Paths of Glory (1957)

‘Paths of Glory‘ has something special. More than 50 years later, it is watchable and completely original. Was it the best film of 1957? The Academy didn’t think so, giving it zero Oscar nominations. It’s no ‘Twelve Angry Men’, but it’s definitely among the best.

What makes this film so special? Like anything else, it is different. There is a crucial point towards the end of the film where it has to take a stance one way or another. If the three men had not been executed, if the General would have stopped them from dying, it could have been a pro-military film. But he didn’t, the men were executed, and this becomes so clearly an anti-military film.

But before you get all upset at my wording, know that I am using those terms vaguely. These things may have happened in the military, but they happen because of corrupt, awful people, and because of a corrupt, awful system. The soldiers and Col. Dax (Kirk Douglas) are acting in the best interest of their country, as well as their own lives, but the General(s) merely want to advance their own ranks and personal agendas. Is a little selfishness worth the lives of thousands of men? Of course not. These messages may seem obvious, but the way they are delivered is so gripping.

An ever-so-interesting subplot, which brings so many emotions into play, involves the three soldiers out scouting. One man goes to inspect while Lt. Roget and Cpl. Paris sit back. Roget is drunk from earlier that night. He sees movement, freaks out, and throws a grenade before running. Cpl. Paris inspects, and notices that the grenade Roget threw was what killed their own scout. But as Roget points out, it is the word of an officer vs. an enlisted man.

And we move on, thinking it is resolved, but that would only happen in a lesser film. Each commander is required to pick one man for execution, and Lt. Roget picks Paris. This threw me so much I had to pause the film for a moment. The ethical implications… Roget kills one man while he is drunk, and to cover his tracks, has another killed? What kind of world does this film take place in?

And that is the power of this Kubrick masterpiece (one of many). It brings to mind questions of morality in such an unnerving way. Because it does that, it is indeed a special film that everyone should see.