Amazon Prime viewers will be pleased to learn that the “best” war film of all time is streaming on the platform. Paths of Glory is a 1957 American anti-war film directed by Stanley Kubrick. It was adapted from a screenplay he co-wrote with Calder Willingham and Jim Thompson.
Paths of Glory stars Kirk Douglas alongside Ralph Meeker, Adolphe Menjou, George Macready, Wayne Morris and Richard Anderson.
The film’s synopsis reads: “During World War I, commanding officer General Broulard orders his subordinate, General Mireau, to attack a German trench position, offering a promotion as an incentive. Though the mission is foolhardy to the point of suicide, Mireau commands his own subordinate, Colonel Dax, to plan the attack. When it ends in disaster, General Mireau demands the court-martial of three random soldiers in order to save face.”
It topped Time Out’s “50 best war films of all time “list. Also, it ranked higher than Saving Private Ryan on Vulture’s list of “The 50 Greatest War Movies Ever Made”.
Paths of Glory has an impressive 96% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Their consensus reads: “Paths of Glory is a transcendentally humane war movie from Stanley Kubrick, with impressive, protracted battle sequences and a knock-out ending.”
A critic described the film as an “absolute masterpiece”, while another said it was “an eye-opening, thought-provoking, powerful war picture”.
One critic wrote in their review: “Arguably the greatest antiwar film ever made, Stanley Kubrick’s Paths of Glory feels like a mule kick to the stomach no matter how many times one has seen it (in my case, too many to recall).”
An audience reviewer said: “One of the best war films ever, and the best look at military justice.”
“Definitely Kubrick’s most emotionally driven film. It’s probably my favourite war film. Paths of Glory doesn’t glorify the war and fighting itself; it shows how horrifying war is behind all of the battles. And one actual war scene is amazingly done. Memorable for the beautiful cinematography and one of the greatest endings of all time, Paths of Glory is a must-see,” another added.
