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Paths of Glory

 Paths of Glory
type
TVTItem
 Paths of Glory
label
Paths of Glory
 Paths of Glory
page
PathsOfGlory
 Paths of Glory
comment
Paths of Glory (1957) is an early Stanley Kubrick film and also one of his most critically acclaimed. It's an adaptation of a 1935 novel by Humphrey Cobb, with a screenplay by Kubrick, Jim Thompson and Calder Willingham.During World War I, French Army General Mireau (George Macready), seeking a promotion from his superior General Broulard (Adolphe Menjou), orders a hopeless attack by his depleted division against a strongly fortified German position. When the attack quickly fails with heavy losses, the enraged Mireau tries to shift the blame for the loss to his soldiers and orders three men to be tried under penalty of death for cowardice, opposed only by his subordinate Colonel Dax (Kirk Douglas), who seeks to save the lives of his men.Paths of Glory is Very Loosely Based on a True Story, namely the Souain corporals affair. The event is considered one of the most egregious and most publicized examples of military injustice during World War I in France.
 Paths of Glory
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2023-11-16T20:46:19Z
 Paths of Glory
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2023-11-16T20:46:19Z
 Paths of Glory
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DBTropes
 Paths of Glory / int_1235f055
type
Dirty Coward
 Paths of Glory / int_1235f055
comment
Dirty Coward: Lieutenant Roget, and General Mireau himself.
 Paths of Glory / int_1235f055
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Paths of Glory / int_1235f055
 Paths of Glory / int_126e7451
type
Opinion Flip-Flop
 Paths of Glory / int_126e7451
comment
Opinion Flip Flop: Mireau soberly explains that his men are in no condition to take the Ant Hill, then completely reverses himself when he hears that he might get a promotion if he's successful.
 Paths of Glory / int_126e7451
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Paths of Glory / int_126e7451
 Paths of Glory / int_1616e13
type
Ripped from the Headlines
 Paths of Glory / int_1616e13
comment
Ripped from the Headlines: General Mireau's striking the shell-shocked soldier is reminiscent of the infamous George Patton "slapping incident". The entire film is based on the Souain corporals affair.
 Paths of Glory / int_1616e13
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Paths of Glory / int_1616e13
 Paths of Glory / int_19d06ef7
type
A Father to His Men
 Paths of Glory / int_19d06ef7
comment
A Father to His Men: General Mireau puts on an elaborate show about this in the beginning when asked to attack the Anthill, but quickly changes his tune when the possibility of promotion comes up. He's a hypocrite. Colonel Dax is more ambiguous. He refuses the attack order at first, but relents when he is threatened with removal from command. With that said, he does opt to defend his men during the court martial and tries to bring up Mireau's attempt to shell his own troops, even after the court-martial hands down a guilty verdict.
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Paths of Glory / int_19d06ef7
 Paths of Glory / int_222dc873
type
Black Comedy
 Paths of Glory / int_222dc873
comment
Black Comedy: Several remarks about the absurdity of the situation and some Gallows Humor about getting killed by a bayonet being far worse than by a machine gun, when two soldiers discuss that death itself is not the problem, but the pain is. One of the three condemned men sees a cockroach and ponders how tomorrow that lowly creature will be alive while he's dead. His colleague squashes it. "Now you've got the edge on him."
 Paths of Glory / int_222dc873
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Paths of Glory / int_222dc873
 Paths of Glory / int_260926c3
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Failure Is the Only Option
 Paths of Glory / int_260926c3
comment
Failure Is the Only Option: Both the attack on The Anthill, and Colonel Dax's defence in the court-martial.
 Paths of Glory / int_260926c3
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Paths of Glory / int_260926c3
 Paths of Glory / int_27690f66
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Literary Allusion Title
 Paths of Glory / int_27690f66
comment
Literary Allusion Title: Comes from Thomas Gray's Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard (1751):
 Paths of Glory / int_27690f66
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Paths of Glory / int_27690f66
 Paths of Glory / int_27a42ebc
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Spiritual Successor
 Paths of Glory / int_27a42ebc
comment
Spiritual Successor: Even though they're separated by three decades, it's easy to find common threads between this film and Kubrick's later Full Metal Jacket. They both explore War Is Hell and the Skewed Priorities of military commanders.
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Paths of Glory / int_27a42ebc
 Paths of Glory / int_31c4280
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Conscription
 Paths of Glory / int_31c4280
comment
Conscription: The French army in the WWI was based on levee en masse.
