100 BEST WAR MOVIES: 12. Paths of Glory (1957)

 First, let me point out that noone is perfect, but at least I caught it after I had posted the #1 movie. I would hope if I had gotten to #1 without this movie making the 100 best list, people would have thought I was nuts.

 “Paths of Glory” was Stanley Kubrick’s first great film.  The fact that he also directed “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 predictably 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!

 The movie is set on the Western Front in France in 1916.  A narrator summarizes the futility of the war up to that point.  It is a stalemate.  French Army Chief of Staff Gen. Broulard (Adolphe Menjou) visits Gen. Mireau (George MacReady) at his chateau.  Broulard orders an attack on an impregnable German position called the “Ant Hill”.  Mireau is at first against the insane, suicidal assault, but Broulard uses flattery and promotion bribery to bring him around.  He does not have to remind MacReady that he will be safely witnessing the attack from a bunker. Mireau visits the sacrificial unit to give the order to Col. Dax (Douglas). Dax is appalled at the senseless order, but Mireau assures Dax there will be only 60% casualties! He threatens to remove Dax and the colonel backs down. The attack fails, of course. Due to cowardice insists Mireau. Instead of punishing the whole unit, he agrees to only court-martial three soldiers. Dax acts as their defense attorney in the trial.

ACTING:   A+                

ACTION:   A+ (6/10) it has two great combat scenes, but it is mostly a courtroom drama

ACCURACY: N/A      

PLOT:  A               

REALISM:    B it’s bit over the top

CINEMATOGRAPHY:   A+

SCORE:   A

SCENE:  the attack across no man’s land

QUOTE:  Gen. Broulard:  Colonel, troops are like children. Just as a child wants his father to be firm, troops crave discipline. One way to maintain discipline is to shoot a man now and then.

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 American army) to execute men to strengthen the will of others.  The scenario in the movie is only indirectly related to the famous mutinies by French soldiers in the war.  The refusal to follow orders to continue wasteful attacks occurred wholesale in the army in 1917 after Nivelle's Chemins des Dames offensive to win the war came far short of the optimistic palaver fed to the troops.  There were some executions initiated by Petain as part of his otherwise empathetic diffusing of the situation.  It is safe to assume that among the 10% of men who were court-martialed and executed, there were undoubtedly some who did not deserve death.  The French government would have agreed with Mireau that the tonic might be harsh for a few, but effective for the masses. 

CRITIQUE:  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 Georg 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.  Disconcerting 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. He gets one of the great lines in war movie history. After Paris ruminates about how a cockroach has a better future than him, resulting in Ferol smashing it and deadpanning:  “Now you have the edge on him.”  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 is 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 poilu 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 songs 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 showed 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”.) It took 60 men, eight cranes, and three weeks to turn a German farm into the scarred landscape of trench warfare. Special kudos to the German police officers who were the extras and did some of the best 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.

CONCLUSION:  “Paths of Glory” is one of the great war movies and definitely belongs in the top twenty.  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. 

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. 

THE 100 GREATEST WAR MOVIES (STATISTICALLY)

This is my attempt at a statistical analysis of the greatest war movies.  Here is the methodology.  I found four 100 Greatest War Movies lists that I feel are knowledgeable on the subject.  Two of those lists (Military History magazine and Channel 4) rank the movies.  The others are Film Site and the book 101 War Movies You Must See Before You Die.   I also used three books that rate war movies:  Video Hound’s War Movies, Brassey’s Guide to War Films, and The Belle and Blade Guide to Classic War Videos.  The reason why the list is limited to only movies from the 20^th Century is because the sources do not include 21^st Century movies. 

 I won’t bore with the details, but basically the first number is a combination of the average rating from the ratings books and a rating based on the ranking from the two ranked lists (on a scale of 1-5).   I grouped the movies based on how many lists they made so only movies that were in both Military History magazine and Channel 4 made the top 43. 

 I must emphasize that this list does not reflect my opinions.  In fact, I find some of the positions ridiculous.  I have seen and reviewed all of the movies on the list.  Some are not war movies, in my opinion.  Others are very overrated.  It is also apparent that foreign movies got short-changed.

Sorry about the columns.  I was not drunk when I made them. 

