecedented acts actually occured to unbelieveable. There are Oscar caliber performances here by Douglas and Macready, who both went overlooked as well did the directing, screenplay,and photography! This is a one of a kind film that remains as one of the greatest of all time. A must for anyone's video collection whether your a Kubrick fan, war movie fan, or a fan of any of the actors in the movie (Douglas, Menjou). A powerful, raw, real movie everyone has to see!

Rating:
Summary: Kubrick at his very best
Review: I have seen most of Stanley Kubrick's movies and this one seems to be among the best along with full metal jacket and dr strange love. Kirk Douglas gives a great performance of a French army officer who defends his soldiers who are being scapegoated. After watching the movie, I could not find a single flaw with the movie. Paths of Glory gives you sort of that wierd feeling that you want to tell everyone you met about how good it was.

Rating:
Summary: One of the Best WWI Films and Years Ahead of its Time
Review: People will get to Paths of Glory in three ways: Either as Kubrick fans interested in his early work, Kirk Douglas fans, or those interested in WWI. Whichever way got you here is good. This is one of the finest written, directed, and acted anti-war films ever.

Yes, its a war film, buts its really an anti-war film. During the Vietnam War and after anti-war films became quite popular in the US, Kubrick's Paths of Glory was light years ahead of its time with the anti-war message. Alls Quiet on the Western Front gives the same message but a lot of people, myself included can not sit through a movie that old. Also having read the book so many times, Paths of Glory is a different story with a similiar anti war message. WWI was one of the most tragic wars in that not only was the war itself not necessary but its battles were so bloody that they wiped out an entire generation of Europeans.

Kirk Douglas acts up a storm in this movie. And watch him in this and look at his son Michael. They look so much alike.

Again, this is a short, intense, unforgettable movie. I highly recommend watching and owning this DVD.

Also, as a teacher this is a great film to use in the classroom on WWI. This and Gallipoli are great classroom tools for teaching WWI.

WATCH THIS FILM!

Rating:
Summary: The most influential war film ever concieved
Review: Generally when we think of the war drama's of yester-yore, images of a patriotic John Wayne pops into our mind, or a high pitched whistle of Dave Lean's entertaining but falsely sentimental "Bridge on the River Kwai" forces itself in our ears. Both Hollywood and the most uncompromising film directors know that there are rules that seperate a propaganda picture from a Anti-War film. And these rules were doctored not from Lean, or Lewis Milestone, or anyone one else who earned profit for Sunset Boulevard, or Oscar bonus points, they were doctored in 1957 by the greastest of all AWOL-Hollywood directors: Stanley Kubrick.

The influence of "Path's of Glory" is astounding. From the conflict between the General eating crumpets who orders the Captian to carry out a suicial charge (a theme later seen in great anti-war pictures such as Terrence Malick's "The Thin Red Line" and Peter Weir's "Gallipoli") to the fact the Kubrick never allows the Germans to be seen (a frame of reference played out in countless movies based on Vietnam) until the antagonist side has seemed to have inverted an enemy of itself.

Like so many other Kubrick movies, "Paths of Glory" is a cinematic work of genius, that will probably be underrated because it has been so little seen (popular cliche's like "Private Ryan" will unjustly top the war film list of many-so-ingorant film critic, in the next decade).But those who have witnessed this masterpiece, will immediatly realize it's importance.

Rating:
Summary: Paths of Glory is another Kubrick Masterpiece
Review: Kirk Douglas defends 3 men on trial for their lives during World War One.Film is great on all levels.Most of film does not take place on battlefield, but back in the rear.It is more of a study of one aspect of war rather than just the overrall fighting.Its focus is on the ethics of warfare.Macready(General Moreau) orders his own artillery to fire on his own men in order to get them to take the ant hill.The men refuse to advance because German fire too intense(it is a meat grinder beyond no-mans land).Now, 3 men are chosen as examples(to be tried and then executed for cowardice in the line of duty).Excellent, well-acted film is brilliant.(Look for Kubrick's wife at the end of film as German girl singing to French Troops in a particularly moving scene).