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Paths of Glory / int_31c4280
 Paths of Glory / int_35fb4e55
type
Declining Promotion
 Paths of Glory / int_35fb4e55
comment
Declining Promotion: General Broulard offers Colonel Dax General Mireau's command after Mireau storms out the room in response to a potential inquiry, figuring Dax must have only bought up the issue so he could gain a promotion. Colonel Dax is absolutely disgusted by the offer and delivers a "Reason You Suck" Speech.
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 Paths of Glory / int_37b5c1b0
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Big Badass Battle Sequence
 Paths of Glory / int_37b5c1b0
comment
Big Badass Battle Sequence: The attack on the Anthill provides a smaller scale example.
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Paths of Glory / int_37b5c1b0
 Paths of Glory / int_396e1c2a
type
Face Death with Dignity
 Paths of Glory / int_396e1c2a
comment
Face Death with Dignity: Played straight by Paris, who is initially terrified of his impending execution but straightens up when the time comes. Averted by Ferol, who bursts into tears and keeps saying he's afraid to die.
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 Paths of Glory / int_3bc88a7f
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Foregone Conclusion
 Paths of Glory / int_3bc88a7f
comment
Foregone Conclusion: The French top brass wants to have the three innocent conscripts shot at any price. No matter what Colonel Dax had done, he would not have managed to save his men from execution.
 Paths of Glory / int_3bc88a7f
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Paths of Glory / int_3bc88a7f
 Paths of Glory / int_41dd77d
type
Zerg Rush
 Paths of Glory / int_41dd77d
comment
Zerg Rush: It fails miserably against fortified positions, such as The Anthill.
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Paths of Glory / int_41dd77d
 Paths of Glory / int_43b154c9
type
Not Even Bothering with the Accent
 Paths of Glory / int_43b154c9
comment
Not Even Bothering with the Accent: The movie centers entirely on the French army, but (probably wisely) the American actors don't even try to change their normal accents.
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Paths of Glory / int_43b154c9
 Paths of Glory / int_43c5a4b7
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Court-martialed
 Paths of Glory / int_43c5a4b7
comment
Court-martialed: Three soldiers are court-martialled for cowardice and disobeying orders after refusing to participate in a suicidal attack. It was going to be 100 men, but the general is talked into only charging three, one from each company.
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Paths of Glory / int_43c5a4b7
 Paths of Glory / int_474e3977
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You Have Failed Me
 Paths of Glory / int_474e3977
comment
You Have Failed Me: General Mireau on his men.
 Paths of Glory / int_474e3977
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Paths of Glory / int_474e3977
 Paths of Glory / int_4783acfa
type
Bait the Dog
 Paths of Glory / int_4783acfa
comment
Bait the Dog: General Mireau is initially skeptical about the proposed assault on the German-held position, citing how countless numbers of his own men would die over an operation that has a very slim chance of success. However, when General Broulard mentions that there would be a shiny new medal in it for Mireau, well...
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Paths of Glory / int_4783acfa
 Paths of Glory / int_4814d132
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Big Fancy House
 Paths of Glory / int_4814d132
comment
Big Fancy House: The Generals hold audience in a palace, which is used as a counterpoint to the miserable life at the trenches.
 Paths of Glory / int_4814d132
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 Paths of Glory / int_489f14dd
type
Glamorous Wartime Singer
 Paths of Glory / int_489f14dd
comment
Glamorous Wartime Singer: Subverted, in that the beautiful girl who sings the song is a terrified German captive, and she sings a sad folk song about love in war.
 Paths of Glory / int_489f14dd
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 Paths of Glory / int_4e3d253b
type
Downer Ending
 Paths of Glory / int_4e3d253b
comment
Downer Ending: The three innocent men are executed. When Dax returns to his troops, he's informed that they're ordered to return to the front immediately. The only ray of hope is that General Mireau's cowardice and deceit will be exposed and he'll be publicly humiliated, though the implication is that he'll eventually be able to save his career after the dust settles.
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Paths of Glory / int_4e3d253b
 Paths of Glory / int_4e8b83a
type
That's an Order!
 Paths of Glory / int_4e8b83a
comment
That's an Order!: A dramatic example. General Mireau orders an artillery barrage on his own troops several times over the phone, but the battery commander refuses to execute the order unless it's in writing and signed by the General.
