CONSENSUS #10. Paths of Glory (1957)

 

SYNOPSIS:  "Paths of Glory" is a military justice movie set in WWI.  A French unit is ordered to make a suicide attack on an impregnable German position.  When the attack fails, the French general insists on court-martialing the unit, but settles for three patsies.  The three enlisted men are defended by their commanding officer (Kirk Douglas) in their trial before a panel of generals.

BACK-STORY:   “Paths of Glory” was Stanley Kubrick’s first great film.  The fact that he also directed several other movies on the 100 Greatest list (“Spartacus”, “Dr. Strangelove”, “Full Metal Jacket”) makes a case for his being the greatest war movie director.  The movie was based on the novel by Howard Cobb which was published in 1935.  The teenage Kubrick had read the book in his father’s study.  Kubrick had trouble getting funding because of the depressing nature of the plot.  This problem was solved when Kirk Douglas was brought on board.  His production company took on the task and Douglas was paid 1/3 of the approximately $1 million budget.  He was not in it for the money as Douglas was committed to the project in principle.  The movie was a critical smash, but only a modest success at the box office and as predicted, did not do well in Europe.  In fact, it was banned in France for two decades.  Incredibly, the movie received zero Academy Award nominations and is not on AFI’s 100 Greatest Movies list!

TRIVIA:  Wikipedia, imdb

 

1.  Cobb’s title comes from a poem by Thomas Gray entitiled “Elegy Written in a Country Courtyard”.  There is a line:  “The paths of glory lead but to the grave”

 

2.  The rights to the story were purchased for $10,000 from Cobb’s widow.

 

3.  Timothy Carey was fired toward the end for being disruptive and difficult to work with.  He also faked his own kidnapping to get publicity.  Some shots had to be filmed using a double.

 

4.  Kubrick divorced to marry Christiane Harlan, the young woman who sang the song at the end.  They stayed married until his death in 1999.  The song is “The Faithful Hussar”.  The opening is: 

            A faithful soldier, without fear,
            He loved his girl for one whole year,
            For one whole year and longer yet,
            His love for her, he'd ne'er forget.

P.S.  If you think the movie is depressing, it would have been much worse if the English version of the song was sung.

 

5.  The movie was banned in France until 1975.

 

6.  Kubrick insisted on shooting the last meal scene 68 times, most of them requiring a new roast duck.

 

7.  It took three weeks to convert a farmer’s pasture into no man’s land.

 

8.  600 German policemen were hired as extras for the battle scene.  Kubrick had trouble getting them to pretend they were scared.  Each had a designated kill area where they were supposed to die.

 

9.  Charleton Heston turned down the Dax role because he was making “Touch of Evil”.  Gregory Peck was also considered, but was unavailable.  As was Douglas, but Douglas became available first.

 

10.  Kubrick panicked and considered a more upbeat ending for box office reasons, but Douglas insisted on the book’s ending.

 

Belle and Blade  =  4.0

Brassey’s              =  5.0

Video Hound       =  4.4

War Movies         =  5.0

Military History  =  #2

Channel 4             =  #23

Film Site                =  yes

101 War Movies  =  yes

Rotten Tomatoes  =  #23 

 

HISTORICAL ACCURACY:  Howard Cobb was inspired by a newspaper story about an incident in the war where four French poilu were executed for unit cowardice.  After the war, their families sued and two families were rewarded one franc each and the other two got nothing.  It was not uncommon in the French army and others (not including the A.E.F.) to execute men to strengthen the will of others.

