Directed by Franklin J. Schaffner - 1970 poster
One can see why George C. Scott won an Oscar for his portrayal of General George S. Patton, the larger-than-life, arrogant, bombastic World War II general. Inevitably it was popular with Americans, as so many model their own lives on the same swaggering attitude. The film is also a study in contrast with Karl Malden (General Omar N. Bradley). The latter served as a consultant for the film and this may well have had a large influence on the image of Patton. The two men were polar opposites in personality, and it appears that Bradley despised Patton, both personally and professionally. Scott certainly gives a realistic and powerful impression of Patton. Our friend, the critic Roger Ebery, said It is one of those sublime performances in which the personalities of the actor and the character are fulfilled in one another. Another critic regarded the portrayal as a tour de force.
The opening shot, of Patton mounting a 'stage', in front of a huge American flag, to address the troops (who are never seen) is rightly lauded. We then follow him through North Africa, leading the American II Corps. After success there, Patton and Montgomery come up with competing plans for the Allied invasion of Sicily. Montgomery's is chosen by the Supreme Commander General Eisenhower, only for Patton to 'disobey' orders and carry out his plan anyway. There is the famous scene of him slapping a shell-shocked US Private for 'cowardice'. (In reality, there were two such occasions). Relieved of his command and forced to apologise to all and sundry, Patton is sidelined as a 'decoy' leading up to the D-Day landings (the Germans believed it was a trick prior to invasion through Calais!) Bradley, his former subordinate, is now his senior officer. Patton is put in charge of the Third Army and brilliantly advances through France and into Germany, always complaining about favours shown to Bernard Montgomery (in Sicily and then Normandy and onwards to Operation Market Garden). Patton's big mouth loses him his command yet again. The final shot is of him walking his bull terrier, Willie, across the German countryside.
Bull terrier 'Willie' with Patton
What the film did not do, was to end with Patton's rather mundane death - seriously injured in an automobile accident (where his neck was broken) he died in Germany on 21 December 1945, aged only sixty. He was buried in the Luxembourg American Cemetery. Eisenhower wrote later of him: He was one of those men born to be a soldier, an ideal combat leader - it is no exaggeration to say that Patton's name struck terror at the hearts of the enemy.
I didn't dislike the film, although it pandered (adversely) to my opinion of Americans! It was no surprise to hear the line that 50,00 men (G.I's) on this island would like to shoot that son of a bitch...our blood, his guts. One tank battle is rather like any other, the main difference being whether it's fought in sand or snow. It was Richard Nixon's favourite film - enough said!
2011 DVD
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