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Paths of Glory / int_4e8b83a
 Paths of Glory / int_4efc4fae
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Good Scars, Evil Scars
 Paths of Glory / int_4efc4fae
comment
Good Scars, Evil Scars: General Mireau has a dilly of a scar on his right cheek. The goodness/evilness of said scar is left as an exercise for the reader. That scar was not the work of a makeup artist — George Macready picked it up at a young age in an automobile accident. In most of Macready's films, the makeup people tried to minimize it, but Kubrick makes a point of emphasizing it here. It most likely represents a dueling scar, which was common among all the armies of the period.
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 Paths of Glory / int_4f84cdef
type
Smug Snake
 Paths of Glory / int_4f84cdef
comment
Smug Snake: Major Saint-Arnaud when acting as prosecutor during the trial of the doomed soldiers. During the first act, he was mostly a Yes-Man to General Mireau. During the execution, he has the good grace to look thoroughly uncomfortable while reading the sentence of the court.
 Paths of Glory / int_4f84cdef
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Paths of Glory / int_4f84cdef
 Paths of Glory / int_537dd8fe
type
Affably Evil
 Paths of Glory / int_537dd8fe
comment
Affably Evil: Right until the very end, General Broulard comes across as a kindly old man, even as he's waxing philosophical on the merits of shooting a man every once in awhile to enhance morale.
 Paths of Glory / int_537dd8fe
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 Paths of Glory / int_53c37f0c
type
Silly Rabbit, Cynicism Is for Losers!
 Paths of Glory / int_53c37f0c
comment
Silly Rabbit, Cynicism Is for Losers!: Colonel Dax turns General Broulard's dismissal of Dax's idealism back on the General with a single resigned remark.
 Paths of Glory / int_53c37f0c
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Paths of Glory / int_53c37f0c
 Paths of Glory / int_5798bfbf
type
Reassigned to Antarctica
 Paths of Glory / int_5798bfbf
comment
Averted with his real-life inspiration, who was relieved of duty in early 1916 and transferred to the reserves. After the war had ended whatever reputation he had left was destroyed once his actions came to light in 1921, with even the military press censuring him.
 Paths of Glory / int_5798bfbf
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 Paths of Glory / int_5ca80293
type
Pragmatic Villainy
 Paths of Glory / int_5ca80293
comment
Pragmatic Villainy: The only reason that General Broulard talks Mireau into having three men executed instead of one hundred is that the latter would be seen as needlessly harsh and thus damage the generals' reputations. He also chooses to distance himself from the court-martial, because he senses that it might backfire on Mireau, so he lets him take full responsibility.
 Paths of Glory / int_5ca80293
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Paths of Glory / int_5ca80293
 Paths of Glory / int_5d3e7c6
type
Kangaroo Court
 Paths of Glory / int_5d3e7c6
comment
Kangaroo Court: The court-martial is pretty much this. The prosecution didn't call up any witnesses, and the defense didn't get to introduce any evidence that would make their accused soldiers' retreat justified given the circumstances. There isn't even a stenographer around, a violation of basic procedure.
 Paths of Glory / int_5d3e7c6
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Paths of Glory / int_5d3e7c6
 Paths of Glory / int_61c683d2
type
We Have Reserves
 Paths of Glory / int_61c683d2
comment
We Have Reserves: General Mireau orders an attack against the Anthill knowing that the optimistic prediction is that the regiment would take 65% casualties during the assault. When the attack predictably bogs down, in order to 'encourage' a company of men who aren't advancing, Mireau orders his artillery to bombard his own trenches.
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 Paths of Glory / int_64e975cf
type
Manly Tears
 Paths of Glory / int_64e975cf
comment
Manly Tears: The German girl's song moves an entire room full of hardened soldiers to tears. Even more effective since previously the soldiers had been cat calling and insulting her for her German heritage.
 Paths of Glory / int_64e975cf
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Paths of Glory / int_64e975cf
 Paths of Glory / int_6627695f
type
Author Appeal
 Paths of Glory / int_6627695f
comment
Author Appeal: In real life, Adolph Menjou was a faded 1920s matinee idol who was famous in the 1950s more for his reactionary political views and support of the Hollywood Blacklist. Kubrick convinced Menjou that Broulard was the hero of the film, opposed by the scheming blackmailer Dax.
