# Paths of Glory - just saw it for the first time. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 13, 2012, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paths-of-glory-just-saw-it-for-the-first-time/634568 "2012-09-13T03:04:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2012, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paths-of-glory-just-saw-it-for-the-first-time/634568/1 "2012-09-13T03:04:11Z")
Wow, just saw this Kubrick movie for the first time. What a great movie. I’ve always respected Kubrick, but somehow I hadn’t seen this one. No real reason, just hadn’t. Were my wife and I the only ones that thought Kirk Douglas’ character really missed a good opportunity at the end? He chooses to chew out the horrible head-guy instead of taking Broulaud’s job. He could have done a huge amount of good in Broulaud’s position, but loses that chance by chewing out the head-guy. Great movie, though, and one of the better war movies I’ve seen. ---
**Author:** ![Pine\_Fresh\_Scent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/43a26b/32.png) [@Pine\_Fresh\_Scent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pine_Fresh_Scent)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2012, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paths-of-glory-just-saw-it-for-the-first-time/634568/2 "2012-09-13T03:36:07Z")
That’s Kubrick’s soon-to-be wife, Christian Harlan singing at the end of the movie. They were married shortly after filming ended. ---
**Author:** ![AppallingGael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9bd4f/32.png) [@AppallingGael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AppallingGael)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2012, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paths-of-glory-just-saw-it-for-the-first-time/634568/3 "2012-09-13T04:05:30Z")
By the way, what is that song they sing or hum at the end? Since they all seemed to know it, I guess I ought to also. ---
**Author:** ![lisiate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f05b48/32.png) [@lisiate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lisiate)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2012, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paths-of-glory-just-saw-it-for-the-first-time/634568/4 "2012-09-13T04:32:07Z")
Wikipedia says it’s [The Faithful Hussar](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Faithful_Hussar). I don’t think the French soldiers knew it, they just picked up the tune after she’d sung the first few verses. Actually what’s a German woman doing behind French lines in 1916 anyway? The French were quite a way from Germany’s borders at that time. It is a great movie isn’t it? What strikes me about it is the pacing, it seems to be a lot faster paced than most movies of that era. ---
**Author:** ![Pine\_Fresh\_Scent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/43a26b/32.png) [@Pine\_Fresh\_Scent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pine_Fresh_Scent)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2012, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paths-of-glory-just-saw-it-for-the-first-time/634568/5 "2012-09-13T04:34:59Z")
“What are the French doing in England?” “Mind yer own bizness!” ---
**Author:** ![Alka\_Seltzer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c89c15/32.png) [@Alka\_Seltzer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alka_Seltzer)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2012, 8:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paths-of-glory-just-saw-it-for-the-first-time/634568/6 "2012-09-13T08:53:07Z")
It’s a fine film. Amazingly, the scene where the general orders the artillery to fire on his own troops is based on a [real-life](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G%C3%A9raud_R%C3%A9veilhac) event. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2012, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paths-of-glory-just-saw-it-for-the-first-time/634568/7 "2012-09-13T13:28:52Z")
I definitely see the inspiration for some of the elements in Series 4 of Blackadder. Blackadder just took the drama and exaggerated it to the point of comedy…then crashed it back down upon us as wrenching drama again. ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2012, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paths-of-glory-just-saw-it-for-the-first-time/634568/8 "2012-09-13T14:17:11Z")
> [@lisiate](#): > > . . . I don’t think the French soldiers knew it, they just picked up the tune after she’d sung the first few verses. . . I took it that they knew about the song, and probably were familiar with French lyrics telling the same story. And, while they were all hooting like a bunch of chimps at the beginning at this terrified German girl, who suspected all the worst, they realized that they had this much in common with her, that they, too, were just frightened participants in war, a long way from home. ETA: Powerful scene in a great movie. Also note Kubrick’s placement of the filthy soldiers, huddled in trenches, with the clean, spacious commander’s abode. ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2012, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paths-of-glory-just-saw-it-for-the-first-time/634568/9 "2012-09-13T14:29:41Z")
