Great film. Excellent dialouge and is surviving the testimate of time. I bought a copy (VHS, I'm afraid) for $2.99 still in the wrapper at my video store a few weeks ago. Yay for me, I guess.
Never seen it. I never hear much discussion over it.
Of Kubrick's early works in realism, this is by far his greatest. An emotional triumph that does not bring revolution in the story, but the feeling of what, to a lot of people, the first world war felt like. Whenever I am studying World War I in school and learning more about it, this movie feels even more truthful. Winston Churchill has even said that this film was the most realistic film on WWI in dealing with the feeling the troops felt. It's weird to how different this film feels like from his other works later on, but still carries a crown of masterpiece as any of his others. The simple story with the main points punctuated up is the best though for the purpose of this film which exists in finding the power and emotional strain in portraying these soldiers.
~rougerum
:-D Sounds good. I'll definately have to see it.
Quote from: TeddyNever seen it. I never hear much discussion over it.
Exactly ! That's why I made the topic. It's such a great film and yet it's not his most known.
Quote from: The Gold TrumpetOf Kubrick's early works in realism, this is by far his greatest. An emotional triumph that does not bring revolution in the story, but the feeling of what, to a lot of people, the first world war felt like. Whenever I am studying World War I in school and learning more about it, this movie feels even more truthful. Winston Churchill has even said that this film was the most realistic film on WWI in dealing with the feeling the troops felt. It's weird to how different this film feels like from his other works later on, but still carries a crown of masterpiece as any of his others. The simple story with the main points punctuated up is the best though for the purpose of this film which exists in finding the power and emotional strain in portraying these soldiers.
~rougerum
I agree with everything you said. Kirk Douglas did a really great job in it, as did the rest of the cast. I was pleased to discover the VHS I purchased came with this very small mini poster thingee.
I will definately have to watch this, and soon. Leonard Maltin gives it four stars and Winston Churchill called it the greatest movie ever made (up until that time) about World War I.
This movie was entertaining and just the right length....
made spielberg cry
just queued it up in Netflix...
Quote from: The Gold TrumpetOf Kubrick's early works in realism, this is by far his greatest. An emotional triumph that does not bring revolution in the story, but the feeling of what, to a lot of people, the first world war felt like. Whenever I am studying World War I in school and learning more about it, this movie feels even more truthful. Winston Churchill has even said that this film was the most realistic film on WWI in dealing with the feeling the troops felt. It's weird to how different this film feels like from his other works later on, but still carries a crown of masterpiece as any of his others. The simple story with the main points punctuated up is the best though for the purpose of this film which exists in finding the power and emotional strain in portraying these soldiers.
~rougerum
Churchill said that? Wow, where did you read this if I may Ask?
Quote from: KeenerI agree with everything you said. Kirk Douglas did a really great job in it, as did the rest of the cast. I was pleased to discover the VHS I purchased came with this very small mini poster thingee.
FWIW, recently read an interview with Kirk in which he said that the film he most liked was POG and there was another one but can't remember which.
The dialouge in it really made it for me.
General Broulard: Colonel Dax, you're a disappointment to me. You've spoiled the keenness of your mind by wallowing in sentimentality. You really did want to save those men, and you were not angling for Mireau's command. You are an idealist -- and I pity you as I would the village idiot. We're fighting a war, Dax, a war that we've got to win. Those men didn't fight, so they were shot. You bring charges against General Mireau, so I insist that he answer them. Wherein have I done wrong?
Colonel Dax: Because you don't know the answer to that question, I pity you.
General Broulard: Colonel Dax! You will apologize at once or I shall have you placed under arrest!
Colonel Dax: I apologize... for not being entirely honest with you. I apologize for not revealing my true feelings. I apologize, sir, for not telling you sooner that you're a degenerate, sadistic old man. And you can go to hell before I apologize to you now or ever again!
Corporal Paris: See that cockroach? Tomorrow morning, we'll be dead and it'll be alive. It'll have more contact with my wife and child than I will. I'll be nothing, and it'll be alive.
[Ferol smashes the roach.]
Private Ferol: Now you got the edge on him.
General Broulard: Colonel Dax, are you trying to blackmail me?
Colonel Dax: It's an ugly word, but you are in a difficult situation.
Chruchill did say that. I read it in a capsule review of the film in Leonard Maltin's film guide.
PoG was the first film that really proved Kubrick's talent. There are a lot of shots in this film that will always reappear later on in his following films, like the famous cold and empty room and the track backwards with the actors moving along the trenches.
The german girl in the final scene, which not only Spielberg finds very moving, later became Kubrick's wife. It is very interesting that PoG was officially forbidden in France until the mid-60s.