 Paths of Glory / int_6627695f
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Paths of Glory / int_6627695f
 Paths of Glory / int_6ac5926f
type
Insane Admiral
 Paths of Glory / int_6ac5926f
comment
Insane Admiral: Mireau orders wasteful attacks against nearly impregnable targets and orders his own troops to be shelled when the attack fails.
 Paths of Glory / int_6ac5926f
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Paths of Glory / int_6ac5926f
 Paths of Glory / int_6bda9a30
type
Meaningful Name
 Paths of Glory / int_6bda9a30
comment
Meaningful Name: During the assault on the Anthill, Mireau orders an artillery battery commander to start firing on the troops that aren't leaving the trenches, but he refuses without a written order. The guy's name? Captain Rousseau. In the original script, it was reversed. It was the general who was named Rousseau, while the battery commander was named Pelletier.
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Paths of Glory / int_6bda9a30
 Paths of Glory / int_6c3f8ca8
type
Drama Queen
 Paths of Glory / int_6c3f8ca8
comment
George Macready ramps up the melodrama as General Mireau, but it fits the character well.
 Paths of Glory / int_6c3f8ca8
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Paths of Glory / int_6c3f8ca8
 Paths of Glory / int_70f7063d
type
Unflinching Walk
 Paths of Glory / int_70f7063d
comment
Unflinching Walk: A variant. As Colonel Dax inspects his men before assaulting the Anthill, the enemy is bombarding their trench. Shells are exploding — loudly — less than 20 feet away from him. Yet, he calmly continues walking past his troops without so much as a twitch when each blast goes off.
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Paths of Glory / int_70f7063d
 Paths of Glory / int_7315fd38
type
Covers Always Lie
 Paths of Glory / int_7315fd38
comment
Covers Always Lie: Posters like the page image try to fool viewers into believing this is an action flick when it's really more of a courtroom drama.
 Paths of Glory / int_7315fd38
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Paths of Glory / int_7315fd38
 Paths of Glory / int_76d6c3df
type
I Don't Like the Sound of That Place
 Paths of Glory / int_76d6c3df
comment
I Don't Like the Sound of That Place: The Anthill.
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Paths of Glory / int_76d6c3df
 Paths of Glory / int_7a143509
type
Shell-Shocked Veteran
 Paths of Glory / int_7a143509
comment
Shell-Shocked Veteran: Several examples. General Mireau denies it, stating that "there is no such thing as shell shock."
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 Paths of Glory / int_7d89315b
type
"The Reason You Suck" Speech
 Paths of Glory / int_7d89315b
comment
"The Reason You Suck" Speech: Dax disgustedly rants out Broulard for thinking that he was just after a promotion, causing Broulard to demand that he apologize:
 Paths of Glory / int_7d89315b
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 Paths of Glory / int_7eebe99c
type
The Alcoholic
 Paths of Glory / int_7eebe99c
comment
The Alcoholic: Lieutenant Roget is an incorrigible drinker who is frequently seen drunk on the job.
 Paths of Glory / int_7eebe99c
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Paths of Glory / int_7eebe99c
 Paths of Glory / int_7fbb13bf
type
Unfriendly Fire
 Paths of Glory / int_7fbb13bf
comment
Unfriendly Fire: In the beginning of the film, an infantry soldier is accidentally killed by his fellow's grenadenote Lieutenant Rojet electing to skedaddle instead of waiting for him to return from a recon mission behind enemy lines and his death is covered up by saying he was killed by machine gun fire. General Mireau orders the French artillery to fire on his own men after failing to attack "the Anthill", an attack he himself opposed until he was offered a promotion, and was only thwarted when the artillery commander decided to start Bothering by the Book and demand the request to be presented in writing.
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 Paths of Glory / int_823c6e3e
type
Large Ham
 Paths of Glory / int_823c6e3e
comment
Large Ham: George Macready ramps up the melodrama as General Mireau, but it fits the character well. Surprisingly, master ham Timothy Carey is fairly subdued as Ferol, at least until execution time.
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 Paths of Glory / int_85557b38
type
Reality Is Unrealistic
 Paths of Glory / int_85557b38
comment
Reality Is Unrealistic: The French public were outraged by how the leadership of the French army was portrayed as horribly cruel, and the film was banned in France for a number of years for it. The whole film is based loosely on a real-life incident.
