Paths of Glory (1957)

Kubrick's next film, Paths of Glory, set during World War I, is based on Humphrey Cobb's 1935 antiwar novel, and stars Kirk Douglas. It follows a French army unit ordered on an impossible mission by their superiors. The film was his first significant commercial success, and established Kubrick as an up-and- coming young filmmaker. Critics praised the film's unsentimental, spare, and unvarnished combat scenes and its raw, black-and-white cinematography. The film was banned in both France and (for less time) Germany for many years for its fictionalized depictions of the French military. Kubrick's cinematography was particularly commented on by critics, along with other directors. "Colonel Dax's (Kirk Douglas) march through his soldier's trench in a single, unbroken reverse- tracking shot has become a classic cinematic trope cited in film classes," and director Steven Spielberg once named this his favorite film

Quick facts

Directed by Stanley Kubrick Produced by James B. Harris Screenplay by Stanley Kubrick Calder Willingham Jim Thompson Based on Paths of Glory by Humphrey Cobb Starring Kirk Douglas Ralph Meeker Adolphe Menjou George Macready Music by Gerald Fried Cinematography Georg Krause Edited by Eva Kroll Production company Bryna Productions Distributed by United Artists Release dates December 25, 1957 Running time 88 minutes Country United States