OPINION:   This was only Kubrick’s fourth film, but you can clearly see the style that made him one of the great directors.  The cinematography by George Krause is magnificent.  “Bridge on the River Kwai” took that Oscar, but you could argue that “Paths to Glory” is superior and certainly deserved a nomination.  Speaking of which, although it could be argued that “Bridge” is the overall better film, no one in their right mind would say today that the nominees “Peyton Place”, “Sayanora”, “Witness for the Prosecution”, and “Twelve Angry Men” were more deserving than “Paths”.  Especially those first two!        The movie is famous among film buffs for the long tracking shots (especially the battle scene) and Kubrick’s abrupt cuts.  He is not big on fades in this movie.  The interior scenes with their baroque mise en scenes and the deep focusing are a clinic.  We also get a lot of off-centered shots.  Disconcertingly to modern war movie lovers, the film lacks the frenetic cutting used to add to the fog of war.  In “Paths of Glory”, you know what is going on during a battle.  You are not lost or confused.

                The musical score is sparse, but Gerald Fried (who went on to score “Gilligan’s Island”!) encouraged the use of snare drums in war movies.  The closing song was of Napoleonic vintage and ends with the lines:  “Oh please Mother, bring a light /  My sweetheart is going to die”.  Coincidentally, Louis Armstrong had a hit with a version of it one year before the movie was released.

                The acting is outstanding.  Douglas is his usual charismatic self, even more so because he was passionate about the project.  His Dax is one of the great anti-authority figures in war movie history and ahead of his time in the genre.  He runs the gamut of that stereotype.  Sarcasm, slow-burns, seething, and finally snapping.  The supporting cast is not intimidated.  MacReady and Menjou are all-time slimy.  Morris (who was a highly decorated ace in WWII) creates one of the great cowards in war movie history.  Ralph Meeker does his best work in an underrated career.  The most fascinating character is Ferol.  The eccentric Carey plays him to the hilt and his scene stealing aggravated the rest of the cast.  For instance, when he is being led by the Father to the execution and he bites into his arm - that was unscripted and almost got him punched in the face by the bemused Emile Meyer.  Carey was fired towards the end of the 64 day shoot and a double had to be used for the confession scene. 

                The movie is not subtle in its themes.  It has been described as an anti-war movie, but it is more appropriately labeled as an anti-command movie.  The battle scene is certainly horrific, but it is only seven minutes and no major character is killed.  The real focus of the plot is the machinations of the generals.  Broulard and Mireau are loathsome, but fairly representative of high command in the war.  Obviously, French high command in particular (Broulard resembles Joffre), but all of the belligerents in general.  It is no secret that the tactics used in the war were pigheaded, but the script enlightens about the use of court-martials to “motivate” the common soldiers.  A related theme is the dominance of the officer class over the enlisted.  Not only are most officers motivated by promotion (as opposed to the grunts just trying to survive), they use their position to wriggle out of culpability.  The only caveat I have with the themes is the ending cantina scene tends to dilute them.  The movie would have been better served ending with the executions.  However, considering the rumors that Douglas had to prevent Kubrick from giving the men a reprieve, it could have been much worse.  Having a tearful singalong by the cannon fodder signals that war goes on.  By the way, contrast the females at the end of “Paths of Glory” and “Full Metal Jacket”.  ‘Nuff said.  The songs have a similar vibe, though.

                How realistic is it in military matters?  The trenches are a little too wide, but that was to facilitate those awesome tracking shots so all is forgiven on that score.  The night patrol seems typical, although fratricide by a cowardly leader was uncommon.  The main battle sequence is so well done that I show it in my American History class to prepare my students for their letter from a soldier at the front assignment.  (The other clips are from “All Quiet”, “Sergeant York”, and “The Lost Battalion”.) Special kudos to the German police officers who were the extras and did some of the better dying in a war movie. The sound effects bear mentioning.  The whining of the artillery shells and the resulting explosions add to the impression of Hell on Earth.

                In conclusion,  “Paths of Glory” is one of the great war movies and definitely belongs in the top ten.   It sets out to make an impression and it succeeds perfectly.  Kubrick plus Douglas is a winning combination, as seen in “Spartacus”.  It is more court room and behind the scenes oriented than most war movies, but it does have one of the great combat scenes to balance that.  Considering some of the laughable inclusions on the list, “Paths” is comfortably placed.