 Paths of Glory / int_85557b38
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 Paths of Glory / int_96144372
type
Aristocrats Are Evil
 Paths of Glory / int_96144372
comment
Aristocrats Are Evil: The two primary villains are aristocratic officers living far from the front lines in luxurious surroundings, showing little care for the lives of the men under their command.
 Paths of Glory / int_96144372
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 Paths of Glory / int_973d220f
type
Never My Fault
 Paths of Glory / int_973d220f
comment
Never My Fault: General Mireau takes this trope to insane levels.
 Paths of Glory / int_973d220f
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Paths of Glory / int_973d220f
 Paths of Glory / int_978a82e6
type
Big Bad Duumvirate
 Paths of Glory / int_978a82e6
comment
Big Bad Duumvirate: The two corrupt generals, Mireau and Broulard, are the villains of the film. They prompt the suicide attack on the "Ant Hill" which only serves to get scores of their own men killed. Later, they arrange for the random selection and execution of Dax's men. The worst part is that they get away with it.
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Paths of Glory / int_978a82e6
 Paths of Glory / int_9e1e14ea
type
Ambition Is Evil
 Paths of Glory / int_9e1e14ea
comment
Ambition Is Evil: Mireau drops his concerns about the lives of his soldiers as soon as Broulard suggests that a promotion is coming if he goes along with the attack.
 Paths of Glory / int_9e1e14ea
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Paths of Glory / int_9e1e14ea
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Impossible Mission
 Paths of Glory / int_9f6479f2
comment
Impossible Mission: Taking the Anthill is unfeasible and everybody knows it, making it also a Suicide Mission.
 Paths of Glory / int_9f6479f2
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Paths of Glory / int_9f6479f2
 Paths of Glory / int_a01f88a7
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General Failure
 Paths of Glory / int_a01f88a7
comment
General Failure: Generals Mireau and Broulard order the 701st to assault a hill, without any artillery support whatsoever. When the attack inevitably fails, they pin the blame on the enlisted men instead, opting to have some of them executed to Make an Example of Them.
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Paths of Glory / int_a01f88a7
 Paths of Glory / int_a3cdf764
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Drinking on Duty
 Paths of Glory / int_a3cdf764
comment
Drinking on Duty: Roget does this.
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Paths of Glory / int_a3cdf764
 Paths of Glory / int_a65288e2
type
Ascended Extra
 Paths of Glory / int_a65288e2
comment
Ascended Extra: 701st Infantry Regimental Commander Colonel Dax, who was merely a minor figure in the novel, gains a much larger role in the film. Colonel Dax is promoted to a central protagonist and is the heart of the film, as he's now a the fearless leader of his troops and wants to defend the three men sentenced to death.
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Paths of Glory / int_a65288e2
 Paths of Glory / int_a70223
type
Karma Houdini
 Paths of Glory / int_a70223
comment
Karma Houdini: It's implied that Mireau will probably escape his inquiry without any bad consequences. Averted with his real-life inspiration, who was relieved of duty in early 1916 and transferred to the reserves. After the war had ended whatever reputation he had left was destroyed once his actions came to light in 1921, with even the military press censuring him.
 Paths of Glory / int_a70223
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Paths of Glory / int_a70223
 Paths of Glory / int_a8556a04
type
Video Credits
 Paths of Glory / int_a8556a04
comment
Video Credits: Interestingly, in reverse billing order, with Kirk Douglas featured last.
 Paths of Glory / int_a8556a04
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 Paths of Glory / int_a8556a04
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Paths of Glory / int_a8556a04
 Paths of Glory / int_acecb17d
type
Chekhov's Skill
 Paths of Glory / int_acecb17d
comment
Chekhov's Skill: His civilian career as a defense attorney becomes critical to Colonel Dax in the second half of the film.
 Paths of Glory / int_acecb17d
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Paths of Glory / int_acecb17d
 Paths of Glory / int_aec3e0b8
type
Glory Hound
 Paths of Glory / int_aec3e0b8
comment
Glory Hound: General Mireau has no qualms in order to advance his personal glory.
 Paths of Glory / int_aec3e0b8
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 Paths of Glory / int_aec3e0b8
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Paths of Glory / int_aec3e0b8
 Paths of Glory / int_b09c818
type
"Blackmail" Is Such an Ugly Word
 Paths of Glory / int_b09c818
comment
"Blackmail" Is Such an Ugly Word: Dax says it when he's pointing out that Broulard is a Slave to PR and would like to avoid bad press.
