Paths of glory is a wonderful film about authority and at times the idiocy and insanity of those that were on top of the pile. It takes place during the first world war which as anyone has studied it or has knowledge of it knows was a period of war in which traditional methods of warfare clearly failed and millions died over the ignorance and arrogance of a few.
This scene is the execution scene and can be seen as the most significant scene. Three men are executed for cowardice even though the viewer knows that they are not cowards and have been wrongly fully tried. Stanley kubrick orignally wanted to have a happy hollywood ending where the prisoners were pardoned. The fact that he was opted out of this and they werent makes the experience much more harrowing and the build up before this is superb, the slow walk up and the switching between short and long shots adds to the tension.
Its not kubricks best film, but it remains a solid statement on the insanity and madness that war can bring.
@13x1x20 Unfortunately most Americans do think that way but then again most Americans couldn't name a single WW2 battle apart from Normandy or Pearl Harbor. My father was a Marine Officer and I have several friends who have studied at St Cyr and they only have good things to say about the French.
AlBunyan 11 months ago 5
"Its not kubricks best film" from the poster.
Actually, from a great fan of Kubrick, I disagree. On balance, I think it is his best film.
picklerwoof 1 year ago 4