Paths of Glory
The list of WW1 films doesn't quite have as many instantly recognisable classics as the films about WW2 but Paths of Glory would certainly be cited among the best. Directed by a young Stanley Kubrick in 1957, this was his third feature film and was quite a gamble at the time, with it making a limited return at the box office, but that all fizzled away as it now stands as one of the great films from the 20th century. Adapted from the 1935 novel of the same name, the story follows a disastrous attempt to capture German controlled land in WW1. The chances of success were nil but that didn't stop an ambitious Brigadier General from giving the order and now he demands someone pay for this failure, which sets the scene for a very engaging drama. Paths of Glory makes for a very easy film to recommend because Kubrick's direction is tightly focused without wasting a single scene so that you quickly become immersed in Colonel Dax's terrible predicament. The film also runs f...
