Hello, all… or all who are reading this litany of war film recommendations, at least! Today, we’ll be returning to the work of Stanley Kubrick with another classic film that paired him with Kirk Douglas. The film, of course, is PATHS OF GLORY, and the trailer for the film is embedded below:
[Random note: If you saw the (surprisingly decent) made-for-TV movie THE LOST BATTALION, you may recognize how that movie pays homage to this one with a scene showing Rick Schroeder (portraying Major Charles Whittlesey) walking through the trenches, much like Kirk Douglas is shown doing in the trailer.]
So, within the small scope of this “series,” ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT [which, for those who are particularly historically astute, was the Veteran’s Day pick because that’s when all was finally quiet on the Western Front] introduced the concept of how tragic the experience of that war was for the frontline soldier. GALLIPOLI, then, would combine that with the tendency of the generals to treat their men like cannon fodder, thus introducing the brutal calculus of the war. Given that, PATHS OF GLORY helps to round out the three films by establishing just how “degenerate” and “sadistic” the officers could be when continuing with a hopelessly wasteful war of attrition.
The film is based on a book by the same name, and I confess that I haven’t read it, so I can’t make any comparisons between the film and the source material; however, I can only guess that the book is based largely on the mutinies in the French Army during 1917. The film certainly seems to have been influenced thereby, at any rate. Put simply, a French officer [apparently ardent for glory] orders his men to take a heavily fortified German position called “the Anthill.” Naturally, the attack fails, with some of the French soldiers refusing even to leave their trenches and go into “no man’s land.” Just as naturally, the ambitious French officer decides to court martial a number of the troops rather than to accept responsibility for the failed attack. It’s here that the film’s real focus – a cynical take on the officer “class,” in specific, and perhaps the justice system, in general – really begins to build some momentum.
Kirk Douglas portrays the “good man,” Colonel Dax, caught between the needs of the accused men and the ambitions of the officers who callously order them into certain death, be that on the battlefield or in the courtroom. He plays the part well, but it’s the setup that helps to vault his otherwise solid performance into truly memorable status. But for the naked ambition of the other officers, it might not have been such a standout performance. It’s not quite the same situation as in another “courtroom war film,” BREAKER MORANT, but it’s awfully close and just as cynical a take on those in the O grades. Even in the trailer, it’s easy to see how pessimistic the film is about the attitude of the “typical” officer toward his men… in two parts, even: the first in the portion wherein General Mireau [played by George Macready] tells Dax how many men he expects to survive the attack, and the second wherein General Broulard [played by Adolphe Menjou] tells Dax how the executions of the court-martialed men would be “the perfect tonic for the entire division.” Rather than showing the indictment of the accused, the film stands as an indictment of ambitious officers who care about their men only insofar as they might win them glory.
Perhaps that’s why the film never really shows the Germans – the real enemy was their own officers.
If you haven’t seen this film, it’s another example of Stanley Kubrick knocking it out of the proverbial park. One of the better “anti-war” films you’ll see, it deserves a watch in case you haven’t already seen it… tho’ some of you [*cough, cough* @RockyTop1776 *cough, cough*] clearly have. Enjoy!
Other films recommended:
[Day 1 - KINGDOM OF HEAVEN (Director's Cut); Day 2 - GLADIATOR; Day 3 - TROY; Day 4 - SPARTACUS; Day 5 - BRAVEHEART; Day 6 - MASTER AND COMMANDER: THE FAR SIDE OF THE WORLD; Day 7 - GLORY; Day 8 - GODS AND GENERALS; Day 9 - GONE WITH THE WIND; Day 10 - CAPITAINE CONAN; Day 11 - ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT; Day 12 - GALLIPOLI]
[Random note: If you saw the (surprisingly decent) made-for-TV movie THE LOST BATTALION, you may recognize how that movie pays homage to this one with a scene showing Rick Schroeder (portraying Major Charles Whittlesey) walking through the trenches, much like Kirk Douglas is shown doing in the trailer.]
So, within the small scope of this “series,” ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT [which, for those who are particularly historically astute, was the Veteran’s Day pick because that’s when all was finally quiet on the Western Front] introduced the concept of how tragic the experience of that war was for the frontline soldier. GALLIPOLI, then, would combine that with the tendency of the generals to treat their men like cannon fodder, thus introducing the brutal calculus of the war. Given that, PATHS OF GLORY helps to round out the three films by establishing just how “degenerate” and “sadistic” the officers could be when continuing with a hopelessly wasteful war of attrition.
The film is based on a book by the same name, and I confess that I haven’t read it, so I can’t make any comparisons between the film and the source material; however, I can only guess that the book is based largely on the mutinies in the French Army during 1917. The film certainly seems to have been influenced thereby, at any rate. Put simply, a French officer [apparently ardent for glory] orders his men to take a heavily fortified German position called “the Anthill.” Naturally, the attack fails, with some of the French soldiers refusing even to leave their trenches and go into “no man’s land.” Just as naturally, the ambitious French officer decides to court martial a number of the troops rather than to accept responsibility for the failed attack. It’s here that the film’s real focus – a cynical take on the officer “class,” in specific, and perhaps the justice system, in general – really begins to build some momentum.
Kirk Douglas portrays the “good man,” Colonel Dax, caught between the needs of the accused men and the ambitions of the officers who callously order them into certain death, be that on the battlefield or in the courtroom. He plays the part well, but it’s the setup that helps to vault his otherwise solid performance into truly memorable status. But for the naked ambition of the other officers, it might not have been such a standout performance. It’s not quite the same situation as in another “courtroom war film,” BREAKER MORANT, but it’s awfully close and just as cynical a take on those in the O grades. Even in the trailer, it’s easy to see how pessimistic the film is about the attitude of the “typical” officer toward his men… in two parts, even: the first in the portion wherein General Mireau [played by George Macready] tells Dax how many men he expects to survive the attack, and the second wherein General Broulard [played by Adolphe Menjou] tells Dax how the executions of the court-martialed men would be “the perfect tonic for the entire division.” Rather than showing the indictment of the accused, the film stands as an indictment of ambitious officers who care about their men only insofar as they might win them glory.
Perhaps that’s why the film never really shows the Germans – the real enemy was their own officers.
If you haven’t seen this film, it’s another example of Stanley Kubrick knocking it out of the proverbial park. One of the better “anti-war” films you’ll see, it deserves a watch in case you haven’t already seen it… tho’ some of you [*cough, cough* @RockyTop1776 *cough, cough*] clearly have. Enjoy!
Other films recommended:
[Day 1 - KINGDOM OF HEAVEN (Director's Cut); Day 2 - GLADIATOR; Day 3 - TROY; Day 4 - SPARTACUS; Day 5 - BRAVEHEART; Day 6 - MASTER AND COMMANDER: THE FAR SIDE OF THE WORLD; Day 7 - GLORY; Day 8 - GODS AND GENERALS; Day 9 - GONE WITH THE WIND; Day 10 - CAPITAINE CONAN; Day 11 - ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT; Day 12 - GALLIPOLI]
