PATHS OF GLORY (1957) War really is hell

Stanley Kubrick's PATHS OF GLORY is an unflinching and unsettling look into the politics in the military. A platoon of French soldiers is ordered the impossible objective of capturing a hill from the Germans. They fail, and to save their general's face, three are singled out and accused of cowardice. This leads to a brutal kangaroo court martial, followed by an execution scene sure to make you squirm. Kirk Douglas, who specialized in playing heroes fighting lost causes, is the accused trio’s military advocate who tries to buck the system. He fails, too, but gives us a lesson in true bravery.