Paths of Glory (The Criterion Collection) [Blu-ray]

A film with a strong message requires a skillful presentation in order not to become overbearing. Paths of Glory, while having a strong anti-war theme, rises to the top due to the exceptional photography, editing, and straightforward narrative structure coupled with the tension that arises from social injustice and poor leadership. Kubrick treats the story as a parable, allow us to see a range of actions under a shared experience. We see front line solders at their best and worst and we also see the French officers under similar but a bit more sophisticated situations. Paths of Glory is probably based on an event in World War I during the French Nivelle Offensive whereby the men on the front lines were pushed to remain on the offensive and overtake points of no strategic worth while losing considerable lives. The offensive objective here is tellingly called "The Ant Hill". The men refused to attack but remained on the offensive in the trenches. The French officers fired thier artillery upon their own men. This incredible historic event lays the groundwork for this fictitious film. Wisely the film narrows down the number of characters to basic types and individual concerns and conflicts. Thus we have careerist incompetent leadership negligently wasting the lives of their men on poorly developed plans and objectives. The film is tragic in that after the men refused to attack, men were selected at random to be executed for cowardice and executed before the troops as examples and to encourage more enthusiasm in the future. Kirk Douglas plays the moral center for the film, playing Colonel Dax, a public prosecutor who joined the army. He defends the three men selected to represent the troops in a military judicial kangaroo court. Douglas is in top form and top shape. His performance is powerful and made more powerful by the subtle performances of his canny superior officers and the simple basic emotional responses of the men under his command. Kubrick's film-making is superb and the careful photography of interiors reveals his early mastery of this art form. Kubrick recognized the ability of the context of action to cradle the narrative and give added dimension. Thus his shots of the trenches with long twisting tracking shots give one of the best impressions of World War I front line. The scenes of the court martial are high drama, revealing a stage with all the high drama of Greek tragedy. The execution scene is perfectly developed, revealing how the symetry of the troops in a geometric courtyard contrasts against the injustice that is about to occur. The scene of a captured German girl singing in a cafe is a bit overplayed but makes its point about the amazing manner in which men can be swayed from wrong to right and back again for in the end we are vastly limited.

I just treated myself to watching, quite possibly, the greatest, most worthwhile double feature of movies ever: PATHS OF GLORY and Dr. Strangelove (Strangelove NOT on this disc) both directed by Stanley Kubrick. PATHS OF GLORY is agreed by many to be the greatest anti-war movie ever filmed. It looks like a documentary (especially the battlefield and stunning 'bunker' footage) while also acted with top-tier professionalism. PATHS OF GLORY is one of those rare, ahead of its time movies that is/was made so well and is so realized that (you) forget it was released in 1957. It just feels modern and improves upon seeing again. This film is so anti-war and so damaging to the hierarchy of the French military that they banned PATHS OF GLORY from their own viewing public for over a decade. The extras contain many interviews from the 2 minute audio by recluse Kubrick; to the British talk show half-an-hour interview with Kirk Douglass himself via 1979. He is a very proud nice guy. Kirk really is; adding some effective comments about being an artist such as "If you want to tell the truth ... write a novel ... if you want to lie ... write an autobiography ..." Laughs seem genuine from studio audience. There is also a well done essay booklet in this fine Criterion Collection of PATHS OF GLORY (again, Strangelove NOT included) Within this detailed booklet I learned the German girl who is forced to sing to the rowdy French soldiers (WW1) became Stanley Kubrick's wife (Christiane Kubrick also gives ‘extras’ interview). The song she sang in the pub that turned the rowdy soldiers into the solemn reminder that war is not where they want to be is "The Faithful Hussar", a Napoleonic-era song which states "Oh please mother bring a light/ My sweetheart is going to die." Amen French soldiers drink up and leave the poor German girl alone. This is truly classic Kubrick cinema and World War history - as well as movie history - at its best. If a fan of Kubrick you NEED to see this one too.

Kult

This review is for Paths of Glory (The Criterion Collection) [Blu-ray] Paths of Glory (The Criterion Collection Spine #538) [Blu-ray] obtained April 2013. A really good film showing Kirk Douglas at a younger age than I have seen him before. He was an excellent actor even back then. The film is gripping and suspenseful. I highly recommend this film for anyone over the age of 16, because it is not a straight forward war film. I worry WWI battlefield office politics (to put it plainly) would confuse many boys under that age (and bore most girls). The restoration is excellent. To me, the reason to buy a blu-ray is to get the full length film (even theatres run cut versions, so they can get more showings in) and to get the commentary, interviews and extras -- and this is something that Criterion Collection normally excels at. This version of this film is like that. Lots of extras. You'll be able to watch the film over and over again over the year with new insights and new appreciation. (If you watch the extras, there is a secret about the guy who sobs and how much he affected production. I had to chuckle at the hoops Kubrick and team had to jump through after him -- and you would never guess watching the film what happened and what needed to be done. It makes the film double the accomplishment.) From the Criterion Collection product information: New high definition digital transfer made from 35 mm film elements restored by UCLA Film & Television Archive in cooperation with MGM Studios, with funding provided by the Film Foundation and the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray edition) New audio commentary featuring critic Gary Giddins Excerpt from a 1966 audio interview with director Stanley Kubrick Television interview from 1979 with star Kirk Douglas New video interviews with Kubrick’s longtime executive producer Jan Harlan, Paths of Glory producer James B. Harris, and actress Christiane Kubrick French television piece about a real-life World War I execution that partly inspired the film Theatrical trailer PLUS: A booklet featuring an essay by film scholar James Naremore I highly recommend buying this film.

This Would have to be one of kirk's finest performance of his career. the picture is brilliant. well acted and beautifully directed by the one and only Stanley Kubrick. 5 star.

Film extraordinaire qui a du subir les effets de la censure pendant de nombreuses années car il n'était pas possible de reconnaître ces tribunaux créés à la va-vite pour complaire à l'Etat-Major et aux Gouvernements de la même époque afin de créer des exemples par rapport à une boucherie sans nom qui n'a pas été isolée. Interprétation et mise en scène extraordinaire. On est devant un film de Kubrick. Il y en aura encore d'autres ensuite dont la qualité ne sera jamais à remettre en doute.

Gran producto, llegó en buen estado y es una película excelente, cumplió y superó mis expectativas. Lo recomiendo sin dudarlo.