Paths of Glory

( 21 )

Overview

Adapting Humphrey Cobb's novel to the screen, director Stanley Kubrick and his collaborators Calder Willingham and Jim Thompson set out to make a devastating anti-war statement, and they succeeded above and beyond the call of duty. In the third year of World War I, the erudite but morally bankrupt French general Broulard Adolphe Menjou orders his troops to seize the heavily fortified "Ant Hill" from the Germans. General Mireau George MacReady knows that this action will be suicidal, but he will sacrfice his men ...
See more details below
DVD (Special Edition / B&W)
$29.00
BN.com price
(Save 3%)$29.99 List Price
Pick Up In Store

Pick Up In Store

Reserve and pick up in 60 minutes at your local store

Other sellers (DVD)
  • All (14) from $14.99   
  • New (12) from $20.23   
  • Used (2) from $14.99   

More About This Product

Overview

Adapting Humphrey Cobb's novel to the screen, director Stanley Kubrick and his collaborators Calder Willingham and Jim Thompson set out to make a devastating anti-war statement, and they succeeded above and beyond the call of duty. In the third year of World War I, the erudite but morally bankrupt French general Broulard Adolphe Menjou orders his troops to seize the heavily fortified "Ant Hill" from the Germans. General Mireau George MacReady knows that this action will be suicidal, but he will sacrfice his men to enhance his own reputation. Against his better judgment, Colonel Dax Kirk Douglas leads the charge, and the results are appalling. When, after witnessing the slaughter of their comrades, a handful of the French troops refuse to leave the trenches, Mireau very nearly orders the artillery to fire on his own men. Still smarting from the defeat, Mireau cannot admit to himself that the attack was a bad idea from the outset: he convinces himself that loss of Ant Hill was due to the cowardice of his men. Mireau demands that three soldiers be selected by lot to be executed as an example to rest of the troops. Acting as defense attorney, Colonel Dax pleads eloquently for the lives of the unfortunate three, but their fate is a done deal. Even an eleventh-hour piece of evidence proving Mireau's incompetence is ignored by the smirking Broulard, who is only interested in putting on a show of bravado. A failure when first released it was banned outright in France for several years, Paths of Glory has since taken its place in the pantheon of classic war movies, its message growing only more pertinent and potent with each passing year it was especially popular during the Vietnam era.
Read More Show Less

Special Features

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 Christine Kubrick; French television piece about a real-life World War I execution that partly inspired the film; Theatrical trailer
Read More Show Less

Editorial Reviews

All Movie Guide - Dan Jardine
Paths of Glory is a remarkable anti-war film that retains its impact decades after its release. The story's horrifying, tragic inevitability combines with Stanley Kubrick's forthright documentary style to create a film of rare power, a stinging, pre-Vietnam indictment of the inflexibility of war-time decision-making. Kirk Douglas, who produced the film, seems an odd choice to play a French colonel in World War I, yet he fills the screen with his righteous indignation. Kubrick's indictment of a military elite out of touch with -- even openly antagonistic towards -- its own men is brilliantly vicious. Filmed in pristine black-and-white that mirrors the thematic emphasis on the battle between good (enlisted men) and evil (the officers), with Kubrick's keen eye toward detail, Paths of Glory is both an intellectual and a visual treat. The film touched many raw nerves, and it was banned in several European countries, with France the last to lift the ban in the late 1970s. The conclusion features the soon-to-be Mrs. Kubrick in a sentimental and melodramatic scene that has been criticized as out-of-step with the rest of the somber and gritty film.
Read More Show Less

Product Details

  • Release Date: 10/26/2010
  • UPC: 715515064019
  • Original Release: 1957
  • Source: Criterion
  • Region Code: 1
  • Presentation: Special Edition / B&W
  • Language: English
  • Time: 1:28:00
  • Format: DVD
  • Sales rank: 23,518

