Most people think of “Full Metal Jacket” when they think of Stanley Kubrick and war films. However, we should not forget about “Paths Of Glory”. While perhaps not quite as mesmerising as “Full Metal Jacket”, this is still a harsh, disturbing and engaging war picture.

Set during WWI, a failed offensive by French soldiers leads to General Mireau (George Macready “Gilda”) accusing the men of cowardice. It is then decided that three soldiers will be selected and put to trial. These men face capital punishment if they are deemed guilty so they must rely on the defence of Colonel Dax (Kirk Douglas “20,000 Leagues Under The Sea”), the man that led the operation.

Kirk Douglas gives a terrific performance as Colonel Dax. This is a smart and understanding man that is often given impossible orders by senior officers that are often distanced from the frontlines. Dax remains rather calm throughout most of the movie but he gets one grand rant in towards the end of the picture. George Macready is also really good as a real scoundrel type that even tries to authorise artillery fire on his own men when he fears they may not be advancing on the enemy. The men being tried are played quite well.

“Paths Of Glory” is a great movie. The battle sequence is done very well and we get a feel for just how awful trench warfare was. The film’s focus on the courtroom over the battlefield makes it substantially different from many war pictures; the movie actually reminded me somewhat of “To Kill A Mockingbird”. “Paths Of Glory” is a powerful piece from a powerful director that must have been quite shocking back when it was first released. If you want a fantasy where the good guys just charge in and save the day then looks elsewhere because this is an honest depiction of warfare.