619. Stanley Kubrick: Master of Light and Literature, Paths of Glory

Kirk Douglas and Adolphe Menjou star in Kubrick's masterful, 1957 adaptation of Humphrey Cobb’s 1935 novel Paths of Glory, which is based on actual events at the French Front during World War I. Co produced by Douglas, the film features one of his best performances as Colonel Dax, a commanding officer and criminal lawyer risking his army career to properly represent three men unfairly court-martialed and potentially slated for execution. The film was not shown in Switzerland until 1970, not shown in France until 1975, not shown in Spain until 1986, and it was banned in all U.S. military bases. We will discuss why in a lively discussion after the screening.