 Paths of Glory / int_b09c818
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 Paths of Glory / int_b09c818
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Paths of Glory / int_b09c818
 Paths of Glory / int_b42b7e7b
type
Moral Myopia
 Paths of Glory / int_b42b7e7b
comment
Moral Myopia: Broulard, taking the suggestion of having to shoot one hundred enlisted men for cowardice very casually, becomes visibly angry at the suggestion of executing a single officer.
 Paths of Glory / int_b42b7e7b
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 Paths of Glory / int_b42b7e7b
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Paths of Glory / int_b42b7e7b
 Paths of Glory / int_b4de919d
type
Make an Example of Them
 Paths of Glory / int_b4de919d
comment
Make an Example of Them: After the assault on the Ant Hill goes awry, General Broulard and General Mireau punish the troops for their failure by having three innocent conscripts executed for cowardice. Broulard in particular has a scene where he waxes about the philosophy behind these trope:
 Paths of Glory / int_b4de919d
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Paths of Glory / int_b4de919d
 Paths of Glory / int_b7475a74
type
Bothering by the Book
 Paths of Glory / int_b7475a74
comment
General Mireau orders the French artillery to fire on his own men after failing to attack "the Anthill", an attack he himself opposed until he was offered a promotion, and was only thwarted when the artillery commander decided to start Bothering by the Book and demand the request to be presented in writing.
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Paths of Glory / int_b7475a74
 Paths of Glory / int_be991863
type
The Neidermeyer
 Paths of Glory / int_be991863
comment
The Neidermeyer: Lieutenant Roget is seen by at least two of his men as a coward and a drunk. When it comes time for the court-martial, he's quick to throw the one who most recently criticized him under the bus in retaliation. General Mireau, likewise, comes across as someone completely disconnected from the reality of the war he's asking his men to fight, when he reviews the trench troops to "boost their morale."
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Paths of Glory / int_be991863
 Paths of Glory / int_bf67c13e
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Opening Monologue
 Paths of Glory / int_bf67c13e
comment
Opening Monologue: Exposing the early stages of WWI and the stalemate after the battle of the Marne and as of 1916.
 Paths of Glory / int_bf67c13e
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 Paths of Glory / int_bf67c13e
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Paths of Glory / int_bf67c13e
 Paths of Glory / int_c2afffe
type
Take Me Instead
 Paths of Glory / int_c2afffe
comment
Take Me Instead: As the generals want to Make an Example of Them Dax tries to offer himself to be executed rather than any of his men... while staring pointedly at Mireau and suggesting the best person to be punished would be "the officer most responsible for the attack".
 Paths of Glory / int_c2afffe
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Paths of Glory / int_c2afffe
 Paths of Glory / int_c335b9ec
type
Irony
 Paths of Glory / int_c335b9ec
comment
In the original script, it was reversed. It was the general who was named Rousseau, while the battery commander was named Pelletier.
 Paths of Glory / int_c335b9ec
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 Paths of Glory / int_c335b9ec
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Paths of Glory / int_c335b9ec
 Paths of Glory / int_c86a6f38
type
Cannon Fodder
 Paths of Glory / int_c86a6f38
comment
Cannon Fodder: How the generals treat their men.
 Paths of Glory / int_c86a6f38
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 Paths of Glory / int_c86a6f38
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Paths of Glory / int_c86a6f38
 Paths of Glory / int_c9aea8c8
type
Armies Are Evil
 Paths of Glory / int_c9aea8c8
comment
Armies Are Evil: The army orders a hopeless attack, and when it fails, randomly selects three men and sentences them to death in a Kangaroo Court. To add insult on the injury, the three soldiers were conscripts — basically forced to fight against their will.
 Paths of Glory / int_c9aea8c8
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 Paths of Glory / int_c9aea8c8
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Paths of Glory / int_c9aea8c8
 Paths of Glory / int_cd23ee7d
type
Colonel Badass
 Paths of Glory / int_cd23ee7d
comment
Colonel Badass: Colonel Dax shows that he is brave and fearless, either when he leads men on the battlefield — the first to go over the top, and in the vanguard of the attack — or when he confronts and expresses his disagreement to his superiors and has the stones to talk back. Near the end, he openly expresses his disdain in the face of General Broulard.
