The Movieforums Top 100 War Movies Countdown

One thing I can say about this countdown, everyone is on the same page.

Paths of Glory was my #10. Easily could have been higher on my list. I think it's becoming the low-key alt-"Favorite Kubrick" for a small group of people. One thing I really savored in the most recent viewing was just observing the verbal dancing and sparring as the orders came down for an impossible mission. How in each conversation one military officer goes from "this is impossible," to "we will take the ant hill," either through the lure of promotions or the threat of removal.

Paths of Glory I wrote a long ass review back when I was a young MoFo pup and had joined my very first HoF. I was impressed with Paths of Glory and rated it a but I didn't love it. Kubrick leaves me cold more often than not. Technically he's perfect but I prefer more heart felt films. I don't think it should be this high on the countdown but if I've learned one thing it's MoFo's worships at the alter of Kubrick.

Wrt the Truffaut quote, one of the clauses is, "you either show the action of war and it the spectacle of it becomes thrilling for the audience or you don't show the action." Now, I do wonder how that plays out for the assault scene in Paths of Glory because the scene is so futile (but also, I think because you don't really follow anyone through the battlefield, which I think undercuts a lot of the usual viewer excitement that comes with these scenes). But for the movie overall, outside of that one scene, there isn't much war action (it basically becomes a trial procedural afterwards), which does kind of support Truffaut's quote.

I find this somewhat surprising. His 2001 and later films, I understand being described as cold and distant (even if I don't fell that way), but that's not something I hear gets levelled at his early stuff like Paths or Lolita.

It's been 7 years since my one and only viewing of Paths of Glory and even longer since my one time viewing of Lolita. Though if memory serves me Lolita and Strangelove might be Kubrick at his most 'warmest'. This is a link to my review of Paths of Glory I'll have to let it do the talking as I can't remember the movie now very well.
https://www.movieforums.com/communit...09#post1547009

I think that, out of a few other films which made/will make this list which I would describe as anti‐war, like All Quiet on the Western Front (both versions), Come and See, and 1917, this film definitely does the best job at supporting Truffaut's rule out of them all. It limits action as much as possible, keeps a sense of futility and senselessness over what we do see, and uses a couple techniques to undercut the excitement in certain ways (such as the static tracking shots on the battlefield which prevent editing from affecting the intensity of the action). To use the original All Quiet on the Western Front as a comparison, its big action set piece, while technically impressive, is far more exciting and creates a far greater disconnect than the Paths of Glory scene.

From what I've seen though, I think The Ascent fits the bill the best as anti‐war since the only "large‐scale" action scene is over in the first five minutes (and most of it is partly covered up by the opening credits) and the few bits of action we see after that have far less than a quarter of the intensity of the Paths of Glory set piece.

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If the remaining titles are what we think they are, I am not all that surprised that Come & See got so high up there with Apocalypse Now but I am truly shocked The Bridge on the River Kwai did. Top Twenty, sure. Top Three?!? I would have wagered money that wasn't possible.

Which is why I don't gamble.

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"Film is a disease. When it infects your bloodstream it takes over as the number one hormone. It bosses the enzymes, directs the pineal gland, plays Iago to your psyche. As with heroin, the antidote to Film is more Film." - Frank Capra

Even though I didn't end up sending a ballot, I'm personally shocked that both Cross of Iron and J'accuse seem to miss the top-100

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Paths of Glory was my #8 and thinking now maybe I should've ranked it higher. It's one of the finest films I've seen with a great script, acting and of course Kubrick quality lighting, cinematography and direction. A powerful drama of military politics and injustice with a tremendous sense of realism throughout: how the only enemy we ever get to see is the battlefield objective itself, The Ant Hill. Everything looks the part and is entirely believable in how it's delivered, (well except maybe the bit with Christiane Kubrick winning the hearts of all the troops at the end. But she sure looks adorable and makes for one of the best scenes in the movie). Absolutely worship this film and wouldn't change a thing.

Love The Dawn Patrol. Great to see it get a mention in this thread.

Troy has always been a guilty pleasure of mine. Since mrblond had it on his ballot I feel less guilty about it. I have it on my top hundred. Diane Kruger looked great as Helen and good casting overall. Nice to see it got some love on the countdown.

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4. Paths of Glory - Paths of Glory takes the wastage of war another step by telling a tale about a suicidal attack on an enemy stronghold that takes place primarily because a general is wanting to impress his higher-ups and gain notoriety for himself. When this backfires, he takes out his rage on three - taken at random - who have done nothing wrong. The senselessness of it all, and unfairness, is hard to watch. Paths of Glory saw Stanley Kubrick elevate the level of perfection and artistic use of visual imagery in his work, taking another step towards being a filmmaker who would make films that were a must-see worldwide. The film looks and sounds amazing, and is bursting with passion, emotion, meaning and artistic expression. The trial - the absolutely pointless trial (a court martial put together to give all of the events a sheen of authority, authenticity and respectability) is one of the most painful courtroom scenes I've ever seen in a film. The executions are no less harrowing and moving. Before I first watched it I thought that perhaps Kirk Douglas might seem out of place as a French Colonel, but he performs admirably. I just love everything about Paths of Glory - it's the full package, with everyone working at their best and making a kind of perfect masterpiece. There's nothing I could say I didn't like. It was #5 on my list of war films, and I'm really happy it surprised (for me) and managed to hit #4 on the countdown.

