Paths of Glory (1957)

User Rating:

8.6/10   

Director:

Stanley Kubrick

Writers:

Stanley Kubrick (screenplay) &
Calder Willingham (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

25 October 1957 (West Germany)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | War

Tagline:

Never has the screen thrust so deeply into the guts of war!

Plot:

When soldiers in WW1 refuse to continue with an impossible attack, their superiors decide to make an example of them.

Plot Keywords:

Soldier | General | WWI | French Army | French

Awards:

Nominated for BAFTA Film Award. Another 3 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

Kirk Douglas	...	Col. Dax
Ralph Meeker	...	Cpl. Philippe Paris
Adolphe Menjou	...	Gen. George Broulard
George Macready	...	Gen. Paul Mireau
Wayne Morris	...	Lt. Roget / Singing man
Richard Anderson	...	Maj. Saint-Auban
Joe Turkel	...	Pvt. Pierre Arnaud (as Joseph Turkel)
Christiane Kubrick	...	German singer (as Susanne Christian)
Jerry Hausner	...	Proprietor of cafe
Peter Capell	...	Narrator of opening sequence / Judge (colonel) of court-martial
Emile Meyer	...	Father Dupree
Bert Freed	...	Sgt. Boulanger
Kem Dibbs	...	Pvt. Lejeune
Timothy Carey	...	Pvt. Maurice Ferol
Fred Bell	...	Shell-shock victim
John Stein	...	Capt. Rousseau (Battery Commander)
Harold Benedict	...	Capt. Nichols (artillery spotter)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Paul Bös	...	Maj. Gouderc (uncredited)
Leon Briggs	...	Capt. Sancy (uncredited)
Wally Friedrichs	...	Col. De Guerville (uncredited)
Halder Hanson	...	Doctor (uncredited)
James B. Harris	...	Private in the attack (uncredited)
Rolf Kralovitz	...	K.P. (uncredited)
Ira Moore	...	Capt. Renouart (uncredited)
Marshall Rainer	...	Pvt. Duval (uncredited)
Roger Vagnoid	...	Cafe owner (uncredited)

Directed by
Stanley Kubrick

Writing credits
Stanley Kubrick		(screenplay) &
Calder Willingham		(screenplay) and
Jim Thompson		(screenplay)
Humphrey Cobb		(novel "Paths of Glory")

Produced by
James B. Harris	....	producer
Kirk Douglas	....	producer (uncredited)
Stanley Kubrick	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Gerald Fried

Cinematography by
Georg Krause		(photographed by) (as George Krause)

Film Editing by
Eva Kroll

Art Direction by
Ludwig Reiber

Costume Design by
Ilse Dubois

Makeup Department
Arthur Schramm	....	makeup artist

Production Management
John Pommer	....	production manager: America
Helmut Ringelmann	....	unit manager
George von Block	....	production manager: Germany

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Dixie Sensburg	....	assistant director (as D. Sensburg)
Franz-Josef Spieker	....	assistant director (as F. Spieker)
Hans Stumpf	....	assistant director (as H. Stumpf)

Sound Department
Martin Müller	....	sound
Al Gramaglia	....	sound re-recording mixer (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Erwin Lange	....	special effects

Camera and Electrical Department
Hans Elsinger	....	camera grip
Hannes Staudinger	....	camera operator
Stanley Kubrick	....	additional cinematographer (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Helene Fischer	....	assistant editor

Other crew
Trudy von Trotha	....	script clerk
Baron von Waldenfels	....	military advisor (as Baron v. Waldenfels)

Production Companies

• Bryna Productions (present)
• Harris-Kubrick Productions (uncredited)

Distributors

• United Artists (1957) (USA) (theatrical)
• United Artists (1957) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1990) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (1999) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Park Circus (2005) (UK) (theatrical) (re-release)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2007) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Chapel Distribution (1997) (Australia) (theatrical) (new 35mm print re-issue)
• Cinemagia (Brazil) (DVD)
• Criterion Collection, The (19??) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Warner Home Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)

Runtime:

87 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | German

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Spain:T | Iceland:L | Spain:(Banned) (1957-1986) | West Germany:12 (f) | South Korea:15 | Brazil:14 | Argentina:Atp (re-rating) | Netherlands:12 (2007) (DVD) | Argentina:13 (original rating) | Australia:PG | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PG (Manitoba/Ontario) | Finland:K-16 | France:(Banned) (original rating) | France:U (re-release) | Ireland:12 | Norway:16 | Sweden:15 | UK:A (original rating) (cut) | UK:PG (video rating) (1987) (uncut) | USA:Unrated

Filming Locations:

Munich, Bavaria, Germany

Company:

Bryna Productions

Trivia:

When Kirk Douglas was first approached for the role, he was committed to a Broadway play. Stanley Kubrick then met Gregory Peck in connection with How to Steal a Million (1966); Peck was interested but was also unavailable. Douglas' play was postponed and then Peck also became available; Douglas got in first and got the part.

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): Near the beginning of the film Private Ferol, when asked by General Mireau, states that he has no wife - but while walking to the firing squad is crying on the shoulder of the priest that he will never see his wife again.

Quotes:

General Broulard: There are few things more fundamentally encouraging and stimulating than seeing someone else die.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Un long dimanche de fiançailles (2004)

Soundtrack:

Der Treue Husar

An Anti-War Masterpiece

In France, in the First World War, the insane and ambitious general Gen. Paul Mireau (George Macready) orders Colonel Dax (Kirk Douglas) to lead his men in a suicide attack against Germans in the unattainable Ant Hill. After a massacre of the French soldiers, Gen. Mireau orders his artillery to drop bombs between the French front line of attack and the trenches, to avoid the soldier to return to the protection of the trenches. The commander of the French artillery refuses to accomplish the order. Gen. Mireau asks his superior, Gen. George Broulard (Adolphe Menjou), to send three men to Court Martial and execute them for cowardice through shooting, as an example to the other soldiers. Colonel Dax, a former lawyer, defends his men in the unfair trial. Yesterday I watched this outstanding masterpiece for the first time and certainly it is among the best movies of the cinema history. The disgusting story shows the insanity of a war, where men are treated like numbers and not as human beings. The reality of the battles scenes is amazing. The cast has a stunning performance, highlighting the trio George Macready, Adolphe Menjou and Kirk Douglas. The lack of sensibility and respect for the human life and the cynicism in the dialogs of the two generals are fantastic. Two other points that called my attention are the fancy reception for the general staff, while their subalterns are fighting in the front and the misunderstanding of the real intentions of Colonel Dax by Gen. George Broulard. A must-see movie! My vote is ten.

Title (Brazil): `Glória Feita de Sangue' (`Glory Made of Blood')