 Paths of Glory / int_cd23ee7d
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 Paths of Glory / int_cd23ee7d
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Paths of Glory / int_cd23ee7d
 Paths of Glory / int_d1ebedfb
type
Armchair Military
 Paths of Glory / int_d1ebedfb
comment
Armchair Military: General Mireau claims he hates these types of officers, but in truth, he's pretty much one of them. To his credit, he does make a point to visit the trenches and observe the battlefield from afar with a telescope, but he's so disconnected from the realities of warfare (for example, he denies the existence of shell shock) that his response to seeing some troops pinned in their trench by machine gun fire is to order the artillery to fire upon them.
 Paths of Glory / int_d1ebedfb
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Paths of Glory / int_d1ebedfb
 Paths of Glory / int_d51263b9
type
Fake Shemp
 Paths of Glory / int_d51263b9
comment
Fake Shemp: Timothy Carey was fired from the film for being difficult to work with, so a double was used for the execution.
 Paths of Glory / int_d51263b9
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 Paths of Glory / int_d51263b9
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Paths of Glory / int_d51263b9
 Paths of Glory / int_d52d28b6
type
Hypocrite
 Paths of Glory / int_d52d28b6
comment
Hypocrite: Mireau states his disdain early on for generals who lead from behind a desk, but is never shown to actually participate in any frontline combat at any point. When he orders a suicidal attack against the Anthill, he observes the whole thing from the comfort of a faraway bunker, and the entire reason he ordered the assault is so he could be promoted to a higher, more comfortable position.
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Paths of Glory / int_d52d28b6
 Paths of Glory / int_d9cf40fa
type
Screw This, I'm Outta Here
 Paths of Glory / int_d9cf40fa
comment
In the beginning of the film, an infantry soldier is accidentally killed by his fellow's grenadenote Lieutenant Rojet electing to skedaddle instead of waiting for him to return from a recon mission behind enemy lines and his death is covered up by saying he was killed by machine gun fire.
 Paths of Glory / int_d9cf40fa
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Paths of Glory / int_d9cf40fa
 Paths of Glory / int_d9ffec82
type
Curb-Stomp Battle
 Paths of Glory / int_d9ffec82
comment
Curbstomp Battle: The attack against the Anthill. The French soldiers are completely massacred by artillery and machine guns before getting anywhere near the German defenses.
 Paths of Glory / int_d9ffec82
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 Paths of Glory / int_d9ffec82
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Paths of Glory / int_d9ffec82
 Paths of Glory / int_dca70c44
type
Reasonable Authority Figure
 Paths of Glory / int_dca70c44
comment
Reasonable Authority Figure: Colonel Dax and artillery captain Rousseau.
 Paths of Glory / int_dca70c44
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 Paths of Glory / int_dca70c44
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Paths of Glory / int_dca70c44
 Paths of Glory / int_ddb8ba26
type
Shot at Dawn
 Paths of Glory / int_ddb8ba26
comment
Shot at Dawn: The three innocent conscripts.
 Paths of Glory / int_ddb8ba26
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 Paths of Glory / int_ddb8ba26
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Paths of Glory / int_ddb8ba26
 Paths of Glory / int_e0e8cce6
type
Silly Rabbit, Idealism Is for Kids!
 Paths of Glory / int_e0e8cce6
comment
Silly Rabbit, Idealism Is for Kids!: Broulard gives Colonel Dax a lecture to this effect near the end, in response to Dax's Suddenly Shouting.
 Paths of Glory / int_e0e8cce6
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 Paths of Glory / int_e0e8cce6
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Paths of Glory / int_e0e8cce6
 Paths of Glory / int_e11b003d
type
Translation Convention
 Paths of Glory / int_e11b003d
comment
Translation Convention: All the characters are French soldiers, but all the dialogue is spoken in perfect English with American accents.
 Paths of Glory / int_e11b003d
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Paths of Glory / int_e11b003d
 Paths of Glory / int_e11e88b6
type
Thousand-Yard Stare
 Paths of Glory / int_e11e88b6
comment
Thousand-Yard Stare: That shell-shocked soldier General Mireau sends back for "cowardice" during his pre-attack inspection displays this vacant stare and can't quite answer questions about his family.
