With Paths of Glory (1957), the film director Kubrick established himself not only as the leading commercial filmmaker of his generation but a world-class talent as well. The anti-war film was based on the novel of the same name by Humphrey Cobb. This film is among the most powerful anti-war films ever made. A fiery Kirk Douglas stars as a World War I French colonel who goes head-to-head with the ruthless military top brass when his men are accused of cowardice after being unable to carry out an impossible mission.

Unlike any other war film of its kind, Paths of Glory divides its attention equally among officers and common soldiers, constructing
a complex picture of a war fought not only on open battlefields but also in the boardrooms.

The premiere of the film took place in Munich on September 18, 1957. For many years it was banned in France and Switzerland due to its supposed anti-French sentiment. When the film was selected for the 1958 Berlin Film Festival, the French threatened to withdraw altogether if the film was shown there. It was also banned on American military bases because of its anti-military theme. It was, however, admired by Winston Churchill for the realism of its battle scenes. Although it was lauded by critics as one of the great war films, its box-office receipts were disappointing, partly due to the harsh subject matter and the above-mentioned restrictions in the international marketplace. However, on a personal level, Paths of Glory was particularly rewarding for Kubrick because it was on the set that he met his future wife, Susanne Christian, who closes the film with her moving rendition of a German song.

— Kirk Douglas on
Paths of Glory, 1969

"
There's a picture that
will always be good,
years from now.
I don't have to wait 50
years to know that;
I know it now. 

Kirk Douglas
called the role of Dax the best in his acting career

Steven Spielberg
called Paths of Glory his favorite Kubrick film

Christiane Harlan
was the only woman in the film and became Kubrick’s wife