Best Picture: "Patton," 1970

Movie Stats:

Released 1970 (USA)

American, in English (some subtitled German; minimal non-translated French)

Director – Franklin J. Schaffner

Stars – George C. Scott, Karl Malden

Plot Summary:

Showcases the exploits of George S. Patton, an American general, during his African and European campaigns of WWII. Malden co-stars as General Omar N. Bradley.

Warnings:

The battle scenes (and their aftermaths) are fairly graphic.

Bad Stuff:

I personally didn’t have any trouble following the plot, but if you didn’t pay attention during your American history class in high school, you might find it a little confusing.

The British were portrayed as a bit too incompetent – although, by all accounts, Montgomery was not, in fact, a particularly good general – and the Germans a bit too in awe of/afraid of Patton. It stretched my credulity.

Good Stuff:

It did a really good job of showing the complexities of Patton’s character. Was he likeable? Was he detestable? The answer is yes to both questions. He was a great general but a terrible politician, and in a changing world, that didn’t fly. It was nice that he was portrayed as understanding this himself, and that even though he recognized this he was incapable of changing it. Really, it was a very solid screenplay (written largely by Francis Ford Coppola).

The battle scenes were surprisingly well done.

The Verdict:

This was a very solid movie. It was a lot more engaging than I expected it to be. Scott was great as Patton. I thought he imbued the character with a lot of likeability even when he wasn’t being particularly likeable. At its core, this film is a character study, and it really exceled at its goal: bringing a controversial historical figure to relatable life at a time when people weren’t feeling all that positive about war. My only real problem is that I can’t imagine myself ever wanting to watch it again. It’s good, but not a movie that resonates for me.

For that reason, I give it 4 stars.