Paths of Glory
by Robbo
Posted on 24 June 2021
Rating -
Paths of Glory is a 1957 American anti-war film co-written and directed by Stanley Kubrick, based on the novel of the same name by Humphrey Cobb.
The film begins with a voiceover describing the trench warfare situation of World War I up to 1916. In a château, General Georges Broulard, a member of the French General Staff, asks his subordinate, the ambitious General Mireau, to take a well-defended German position called the “Anthill”. Mireau initially refuses, citing the impossibility of success, but when Broulard mentions a potential promotion, Mireau quickly convinces himself the attack will succeed.
Mireau leaves the detailed planning of the attack to Colonel Dax of the 701st regiment, despite Dax’s protests that the only result of the attack will be to weaken the French Army with heavy losses for no benefit.
Prior to the attack, a drunken lieutenant named Roget, leading a night-time scouting mission, sends one of his two men ahead. Overcome by fear while waiting for the man’s return, Roget lobs a grenade and retreats. Corporal Paris, the other soldier on the mission, finds the body of the scout, who has been killed by the grenade, and confronts Roget. Roget denies any wrongdoing and falsifies his report to Colonel Dax.
The next morning, the attack on the Anthill is a failure. Dax leads the first wave of soldiers over the top into no man’s land under heavy fire. None of the men reach the German trenches, and B Company refuses to leave their own trench after seeing the first wave sustain heavy casualties. Mireau, enraged, orders his artillery to open fire on them to force them onto the battlefield. The artillery commander refuses to fire without written confirmation of the order. Meanwhile, Dax returns to the trenches and tries to rally B Company to join the battle, but as he climbs out of the trench, the body of a dead French soldier knocks him down.
At a meeting with Broulard and Dax, to deflect blame for the attack’s failure, Mireau decides to court martial 100 of the soldiers for cowardice. Broulard persuades him to reduce the number to three, one from each company. Following the meeting, Mireau and Broulard encounter the artillery commander who defied Mireau’s illegal order to fire on his own men during the attack. Mireau recommends the artillery officer be transferred in order to cover up his crime. Corporal Paris is chosen because his commanding officer Roget wishes to keep him from testifying about Roget’s actions in the scouting mission. Private Ferol is picked by his commanding officer because he is a “social undesirable.” The last man, Private Arnaud, is chosen randomly by lot, despite having been cited for bravery twice previously.
Dax, who was a criminal defense lawyer in civilian life, volunteers to defend the men at their court-martial. The trial however is a farce and in his closing statement, Dax denounces the proceedings: “Gentlemen of the court, to find these men guilty would be a crime to haunt each of you till the day you die.” Nonetheless, the three are sentenced to death.
The night before the execution, Dax confronts Broulard at a ball, with sworn statements by witnesses attesting to Mireau’s order to shell his own trenches, in an attempt to blackmail the General Staff into sparing the three men. Broulard takes the statements but brusquely dismisses Dax.
The next morning, the three men are taken out to be shot by firing squad.
This is yet another film that presents the futility of war, and focuses on the absurdity of a court martial and execution of soldiers purely as a deterrent to others.
It also highlights how senior officers view enlisted men, how little they value human life as they are so easily able to send innocent men to their deaths.
As you would expect from a Kubrick film it is beautifully shot with exceptional attention to detail, in particular the battle scenes which seem authentically frightening.
The film is extremely well acted and directed with the principal actors putting in some great performances.
You feel Kirk Douglas’ exasperation attempting to conduct the defence of these men whose guilt had already been determined.
Although it is based on historical events it carries a cautionary message.
Paths of Glory is a true classic, one I would urge anyone to see.
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