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits
Kirk Douglas Col. Dax
Ralph Meeker Corp. Paris
Adolphe Menjou Gen. Broulard
George Macready Gen. Mireau
Wayne Morris Lieutenant Roget
Richard Anderson Maj. Saint-Auban
Joe Turkel Private Arnaud
Timothy Carey Private Ferol
Peter Capell Col. Judge
Susanne Christian German Girl
Bert Freed Sgt. Boulanger
Jerry Hausner Cafe Owner
Harold Benedict Capt. Nichols
John Stein Capt. Rousseau
Ken Dibbs Pvt. LeJeune
Emile G. Meyer Priest
Technical Credits
Stanley Kubrick Director, Screenwriter
Ilse Dubois Costumes/Costume Designer
Gerald Fried Score Composer
James B. Harris Producer
Georg Krause Cinematographer
Eva Kroll Editor
Erwin Lange Special Effects
Martin Mueller Sound/Sound Designer
Ludwig Reiber Art Director
Arthur Schramm Makeup
Hannes Staudinger Camera Operator
Jim Thompson Screenwriter
Calder Willingham Screenwriter
Read More Show Less

Scene Index

Disc #1 -- Paths of Glory
1. France, 1916 [2:20]
2. Plans for the Anthill [3:58]
3. Touring the Trench [2:41]
4. Colonel Dax [2:21]
5. The Price of Patriotism [3:21]
6. Recon Patrol [2:01]
7. Split up [4:34]
8. The Lieutenant's Report [2:52]
9. Briefing the Troos [1:14]
10. Hurt or Killed [1:12]
11. Storming the Hill [5:31]
12. The Order [2:18]
13. Falling Back [1:26]
14. Setting an Example [4:05]
15. "I'll Ruin You" [1:47]
16. The Chosen Three [2:45]
17. Testimonies [8:03]
18. A Mockery [3:17]
19. The Verdict [:45]
20. Last Meal [1:54]
21. No Salvation [3:17]
22. Put in Charge [2:21]
23. Dax's Revelation [5:04]
24. Cracking Under Pressure [:01]
25. Firing Squad [2:33]
26. An Idealist [5:30]
27. A Little Diversion [4:09]
1. Peak of Stardom [2:20]
2. Casting and Chess Matches [3:58]
3. Stunning Slap-Down [2:41]
4. The Anti-Brando [2:21]
5. A Complicit Protagonist [3:21]
6. The Most Pathetic Figure [2:01]
7. Precision and Clarity [4:34]
8. Manipulations of Power [2:52]
9. Reflecting Wartime Reality [1:14]
10. Directly From the Novel [1:12]
11. Not an Antiwar Film [5:31]
12. A Career-Long Fascination [2:18]
13. A Strange Moment [1:26]
14. Contentious Credits [4:05]
15. Significant Solitary Exits [1:47]
16. Kubrick on War Stories [2:45]
17. Kubrick's Tremendous Humanity [8:03]
18. More on Music [3:17]
19. Photojournalistic Gifts [:45]
20. A Dozen Roaches Killed [1:54]
21. Simply Hopeless [3:17]
22. Embracing Melodrama [2:21]
23. A Central Scene [5:04]
24. Kubrick's Early Work [:01]
25. Scene Stealing/Capital Punishment [2:33]
26. Some Sense of Justice [5:30]
27. Altering the Pitch [4:09]
Read More Show Less

Menu

Disc #1 -- Paths of Glory
   Play the Movie
   Chapters
      Color Bars
   Commentary
      Commentary: On
      Commentary: Off
      Index
         Color Bars
   Supplements
      Stanley Kubrick
         Play
      Kirk Douglas
         Play
      James B. Harris
         Play
      Christiane Kubrick
         Play
      Jan Harlan
         Play
      Théophile Maupas
         Play
      Theatrical Trailer
Read More Show Less

Customer Reviews

Average Rating 4
( 21 )
Rating Distribution

5 Star

(12)

4 Star

(4)

3 Star

(3)

2 Star

(1)

1 Star

(1)

Your Rating:

Review Guidelines
Add Recommendations
Your Name: Create a Pen Name or

Barnes & Noble.com Review Rules

Our reader reviews allow you to share your comments on titles you liked, or didn't, with others. By submitting an online review, you are representing to Barnes & Noble.com that all information contained in your review is original and accurate in all respects, and that the submission of such content by you and the posting of such content by Barnes & Noble.com does not and will not violate the rights of any third party. Please follow the rules below to help ensure that your review can be posted.

Reviews by Our Customers Under the Age of 13

We highly value and respect everyone's opinion concerning the titles we offer. However, we cannot allow persons under the age of 13 to have accounts at BN.com or to post customer reviews. Please see our Terms of Use for more details.

