Paths Of Glory Stanley Kubrick, Kirk Douglas
Stanley Kubrick approached Kirk Douglas with the script for this film and he loved it telling Kubrick “Stanley I don’t think this picture will make a nickel, but we have to make it!” His words would prove to be prophetic as the film didn’t make any money.
Based on a 1935 novel by Humphrey Cobb who served in the Canadian army during the First World War, when the novel was finished it didn’t have a title, there was a competition run by the publisher. The winning title comes from a famous poem ‘Elegy written in a country churchyard’ by Thomas Gray. “The paths of glory lead but to the grave”. There was also a Broadway play of the novel that run for 23 performances it gained a lukewarm reception from the New York Times critic Brooks Atkinson who rapped his review with the line “Someday the screen will seize this ghastly tale and make a work of art”.
To the film,
It’s the 1916 and trench warfare has bogged down the western front, in the French sector a large fortified emplacement dominates the French lines and is used by the German army to repel all attacks. Colonel Dax (Kirk Douglas) reports to headquarters to be given his orders attack and take the fortress known as the Ant hill and make way for a follow up attack, if he succeeds there’s a sure promotion and an end to life on the frontline.
The attack ensues and it’s a massacre in the wake of extreme losses some French soldiers turn back and head to the safety of their own lines. After the attack had failed word of the survivors reaches headquarters and three of the survivors must face trial for cowardice and colonel Dax is to head the prosecution against his protests. The trail scenes are heartfelt but the end is already written for the three men who face the firing squad.
Stanley Kubrick delivered a masterpiece for his first full feature the camera through the trenches really gives you a sense of being there long before 1917 recreates it 60 years latter. The film really hasn’t aged and still holds up 70 years latter the only tell being the monochrome film stock used in production. Kubrick used his famed technique of needling actors to get the performance he wanted. During the court-martial scene Kirk Douglas found the erratic acting of Timothy Carey to be irritating and during a break Kubrick encouraged him to amp it up saying “make this a good one because Kirk doesn’t like it” a technique he would use in latter productions on actors notably on Shelley Duvall during production of The Shining nearly sending her into a mental breakdown.
Kirk Douglas is brilliant as colonel Dax early in the film you can see the relationship he has with the men under his command they look up to him with admiration as a leader. When he’s forced to court martial the survivors you can see the strain he’s under he has to deliver the guilty verdict but there’s the loyalty to his men that he must betray and this leaves him conflicted. As the audience you can help but empathise with the colonel and understand his sadness in winning the case.
It’s a 70 year old film made when the brutality of war was but a short memory in Europe coming only 12 years after the Second World War. Its powerful anti war messages still holds true today more than ever. Another entry for Kubrick in the 100 most influential films of the 20th century and for good reason everything is thought out with genius direction from an obsession to accuracy and delivering something true to history. It’s a must watch and if you don’t believe me here’s a quote from the main actor.
In 1969 Kirk Douglas said of the film,
“There’s a picture that will always be good, years from now. I don’t have to wait 50 years to know that; I know it now !”
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Have fun stay safe ππΌ
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