Review of Paths of Glory (1957) by Wes M — 21 Jan 2012
Flawless direction once again from Mr. Kubrick. A great anti-war statement that speaks more than bullets and bombs can. A spot-on performance for Kirk Douglas, who looks and sounds uncannily like his son (I've also found this to be the case with the Sheens).
Oh, and George Macready plays a great scumbag. This film showcases the emotional toll that wars and battles can take on soldiers, and also how it can ruin and corrupt those involved. It is remarkable how much Kubrick can do with only 88 minutes of footage.
Not a second is wasted on filler; every scene is necessary is one way or another. And his camerawork is out-of-this-world for the 1950s. Every scene is in focus, and during the mission, he follows the soldiers as they run out of the trenches (reminded me immensely of Children Of Men).
The ending scene is quite unexpected and powerful, for it can change the tone of the movie drastically within mere minutes, from heartbreaking hatred to soothing acceptance. Even those of you who don't really care for the war genre should check this out, cuz it's not your typical war film.
This review of Paths of Glory (1957) was written by Wes M on 21 Jan 2012.
Paths of Glory has generally received very positive reviews.
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