Best Picture Winner: 1970

Patton (1970)

According to the film Patton, General George S. Patton was a man of contradictions. He believed in God but also reincarnation. He loved war but also wrote poetry. He could be tough and mean to a soldier but also gentle and kind. Patton was an easy man to respect but a hard man to love. This 1970 film is based on two biographies on Patton and one suspects it’s more truthful than not. George C. Scott gives a towering, Oscar-winning performance as the larger-than-life general, a man who felt he was born to be at war.

As the film opens Patton (George C. Scott) has just been promoted to Lieutenant General and already has a reputation as a hard ass. He takes over command in North Africa after a crushing American defeat at the Battle of the Kasserine Pass. His leadership results in a successful campaign to invade Italy. But when Patton slaps around a soldier suffering from bad nerves, he is relieved of his command. Assigned to duties such as speaking to the ladies of the “Doughnut Dugout,” Patton cannot stand the idea of not being in battle, and begs General “Brad” Bradley (Karl Malden), a close associate, to give him another chance at command before the war ends.

Patton is a fascinating portrait of a man who believes he was meant for great things. He reads and studies past leaders and their accomplishments – he seems to know about every battle ever fought. He realizes he’s a prima donna but also knows his abilities. He speaks his mind without regard to consequence. And he believes God is on his side – why else would the weather suddenly clear up so he can march his troops into Germany? He doesn’t really have friends, but he is generally admired by those who work for him. He is clearly a born leader. But it is disturbing that he seems to need war so much, to fight some enemy. As soon as World War II is over he wants to go after the Russians, allies during the war who now, as Patton sees it, pose a threat. “God, how I love it so,” he says while observing the aftermath of battle.

The film opens with the now-classic scene of Patton addressing the military while a large American flag hangs in the background. His message is essentially to kick the Nazi’s collective asses and take no prisoners. Americans love to fight; we love it so much that we can’t possibly lose. It’s a savage but stirring call to arms. It’s the best scene in the movie. But there are many other memorable scenes, such as Patton shooting two mules and having them tossed over a bridge so the troops can continue their march. There’s his deliberate insult to the Russian commander as Patton refuses to drink with this, “son of a bitch.” There’s the moment where he berates a weeping soldier, accusing him of cowardice. Scott grabs the role of Patton by the throat and never lets it go. He famously refused his Best Actor Oscar since he did not feel acting was meant to be a competition.

Director Franklin J. Schaffner stages some intense battle sequences during Patton. Some of them are mixed with humor, such as when Patton fires a handgun at German fighter planes, which completely miss hitting him. Patton wonders aloud how they missed. The pacing at times seems off, however, as Schaffner lets certain scenes (marching troops, for example) continue longer than need be. Another minor quibble relates to what comes off as a Hollywoodized version of the German headquarters, with impeccably dressed Nazi officers who always look well groomed and never appear to sweat. These brief but regular glimpses at the enemy serve really to show the impact Patton is having on Hitler’s forces. Perhaps subsequent grittier war films such as Saving Private Ryan have made Patton seem too "clean" to a 21st Century audience.

But the true focus of Patton is on the general himself, and in this regard the film does not disappoint. Anchored by Scott’s riveting performance Patton remains a fascinating look at one of the most complex World War II heroes.