Colonel Dax (played by Kirk Douglas) is the hero of the film, as he sees to protecting soldiers under his charge from the selfish designs of General Mireau. As a way of deflecting blame from himself, Mireau orders the Court Martial of 100 of his soldiers (later reduced to 3) for cowardice and refusal to obey orders. It is at this juncture that the denouement of the film unfolds, as Colonel Dax (who served as a civilian lawyer prior to his military engagement) takes up the cause of the hapless soldiers and defends their case. Director Stanley Kubrick makes yet another bold statement via his realistic portrayal of the dynamics of power. Although Court Martial are supposed to conform to commonly accepted principles of jurisprudence, fairness, justice and due process of law, in the case the three unfortunate soldiers who are sentenced to death (essentially summarily after the farcical ‘trial’). (Clarke, 2006, p.112)
Hence, in conclusion, Paths of Glory is satisfactory in terms of aesthetics, screenplay, dialogue and story. But where it excels most is in the unconventional thematic elements it incorporates. It also excels in giving new meanings and interpretations to the concept of ‘glory’ in war. It’s contrarian view of glory, largely showcased through the character of Colonel Dax, leaves a lasting impression on the discerning and thoughtful viewer.
Works Cited:
Primary Resource:
Directed by Stanley Kubrick, Paths of Glory (1957), Bryna Productions, Distributed by United Artists, United States.
Secondary Resources:
Altman, Rick. Film/Genre . BFI Publishing (1999). ISBN 0-85170-717-3; ISBN 978-0-85170-717-4
Belton, John. American Cinema/American Culture. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1994, pp. 165-171, ISBN 978-0070044661.
Kane, Kathryn. “The World War II Combat Film”. In: Wes D. Gehring (ed.) Handbook of American Film Genres. New York: Greenwood Press, 1988, pp. 90-91, ISBN 978-0313247156.
Clarke, James (2006). War Films. Virgin Books. ISBN 9780753510940
Grant, Barry Keith. Film Genre: From Iconography to Ideology. Wallflower Press: 2007.
Suid, Lawrence (2002). Guts & Glory: The Making of the American Military Image in Film (2 ed.). University Press of Kentucky. pp. 748.ISBN 0813190185, 978-0813190181. Retrieved 2/12/2009.
Stam, Robert. Film Theory: An Introduction. Malde, MA: Wiley-Blackwell, 2000. 14