Tracing the glorious Paths to cinematic brilliance

Has there ever been a more effective anti-war film than Paths of Glory, the 1957 film directed by Stanley Kubrick and based on Humphrey Cobb's 1935 novel? Perhaps All Quiet on the Western Front (any version) tops it as a treatise on the horrors and injustices of combat, but Paths excels above all contenders to this crown as a perfectly engineered locomotive driven superbly by its director. The film stars Kirk Douglas as Colonel Dax, alongside Ralph Meeker, Adolphe Menjou, and George Macready. Set during World War I, it tells the story of Dax, a French officer tasked with leading his men on a doomed mission to seize a well-defended German stronghold called the Anthill. When the operation inevitably fails, the French generals, eager to deflect blame from themselves, court-martial three soldiers chosen at random for cowardice.

Widely considered a cinematic masterpiece, Paths of Glory (a fictional narrative loosely based on a battle and an incident that occurred in World War I in which a handful of men were executed as an example) is celebrated for its intense critique of military hierarchy and the senselessness of war. Kubrick's filmmaking choices, marked by meticulous and powerful use of cinematic techniques, particularly in the battle scenes and courtroom sequences, create a stark portrayal. The film challenges viewers to ponder profound ethical questions about duty, honor, and the often arbitrary nature of military justice.

To hear a recording of our CineVerse discussion of Paths of Glory, conducted last week, click here.

This movie deviates from many other war films in several ways. First, and most obviously, it’s rendered in stark black and white versus color. In contrast, a movie like Bridge on the River Kwai from the same year was a chromatic spectacle, had a big budget, and won major Oscars; arguably, Kwai is less of an anti-war cinematic polemic and more focused on the madness of armed conflict rather than the men who wage it.

Additionally, Paths does not seem to glorify war or depict any heroes or heroic actions; there is no sweeping, bombastic music to enhance the visuals, and there are few close-ups of soldiers engaging in battle with whom the viewer might identify. Likewise, sentimentality about the soldiers’ lives or the cause of their mission is nowhere to be found; we are given no patriotic speeches, flashbacks to family or loved ones to inspire them, or inspirational death scenes meant to rally the troops. The film is relentlessly scathing in its portrayal of military authority and the bureaucratic forces that decide the fates of countless soldiers. It depicts mindless, senseless slaughter with no honor or dignity in the soldiers’ deaths. Consider it the antithesis of pictures like John Wayne’s The Green Berets. Yet it shares a spirit with films like M*A*S*H and two other Kubrick standouts: Dr. Strangelove and Full Metal Jacket, which explore how war can be dehumanizing.

There appears to be nothing glorious about the battle scenes staged, which makes “Paths of Glory” perhaps an ironic moniker for this kind of movie. The title is actually inspired by the line “The paths of glory lead but to the grave,” which comes from Thomas Gray’s 18th-century poem Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard, published in 1751. The poem contemplates the lives of ordinary people and the certainty of death, implying that all forms of glory ultimately end in the grave. It reflects on the fleeting nature of fame and success, highlighting that everyone, regardless of their accomplishments, shares the same ultimate fate.

Kubrick’s decision to withhold the jury’s verdict in Paths of Glory is a purposeful and impactful artistic choice that intensifies the film’s critique of war, authority, and dehumanization within the military bureaucracy. By not revealing the verdict, he shifts attention from the trial’s outcome to the corrupt and unjust process, underscoring the futility of war and the arbitrary nature of military decisions. This approach heightens the film’s sense of inevitability and doom, drawing attention to the human suffering inflicted by an indifferent system. The absence of closure also prompts viewers to consider the broader themes of justice, authority, and morality, rather than focusing solely on the plot.

Concluding this film with a seemingly non-sequitur singing sequence is a curious choice. Some viewers might perceive it as a fluffy distraction from what they’ve witnessed over the previous 80-plus minutes; yet this denouement becomes an unsettling, uncomfortable statement about the victims of war and inevitability of injury, death, and doom for the men tasked with fighting.

Kubrick has rightfully been called a master visual storyteller, and his talents are on full display here. The filmmaker employs deep, sharp focus for virtually every shot, much like Orson Welles did in Citizen Kane. We marvel at the heightened visual realism, with incredible detail laden in the battle sequences, including props, sets, trenches, and more. Kubrick juxtaposes shots of grim, dirty trench warfare on the front line with images of the command post, contrasting visions of opulence and order with visuals of disorder and ugliness. Similarly, he contrasts memorable tracking shots within the trenches with circular camera shots of the chateau, emphasizing the difference between straight lines and circles.

Sometimes, he frames shots with impeccable geometrical symmetry, positioning subjects perfectly between objects. This approach makes the characters appear as pawns on a chessboard, serving as a visual metaphor for the film’s thematic elements. This is particularly evident in the trial scene, where the soldiers stand motionless on alternating dark and light tiles.

Recall how the battlefield charge scene uses long shots with the camera tracking from right to left and avoids close-ups, preventing the audience from identifying with any particular soldier—they are merely cogs in a vast machine in this framing. Also, ponder how the viewer is distanced from the action, which removes any romanticizing of battle.

Earlier Kubrick films like Dr. Strangelove, Lolita, and Paths of Glory are decidedly different from films in his peak period, when works such as 2001: A Space Odyssey, A Clockwork Orange, Barry Lyndon, and The Shining demonstrated a different approach to his cinematic storytelling. Case in point: This film is shorter in length, tighter, and more economical in terms of both length and budget. Later pictures would expand in scope, running time, and arguably self-indulgence, featuring much longer shots. Similar to all his works, there is a focus on attention to detail, with meticulously designed and planned setups and shots, each frame of which could serve as a master photograph.

Similar works

• All Quiet on the Western Front
• 1917
• Patton
• The Caine Mutiny
• Johnny Got His Gun
• Gallipoli
• Breaker Morant

Other works by Stanley Kubrick

• The Killing
• Spartacus
• Lolita
• Dr. Strangelove
• 2001: A Space Odyssey
• A Clockwork Orange
• Barry Lyndon
• The Shining
• Full Metal Jacket
• Eyes Wide Shut