Paths of Glory was originally written as a novel by Humphrey Cobb, a story which would turn into one of the greatest war movie classics made in the 50's. Considered to be one among the most potent movies directed by Stanley Kubrick, this black and white close up at the politics of war has had audiences cringing for nearly half a century. Based on the French army's efforts against the Germans during World War I, the movie takes a different turn then most war stories, examining the enemy from within, rather than those outside.
The movie starts with the proposition by the French General Staff to take a stronghold of the German forces on the nearby battlefield. The General in charge does not believe this to be a wise decision at first, realizing his troops that would be assigned such a duty would be far underpowered in comparisons to the enemy. However, the General above him makes the suggestion that such a victory would guarantee a promotion in rank, and suddenly the task becomes far less impossible.
The film takes a subtle, and realistic by today's standards, approach to the telling of a war story. The characters drive the plot forward without prompt from the external enemy, but rather from the inhumane judgments and justifications of their own seats of power. A depth exists in every private, general, and rank in between, along with the interactions between them. This is why the movie is a popular choice for teachers to assign their students to analyze and write about it for critical thinking.
The attack is inevitably a failure, as every character besides the delusional generals fueled by arrogance sees coming, and the remaining troops who refuse to leave the trenches for a lost battle are blamed. The entire regiment takes the fall for the loss, and three men are selected at random to punish the entire group of soldiers for their supposed cowardice. Colonel Dax, the man in charge of the regiment, tries to defend his soldiers at any cost against the unfair trial, but has little hope against the united forces against him.
The drama of this warning tale is effectively told through the medium of black and white film, giving the audience just as much emotional depth and drama as a film in full color. Though the art of using black and white is almost obsolete, some artistic directors and photographers still utilize its stark effect to convey the film noir style from the days before color and for its ability to create extreme contrasts. For example, in Paths of Glory, Kubrick utilizes the pitch black and dark gray in the trenches to contrast with the bright white within the overly elaborate and comfortable military headquarters.
What may stand out to today's audiences that may not have captured so much attention at the time is the physical motion and gesticulation the characters perform throughout the film. To create diversity in the way scenes were shot without a large budget, a single camera would often track the pacing of a character during thought or speech about the set. This pacing punctuates the mental process the actor is portraying, and keeps the audience moving with them, although the camera is set from a single point.
By following the story of three soldiers doomed to death by their superiors for unjust causes, the French and many other European countries banned the movie for many years before cultural policies on such material loosened. Film critics acclaim it as the first challenger to the idea that war is completely honorable and glorious. The ironic and emotional journey the plot takes leave audiences with both warnings and questions about those in power, and the motives behind making enemies out of those who should be allies.
Paths of Glory was highly critically acclaimed, though its box office profits were minimal. The moral behind the story lingers on with relevance as questions of human sacrifice for the sake of political war is more heavily disdained as generations pass. The movie is often used today as a critical thinking and discussion tool for English classes and Film classes alike, sharing the universal challenge of fate and orders for a long time to come. - 40732
The movie starts with the proposition by the French General Staff to take a stronghold of the German forces on the nearby battlefield. The General in charge does not believe this to be a wise decision at first, realizing his troops that would be assigned such a duty would be far underpowered in comparisons to the enemy. However, the General above him makes the suggestion that such a victory would guarantee a promotion in rank, and suddenly the task becomes far less impossible.
The film takes a subtle, and realistic by today's standards, approach to the telling of a war story. The characters drive the plot forward without prompt from the external enemy, but rather from the inhumane judgments and justifications of their own seats of power. A depth exists in every private, general, and rank in between, along with the interactions between them. This is why the movie is a popular choice for teachers to assign their students to analyze and write about it for critical thinking.
The attack is inevitably a failure, as every character besides the delusional generals fueled by arrogance sees coming, and the remaining troops who refuse to leave the trenches for a lost battle are blamed. The entire regiment takes the fall for the loss, and three men are selected at random to punish the entire group of soldiers for their supposed cowardice. Colonel Dax, the man in charge of the regiment, tries to defend his soldiers at any cost against the unfair trial, but has little hope against the united forces against him.
The drama of this warning tale is effectively told through the medium of black and white film, giving the audience just as much emotional depth and drama as a film in full color. Though the art of using black and white is almost obsolete, some artistic directors and photographers still utilize its stark effect to convey the film noir style from the days before color and for its ability to create extreme contrasts. For example, in Paths of Glory, Kubrick utilizes the pitch black and dark gray in the trenches to contrast with the bright white within the overly elaborate and comfortable military headquarters.
What may stand out to today's audiences that may not have captured so much attention at the time is the physical motion and gesticulation the characters perform throughout the film. To create diversity in the way scenes were shot without a large budget, a single camera would often track the pacing of a character during thought or speech about the set. This pacing punctuates the mental process the actor is portraying, and keeps the audience moving with them, although the camera is set from a single point.
By following the story of three soldiers doomed to death by their superiors for unjust causes, the French and many other European countries banned the movie for many years before cultural policies on such material loosened. Film critics acclaim it as the first challenger to the idea that war is completely honorable and glorious. The ironic and emotional journey the plot takes leave audiences with both warnings and questions about those in power, and the motives behind making enemies out of those who should be allies.
Paths of Glory was highly critically acclaimed, though its box office profits were minimal. The moral behind the story lingers on with relevance as questions of human sacrifice for the sake of political war is more heavily disdained as generations pass. The movie is often used today as a critical thinking and discussion tool for English classes and Film classes alike, sharing the universal challenge of fate and orders for a long time to come. - 40732
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