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Seen : 75/97
I'd never even heard of :12/97
Movies that had been on my radar, but I haven't seen yet : 10/97
Films from my list : 20

#4 - My #5 - Paths of Glory (1957)
#7 - My #18 - Full Metal Jacket (1987)
#8 - My #10 - Saving Private Ryan (1998)
#9 - My #6 - Das Boot (1981)
#10 - My #8 - All Quiet on the Western Front (1930)
#11 - My #3 - Schindler's List (1993)
#12 - My #9 - Grave of the Fireflies (1988)
#13 - My #12 - Downfall (2004)
#15 - My #21 - Inglourious Basterds (2009)
#17 - My #11 - The Thin Red Line (1998)
#20 - My #17 - The Cranes Are Flying (1957)
#27 - My #15 - The Human Condition I: No Greater Love (1959)
#31 - My #20 - 1917 (2019)
#33 - My #2 - The Ascent (1977)
#34 - My #4 - The Human Condition III: A Soldier's Prayer (1961)
#38 - My #23 - Glory (1989)
#49 - My #24 - The Guns of Navarone (1961)
#51 - My #7 - The Human Condition II : Road to Eternity (1959)
#70 - My #14 - The Caine Mutiny (1954)
#74 - My #16 - Shoah (1985)

Overlooked films : Breaker Morant, Fail-Safe, Night and Fog, Casablanca, The Travelling Players

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Paths of Glory was my #14. Curiously, It's one of maybe two or three of Kubrick's features that I haven't rewatched -I'm pretty sure I've managed to revisit Fear and Desire and Killer's Kiss ahead of it. I think part of that is because I know that it is a film that demands undivided attention and reverence - I keep telling myself I'll watch it on Remembrance Day and then never do. Maybe this year will be different, but at the same time if its stark yet humanist approach to the fundamental tragedies of war can still leave this long-lasting an impact after a single viewing however many years ago speaks to its lasting power as a work of art.

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Was close on my ballot because it took us entertaining for me.

I enjoyed Troy as well. Only saw it once years ago but I like a well done epic.

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That's because Hollywood is determined to give us bang for our buck and fears if they don't make films at least two and a half hours long we won't feel as if we've got our money's worth and complain/go to the cinema less. Obviously they're wrong for people who want to watch a film, but it sounds to me as if cinemas seem to attract an audience less and less interested in that, so maybe they're right?

You're not wrong though, most films don't need to be much more than 90 minutes and fewer still need to be past 2 hours.

Lawrence of Arabia was a genuine oversight on my part. It should've made my list.

Paths of Glory is, so far, the only Kubrick film I have any time for whatsoever. While it doesn't strike me emotionally as it does others (R.I.P. mark f) it's the warmest Kubrick film I've seen. I'll be honest, I did actually think about whether to put this on my list or not. It's obviously a good, well made film and there's some great tracking shots, sound editing, etc to be admired. But, in the end, it's not an enjoyable film for me and there were some other films (Schindler's List, Night and Fog and one or two more I'll reveal in my list after this is all finished) that I did want to put on my list and so it missed out. But, if someone who hates Kubrick as much as I do, feels that this is a film I might have put on my list, it might be worth a watch if you haven't yet.

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The way that is constructed it sounds like you are saying you do find Schindler's List and Night & Fog to be "enjoyable films"???

I had Paths of Glory at #6. Brilliant film. Brilliant director. More Kubrick!!!

1. The Battle of Algiers (1966)
4. The Thin Red Line (1998)
5. The Human Condition I: No Greater Love (1959)
6. Paths of Glory (1957)
7. Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
8. Grave of the Fireflies (1988)
9. Shoah (1985)
10. The General (1926)
11. Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)
12. Ran (1985)
15. Army of Shadows (1969)
16. Schindler's List (1993)
17. Das Boot (1981)
18. Waltz with Bashir (2007)
19. Rome, Open City (1945)
20. The Great Escape (1963)
21. Letters from Iwo Jima (2006)
23. Three Kings (1999)
24. Underground (1995)
25. La Commune (Paris, 1871) (2003)

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"Don't be so gloomy. After all it's not that awful. Like the fella says, in Italy for 30 years under the Borgias they had warfare, terror, murder, and bloodshed, but they produced Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, and the Renaissance. In Switzerland they had brotherly love - they had 500 years of democracy and peace, and what did that produce? The cuckoo clock."

If you want more... I guess if Fear & Desire makes the top three that would be the real dark horse surprise.