Paths of Glory, 1957

A Cold War era treatment of an earlier conflict, Paths of Glory engages injustice within the ranks during World War I through the efforts of a regimental commander in the French army, played by Kirk Douglas, to stem callous treatment of line troops by the French high command.  Built upon class divisions, the film depicts an entrenched establishment that cannot be challenged no matter how irrational or heartless the orders from above.  With powerful performances paired with battle scenes of gritty realism, Paths of Glory shows the fight was not always with the enemy.

Request tickets to the Paths of Glory screening at the Museum in Washington, DC, using the form below. Before the screening in Washington, DC, join us for short talk about military equipment used by soldiers in WWI, with a display of actual WWI artifacts, beginning at 6:30 pm at the Museum’s Welcome Desk.

This film will also be shown at the same time at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Va. Reserve tickets to the Paths of Glory screening at the Udvar-Hazy Center.

About the Film Series

Movies have always shaped our cultural memory of historical events, and World War I has been a rich subject for filmmakers. Hollywood Goes to War: World War I on the Big Screen, a year-long film series, presents the most visually striking and engaging dramas set during the First World War ever made. Once a month, join us as we screen Hollywood’s finest feature films on World War I and explore how the war and its far-reaching effects have been represented and interpreted on the big screen.

This film series is part of the National Air and Space Museum’s observance of the hundredth anniversary of the First World War.