What to exclude from your review:

Please do not write about reviews, commentary, or information posted on the product page. If you see any errors in the information on the product page, please send us an email.

Reviews should not contain any of the following:

  • - HTML tags, profanity, obscenities, vulgarities, or comments that defame anyone
  • - Time-sensitive information such as tour dates, signings, lectures, etc.
  • - Single-word reviews. Other people will read your review to discover why you liked or didn't like the title. Be descriptive.
  • - Comments focusing on the author or that may ruin the ending for others
  • - Phone numbers, addresses, URLs
  • - Pricing and availability information or alternative ordering information
  • - Advertisements or commercial solicitation

Reminder:

  • - By submitting a review, you grant to Barnes & Noble.com and its sublicensees the royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable right and license to use the review in accordance with the Barnes & Noble.com Terms of Use.
  • - Barnes & Noble.com reserves the right not to post any review -- particularly those that do not follow the terms and conditions of these Rules. Barnes & Noble.com also reserves the right to remove any review at any time without notice.
  • - See Terms of Use for other conditions and disclaimers.
Search for Products You'd Like to Recommend

Recommend other products that relate to your review. Just search for them below and share!

Create a Pen Name

Your Pen Name is your unique identity on BN.com. It will appear on the reviews you write and other website activities. Your Pen Name cannot be edited, changed or deleted once submitted.

 
Your Pen Name can be any combination of alphanumeric characters (plus - and _), and must be at least two characters long.

Continue Anonymously
See All Sort by: Showing 1 – 20 of 21 Customer Reviews

  • Posted October 1, 2010

    I Also Recommend:

    All Quiet on the Western Front
    Dr. Strangelove or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb

    Kubrick's Warmup for Strangelove

    Paths of Glory uses World War I trench fighting to show the insanity of war. In this case, Kirk Douglas brings his trademark intensity to bear as a French commander ordered to make a suicidal charge, then to execute soldiers at random when it fails. In Douglas's character, Dax, the madness of war is attacked in a memorable way. This movie shows Kubrick's rejection of the groupthink and blind obedience that he saw in war, a theme he came back to with a vengeance in Dr. Strangelove. This DVD is pretty no frills, but the film is strong enough to stand on its own.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Posted October 1, 2010

    Gives meaning to the word powerful

    A film that should resonate with everyone, whether you've ever been a soldier or not. Kirk Douglas & the rest of the cast are outstanding. This movie compares favorably with any of Stanley Kubrick's later & perhaps better known work. The ending is unforgettable.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    Mandatory Viewing

    I would say this is the best anti-war movie ever made, but Kubrick made two others. Who can choose? Paths of Glory is a masterwork of cinema which not only makes an eloquent and profound statement on war and its moral ambiguities - it expands the cinematic vocabulary significantly in doing so. No other filmmaker's lense tells a story as well as Kubrick's. He is the consummate filmmaker, and he knows how his medium communicates uniquely and perhaps with more power than any other. This film should be required viewing for the human race. Douglas is pitch perfect and the combat, while tame by todays standards, is some of the best filmed in movie history.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    GREATEST FILM EVER MADE !!!!!!!!

    ''Paths of Glory'' (the title obviously derived from the famous verse ''the paths of glory lead but to the grave'') is not only the greatest antiwar film ever made...it is the GREATEST FILM ever made, period. Kirk Douglas is head and shoulders above every other actor who ever lived. (His son, Michael Douglas, although a fine actor, does not fill his father's shoes.) I was so moved by this film...I purchased my own copy of it, and have viewed it many times, and never fail to be impressed by it. It has inspired many great antiwar films, such as ''Born on the Fourth of July''. I believe EVERY person should see this film !!!!!

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    best ''anti''-war film that has ever been made

    Stanley hits another home run w/ this film, I have never seen a movie that moved me like this one did. This film shines a light on the horrors of war.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted November 7, 2010

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted November 6, 2010

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted July 9, 2010

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted November 23, 2010

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted November 10, 2010

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted March 7, 2009

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted November 11, 2010

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted June 6, 2009

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted November 8, 2011

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted November 11, 2010

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted February 14, 2010

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted July 24, 2010

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted November 18, 2010

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted November 10, 2010

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted November 4, 2010

    No text was provided for this review.

See All Sort by: Showing 1 – 20 of 21 Customer Reviews