 Paths of Glory / int_e11e88b6
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Paths of Glory / int_e11e88b6
 Paths of Glory / int_e16217f8
type
Historical Villain Upgrade
 Paths of Glory / int_e16217f8
comment
Historical Villain Upgrade: While loosely based on the real Souain corporals affair, several aspects are exaggerated - not to mention that the incident itself was incredibly exceptional to begin with. Of particular note is the portrayal of generals partying in chateaus while their men die on the field, which is in direct contrast to the historical record where they were statistically more likely to become casualties than enlisted men. The biggest reason the film caused so much outrage in France, however, was due to how the war is viewed differently in the French- and English-speaking worlds. Essentially, while World War I in the Anglosphere's popular conscious is often viewed as futile and pointless (although this view has been challenged and scrutinized in recent decades), in France it's usually seen as a war of national defense against an aggressive and militaristic invader. To give a rough analogy, imagine if the same general plot and message was transplanted to the Pacific Theatre of World War II, only with American soldiers and generals.
 Paths of Glory / int_e16217f8
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Paths of Glory / int_e16217f8
 Paths of Glory / int_e26465db
type
Backhanded Apology
 Paths of Glory / int_e26465db
comment
Backhanded Apology: Dax to Broulard:
 Paths of Glory / int_e26465db
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Paths of Glory / int_e26465db
 Paths of Glory / int_e4b69188
type
Very Loosely Based on a True Story
 Paths of Glory / int_e4b69188
comment
Very Loosely Based on a True Story: The film is based on the Souan Corporals' Affair 1915, when four innocent soldiers were executed to encourage the others.
 Paths of Glory / int_e4b69188
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 Paths of Glory / int_e4b69188
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Paths of Glory / int_e4b69188
 Paths of Glory / int_e7e558
type
The Oner
 Paths of Glory / int_e7e558
comment
The Oner: Several long takes of the trenches when the officers walk across while interacting with the soldiers.
 Paths of Glory / int_e7e558
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 Paths of Glory / int_e7e558
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Paths of Glory / int_e7e558
 Paths of Glory / int_e9f79e23
type
Screw the War, We're Partying
 Paths of Glory / int_e9f79e23
comment
Screw the War, We're Partying: The generals' ball in the chateau at the same time when the enlisted men wallow in the mud in trenches.
 Paths of Glory / int_e9f79e23
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 Paths of Glory / int_e9f79e23
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Paths of Glory / int_e9f79e23
 Paths of Glory / int_f1d6144a
type
War Is Hell
 Paths of Glory / int_f1d6144a
comment
War Is Hell: The movie carries a deep anti-war (and anti-military) message. The French generals are portrayed as hypocrites with little (if any) regard for the lives of their soldiers, the whole campaign is absurd, and the so-called military justice is a joke.
 Paths of Glory / int_f1d6144a
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 Paths of Glory / int_f1d6144a
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Paths of Glory / int_f1d6144a
 Paths of Glory / int_f8e010ce
type
Evil Cannot Comprehend Good
 Paths of Glory / int_f8e010ce
comment
Evil Cannot Comprehend Good: Colonel Dax does everything in his power to save his men from the gallows and expose Mireau for the self-serving git he is. Broulard thinks Dax is just another opportunist after Mireau's job, and is stunned when he angrily refuses, and thinks of Dax as just the village idiot.
 Paths of Glory / int_f8e010ce
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Paths of Glory / int_f8e010ce
 Paths of Glory / int_fcd9b657
type
Gallows Humor
 Paths of Glory / int_fcd9b657
comment
Gallows Humor:
 Paths of Glory / int_fcd9b657
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 Paths of Glory / int_fcd9b657
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Paths of Glory / int_fcd9b657
 Paths of Glory / int_ffad4e9f
type
Shown Their Work
 Paths of Glory / int_ffad4e9f
comment
Shown Their Work: The wattled revetments of the trenches are correctly done in the French style. The concessions to filmmaking were making the trenches wider and straighter than they would normally have been, to allow the camera dolly to pass through. Notably averted in the non-technical aspects. One of the specific reasons why this infuriated the French public was because it inaccurately portrayed the World War I French military doing things even the World War II Soviet penal units would have balked at.
 Paths of Glory / int_ffad4e9f
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Paths of Glory / int_ffad4e9f
 Paths of Glory / int_ffb79066
type
Chromosome Casting
 Paths of Glory / int_ffb79066
comment
Chromosome Casting: The German singer has the only noteworthy female role in the film.
 Paths of Glory / int_ffb79066
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Paths of Glory

The following is a list of statements referring to the current page from other pages.

 PathsofGlory
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Paths of Glory
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Backhanded Apology / int_dc3af006
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