MovieChat Forums > Paths of Glory (1957) Discussion > Only just seen it ..

Only just seen it ..

posted 3 years ago by Obifuntoknowme (1104)
8 replies | jump to latest

Really good and so well made, some great performances too.

My only gripe though (if you can call it a gripe) is the film is so short! It’s pretty much over before it begins. I was expecting that BASTARD General guy to get what was coming to him and I suppose he did in a way. I was also hoping the execution would be called off at the last second. I got neither of these but still really enjoyed the film lol.

Q - what do you think became of the General, do you think he received any punishment for what he did?

[–] chilidoggg (13368) 3 years ago

That's a good movie.

[–] Lucia2016 (554) 3 years ago

Did you watch it on BBC4?

I am the same i have put this film off forever even though i have seen every other film of his bar Lolita, but i just hate war films no matter how well made it is, i haven't even seen the Nolan one i don't care how good the effects are, war films are painfully boring, and even though this is Kubrick i had it in my head that this was early in his career and that it would be a straight film with none of his trademarks quite yet.

Flicked it on the other day and even though i missed the first half i was sold within 5 minutes, amazing dialog especially for the time and Kirk Douglas in top form, but what hooked me was that i quickly realised it wasn't a War film in the usual sense, it was more an expose on the ruthless bastards behind the scenes and how little they really think of the poor cattle who they send off to get slaughtered, Shock it's a Kubrick film lol

I am going to watch it again from the start this week

[–] Obifuntoknowme (1104) 3 years ago

Hi yes I saw it on BBC 4. It’s a film I’ve always wanted to watch, I much admire Kubrick as a filmmaker.

Like yourself I missed the first 15 or so minutes but very much enjoyed the rest of the film.

[–] Obifuntoknowme (1104) 2 years ago

It’s been a year, did you watch it from the start after? lol

[–] Lucia2016 (554) 2 years ago

Hi yes i read your comment and re-watched it

Amazing film, can't believe i put it off for so long i just had it in my head that his early films were just straight up studio films before he started to add his own shit, but this most definitely belongs alongside his other best work.

For a Kubrick film and a War film it was surprisingly good pace it's 128min and runs along quite briskly there's no fat or overly long scenes it just gets on with it with out rushing.

Yeah they definitely teased the execution when Douglas gets the juicy intell about the General you think something might happen but no cut straight to next day being led to death

Yes it's implied the General is fucked he is being thrown under the bus like the rest of them but it just shows how inhumane the whole thing was they have their objective and they will achieve it by any means necessary and the poor guys had zero choice or zero chance of getting out of it alive

Even the main old baddy will probably have his day down the line by the real bad people whom we never see but give the orders

[–] Rusty (548) a year ago

it was surprisingly good pace it's 128min and runs along quite briskly

Actually it’s only 88mins. I was expecting much longer from Kubrick but this was unusually lean (and unusually heartfelt). Hard to believe he was only 28 when he made it, absolute genius.

[–] Lucia2016 (554) a year ago

Sorry i meant 1hr 28min

This is definitely a 'Kubrick film' it fits right in with the others and critiques the hidden hands of our world and how they use us as pawns.

Just need to re watch Dr Strangelove again properly and Lolita and i'm done

[–] TheArgentinian (6639) 2 years ago

so you think a cliche Hollywood ending would make it better?