WW1 Double Bill: South West Silents

South West Silents is very excited to present this special double bill consisting of classic silent film The Battle of the Somme (1916) with Stanley Kubrick's masterpiece, Paths of Glory (1957).

The Battle of the Somme (1916): One of the most successful British films ever made, it is estimated that more than 20 million tickets were sold in Great Britain in the first two months of release of The Battle of the Somme (1916). Soon afterwards, the film was distributed worldwide to prove Britain’s commitment to the First World War.

The Battle of the Somme gave its 1916 audience an unprecedented insight into the realities of trench warfare, controversially including the depiction of dead and wounded soldiers. It shows scenes of the build-up to the infantry offensive, including the massive preliminary bombardment, coverage of the first day of the battle – the bloodiest single day in the British Army’s history…