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Patton (1970)
Starring George C. Scott, Karl Malden, Stephen Young, and Michael Strong. Cinematography by Fred Koenekamp. Edited by Hugh Fowler. Produced by Frank McCarthy. Written by Francis Ford Coppola and Edmund H. North. Directed by Franklin J. Schaffner.
Patton is the story of General George S. Patton’s (played by George C. Scott) unbelievable campaign through Europe in the Second World War. After opening with a memorable speech portraying Patton’s patriotism and enthusiasm for warfare, the picture shifts into the aftermath of the Battle of Kasserine. There in North Africa, Patton takes command of the Seventh Army and after defending himself in an attack planned by his arch nemesis, Field Marshal Erwin Rommel (played by Karl Michael Vogler), he moves on to Sicily, where the Allies quickly defeat the Axis enemy.
He and his army race across the Sicilian countryside to beat Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery (played by Michael Bates) and his troops to Messina, the prize of the island. While preparing to invade mainland Europe, Patton slaps a cowardly Private (played by Tim Considine), which results in great controversy. So much, in fact, that he looses command of the American forces. The film continues on from there to portray the remainder of his military career in World War II, and highlight his constant misuse of tactfulness, which leads him into more trouble then the Axis army ever could.
With the research and work that he did on the liberation of Paris in Is Paris Burning?, Francis Ford Coppola had come to be known as a sort of an authority on the Second World War. There was also an exaggerated concept of his military background which merely consisted of playing the tuba for a year and a half in an academy band. Frank McCarthy, Patton’s producer, had served in the war and had spent the last twenty years trying to develop a picture about General George S. Patton.
When he set out to find a screenwriter for his project, he went right to the man who was considered the expert. Coppola took the job and quickly set out to do as much research about Patton’s World War II campaign as he could. He and his co-writer Edmund H. North finished the screenplay in 1965, but it would take over four years to find its way into theaters.
Patton has stood the test of time as one of the finest war films ever created. George C. Scott, who refused his Academy Award, puts in an incredible performance that is nearly impossible not to fall in love with. The screenplay sets a perfect balance of historical reference and personal information.
Director Franklin J. Schaffner takes an intimate look at Patton’s life and actions and then sweeps back to view the combat from afar, giving the film a large, epic scope. It is also one of the very few films that reaches for the three hour mark and truly deserve to do so. Every minute helps drive the story. Patton is one of the best movies to come out of the seventies and should be a treat for everyone who loves film.
Budget: $12,000,000
Total US Gross: $62,500,000
Genre: War
Runtime: 170 Minutes
US Release Date: 2/18/70
Aspect Ratio: 2.20:1
Awards:
Academy Awards:
Won for best art direction/set decoration, best editing, best sound, best screenplay based from previous material, best director, best actor, and best picture. Nominated for best cinematography, best visual effects, and best original score.
Golden Globes:
Won for best actor in a drama. Nominated for best director and best dramatic picture.
Directors Guild of America:
Won the Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures.
Writers Guild of America:
Won for Best Drama Written Directly for the Screen.
American Film Institute’s Top 100 Lists: 100 Years… 100 Movies (#89).
Tagline: none
Quote: “No bastard ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country.”
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