Either MH (Military History magazine) or C4 (Channel 4) plus one more list

100.  The Manchurian Candidate  (1962)                3.85        85MH 

99.    Bridge at Toko-Ri                                        3.85        73MH

98.    Mrs. Miniver                                               3.93        79C4   

97.    To Hell and Back                                          3.94        77MH

96.    Run Silent, Run Deep                                   3.95        79MH

95.    The Alamo  (1960)                                       4.02        61MH

94.    Sands of Iwo Jima                                        4.03        76C4

93.    Land and Freedom                                        4.05        80MH

92.    Ulzana’s Raid                                              4.05        54MH

91.    The Sea Hawk                                              4.05        48MH

90.    The Man Who Would Be King                      4.08        74MH

89.    Hail the Conquering Hero!                            4.08        70MH

88.    The Cruel Sea                                             4.08        41C4

87.    They Died with Their Boots On                    4.09        68MH

86.    Foreign Correspondent                                  4.1          86MH

85.    Ride with the Devil                                       4.1          73C4

84.    Casualties of War                                        4.12        55C4

83.    The Train                                                    4.16        62MH

82.    Empire of the Sun                                        4.16        43C4

81.    Life is Beautiful                                          4.19        56C4

80.    Twelve O’Clock High                                    4.2          72MH

79.    The Story of G.I. Joe                                    4.26        45MH

78.    She Wore a Yellow Ribbon                            4.28        55MH

77.    Catch-22                                                     4.28        42C4

76.    Oh!  What a Lovely War                              4.28        40C4

75.    The Tin Drum                                              4.3          60MH

74.    Scipio Africanus                                           4.3          56MH

73.    Ministry of Fear                                           4.3          53MH

72.    Colonel Redl                                                4.3          50MH

71.    The Third Man                                            4.33        80MH

70.    Battleground                                               4.34        36MH

69.    Beau Geste                                                 4.35        52MH

68.    Three Kings                                                 4.4          50C4

67.    Hell’s Angels                                               4.4          43MH

66.    Hope and Glory                                           4.43        52MH

65.    Pork Chop Hill                                            4.43        39MH

64.    Good Morning, Vietnam                               4.44        31C4

63.    Gettysburg                                                  4.46        46MH

62.    Battleship Potemkin                                     4.47        47MH

61.    Tora! Tora! Tora!                                        4.51        39C4

60.    Kagemashu                                                 4.53        34MH

59.    The African Queen                                      4.53        32MH

58.    Duck Soup                                                  4.53        27MH

57.    Notorious                                                   4.55        57MH

56.    The Searchers                                             4.55        49MH

55.    The Dawn Patrol  (1938)                             4.58        38MH

54.    Best Years of Our Lives                              4.61        40MH

53.    The Dam Busters                                        4.69        11C4

52.    The Killing Fields                                       4.75        15C4

Either MH or C4 plus two more lists                       

51.    Birth of a Nation                                          3.8          92C4

50.    Ballad of a Soldier                                        3.9          81MH

49.    The Big Parade                                            4.1          58MH

48.    In Which We Serve                                     4.12        57C4

47.    Gallipoli                                                     4.19        48C4

46.    Stalag 17                                                    4.19        18MH

45.    Sergeant York                                              4.4          19MH

44.    Wings                                                        4.7          11MH

Both MH and C4  (the highlighted movies appear on all four lists)

43.    The Last of the Mohicans  (1992)             3.75        65  (avg. of MH and C4)

42.    Battle of Britain                                         3.75        59.5

41.    Guns of Navarone                                      3.94        53.5

40.    The Deer Hunter                                        3.95        20.5

39.    A Bridge Too Far                                     4.02        50.5

38.    El Cid                                                      4.05        74.5

37.    Breaker Morant                                         4.07        84.5

36.    The Thin Red Line  (1998)                       4.12        58

35.    Cross of Iron                                            4.12        50.5

34.    Braveheart                                                 4.13        40

33.    Charge of the Light Brigade  (1936)          4.15        51.5

32.    The Dirty Dozen                                       4.19        24

31.    Rome, Open City                                      4.2          56

30.    From Here to Eternity                              4.29        56.5

29.    The Longest Day                                      4.3          17.5

28.    Spartacus                                                  4.35        33

27.    Alexander Nevsky                                     4.38        39.5

26.    The Big Red One                                       4.4          84.5

25.    The General                                             4.45        53.5

24.    Stalingrad  (1992)                                      4.45        40.5

23.    Platoon                                                    4.65        7.5

22.    Battle of Algiers                                        4.5          44

21.    MASH                                                     4.52        26.5

20.    The Great Escape                                    4.52        23.5

19.    The Life and Death of Col. Blimp               4.55        79.5

18.    Ran                                                          4.55        70

17.    Napoleon                                                 4.55        52

16.    Full Metal Jacket                                    4.55        10.5

15.    All Quiet on the Western Front  (1930)    4.65        17   *  #1 in MH

14.    Apocalypse Now                                      4.67        8

13.    Glory                                                      4.69        39

12.    Dr. Strangelove                                         4.7          51

11.    Casablanca                                               4.7          47.5

10.    Paths of Glory                                         4.74        12.5

9.      Bridge on the River Kwai                        4.75        11

8.      Das Boot                                                 4.84        10

7.       Saving Private Ryan                               4.84        4.5      *  #1 in C4

6.       Henry V  (1944)                                       4.85        55.5

5.       Grand Illusion                                        4.85        34

4.       Patton                                                    4.85        30.5

3.       Lawrence of Arabia                                4.85        23

2.       Schindler’s List                                       5.0          17.5

1.       Zulu                                                        5.0          15  *  #22 MH  /  #8  C4

A few thoughts:

1.  The two ranked lists (MH and C4) differ greatly in placement of the movies.  Only 43 movies made both lists.  The movie that was highest on both lists was “Saving Private Ryan”. 

2.  Because I could find only three appropriate rating sources, this meant that if one reviewer disliked a movie, it could skew the average rating.  For instance, “The Longest Day” got a 2.0 in Belle and Blade, which is ludicrous.  However, I had to stick with the system.

3.  “Patton” and “Dr. Strangelove” were the only movies to get a perfect rating in all three sources.  Several movies had 5s on two sources, but were not reviewed by the third source.  These were “Lawrence of Arabia”, “Zulu”, “Schindler’s List”, “Casablanca”, “Henry V”, “Ran”, and “Grand Illusion”.

4.  Only three movies made the top ten in both MH and C4:  “Das Boot” (3 & 10), “Saving Private Ryan” (8 & 1), and “Platoon” (9 & 6).  “Platoon” ended up at #23 because of lukewarm ratings.

5.  Movies that met the criteria, but did not make the top 100 included:  “Guadalcanal Diary”, “Castle Keep”, “The Desert Fox”, “A Walk in the Sun”, “Sahara”, “The Desert Rats”, “Dunkirk”, “Midway”,  “Ben Hur”, “Come and See”, “Regeneration”, and “Europa, Europa” .