The real events of that War were absurd enough to inspire _Blackadder Goes Forth_. > [@](#): > > Amazingly, the scene where the general orders the artillery to fire on his own troops is based on a real-life event. Alas, not so amazing. Ford Madox Ford used his war service in writing the _Parade’s End_ tetralogy. He got blown up & shell shocked, but spent a good bit of his time wading through idiotic red tape–as does Christopher Tietjens in the book(s). The next episode of the BBC/HBO series airs this Friday in the UK–& wherever Giant Bears dwell. Advance word said it will remind some of _Blackadder Goes Forth_. A constant refrain in the book: “Thank God we’ve got a navy!” I believe the saying remained current through the next war… (Adding _Paths of Glory_ to my list. Why haven’t I seen it before?) ---
**Author:** ![Jaledin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Jaledin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaledin)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2012, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paths-of-glory-just-saw-it-for-the-first-time/634568/10 "2012-09-13T14:40:17Z")
Good choice. Haven’t seen that one in a long time – kind of harrowing. The highlight was always Timothy Carey, though, even though you can’t go wrong with the Kirk man. ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2012, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paths-of-glory-just-saw-it-for-the-first-time/634568/11 "2012-09-13T18:20:27Z")
My favorite part is when Adolph Menjou gets the news about the generals actions as he’s about to hit a party and suddenly SLAMS the door, instantly transforming from jollity to rage. My unfavorite part is listening to the thoroughly american accents of some of the characters. The priest, in particular, really brings me out of the movie. ---
**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2012, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paths-of-glory-just-saw-it-for-the-first-time/634568/12 "2012-09-14T00:16:45Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > Were my wife and I the only ones that thought Kirk Douglas’ character really missed a good opportunity at the end? He chooses to chew out the horrible head-guy instead of taking Broulaud’s job. He could have done a huge amount of good in Broulaud’s position, but loses that chance by chewing out the head-guy. The first time I saw it I thought the exact same thing. You can’t blame him for wanting to stick to his principles, it’s kinda what the whole movie is about, but I thought, ‘Hey, at least he’d be one less incompetent French General’. > [@Alka Seltzer](#): > > It’s a fine film. Amazingly, the scene where the general orders the artillery to fire on his own troops is based on a real-life event. Rumor has it that the _entire film_ is based on at least one real case of innocent, randomly picked French soldiers tried & executed in a military kangaroo court (with no official records kept) in response to a General frustrated by his men’s failure at an impossible task. So much so that the film was banned in France for decades. > [@Hypno-Toad](#): > > My unfavorite part is listening to the thoroughly american accents of some of the characters. The priest, in particular, really brings me out of the movie. Um, I don’t quite understand. Except for Kubrick’s wife at the end (she’s actually German BTW) \*everyone \*in the film speaks in American English. [Here’s the entire film on YouTube…](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6rquqgx_Z9A) ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2012, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paths-of-glory-just-saw-it-for-the-first-time/634568/13 "2012-09-14T12:23:30Z")
> [@Hail\_Ants](#): > > Um, I don’t quite understand. Except for Kubrick’s wife at the end (she’s actually German BTW) \*everyone \*in the film speaks in American English. [Here’s the entire film on YouTube…](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6rquqgx_Z9A) Yes, but the priest has what I think is a serious New York (or thereabouts) accent. He sounds like Mel Blanc doing a construction worker voice in a cartoon. Really jarring. I’ll be just as helpful in backing up my point and post a link to the [entire film](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6rquqgx_Z9A). ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2012, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paths-of-glory-just-saw-it-for-the-first-time/634568/14 "2012-09-14T15:32:36Z")
I have always rated this as one of my favourite movies. The cynicism, the lines… ---
**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2012, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paths-of-glory-just-saw-it-for-the-first-time/634568/15 "2012-09-15T00:02:54Z")
> [@Hypno-Toad](#): > > Yes, but the priest has what I think is a serious New York (or thereabouts) accent. He sounds like Mel Blanc doing a construction worker voice in a cartoon. Really jarring. > > I’ll be just as helpful in backing up my point and post a link to the [entire film](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6rquqgx_Z9A). Well, you could of at least given the time at which he appears & speaks! (It’s about 00:58:30 into the film…) 😃 And, I don’t know, it just doesn’t sound that odd to me…