30 Years Before Full Metal Jacket, Stanley Kubrick’s War Movie Masterpiece Unveiled!

Throughout his vast career, Stanley Kubrick directed several war films, among them two that have become cinematic classics: Full Metal Jacket and Paths of Glory. While the latter is often overlooked in comparison to the former, it remains an undeniable masterpiece.

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Released in 1957 and hitting theaters in 1975, Paths of Glory is set during the year 1916, amidst World War I. In this turbulent period, French General Broulard (played by Adolphe Menjou) orders General Mireau (portrayed by George Macready) to carry out a suicidal attack on a German position known as “The Anthill.”

Colonel Dax, played by Kirk Douglas, leads the operation, which ends in disaster. In a display of harsh discipline, General Mireau decides to make an example by sentencing three infantrymen to death. Douglas’s portrayal of Colonel Dax commands respect as he confronts the military hierarchy’s injustice, refusing to sacrifice his men.

A Landmark War Film

Paths of Glory is based on the novel of the same name by Humphrey Cobb, published in 1935. For Stanley Kubrick, who was profoundly influenced by the book in his youth, paying tribute to it was essential.

It’s clear that Kubrick’s decision to follow his passion paid off! After enduring eighteen years of negative reviews in France—where military personnel and veterans saw it as a direct critique of the French army during World War I—the film Paths of Glory finally achieved the acclaim it deserved.

Featuring an outstanding performance by Kirk Douglas, realistic court martial scenes, and one of the most poignant execution sequences, it is now regarded as a war film masterpiece. What truly sets it apart from other films in the genre is its unique approach of never showing the enemy.

With ratings of 4.6 out of 5 from critics and 4.4 out of 5 from viewers, Paths of Glory is recognized as one of the greatest war films ever made.

Some of the best comments on AlloCiné include: “Another gem from the seventh art by Stanley Kubrick“, “A monumental film, both moving and politically powerful, that doesn’t forget to be a true formal masterpiece”, and “Kirk Douglas is exceptional in an intense, poignant film shot with magnificent splendor.” That says it all!

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