I finally got around to seeing Patton after two weeks of reborrowing the video from the video shop. This film is very enjoyable, and in a way, is like Lawrence of Arabia (shorter but not better) in that examines a character that was crucial in War. Patton is an interesting character because he believes in re incarnation, and is sure that he was there when Napoleon was fighting. His intellect makes him a great tactician, and his style of leadership makes him feared among his troops. He has never lost a battle. The movie follows the way he is affected by his own loud mouth, which while exuding honesty, comes back to haunt him. In an amazingly emotional scene, he reprimands an officer for being scared, and is severely punished by the President for such an outburst. You find yourself supporting Patton all the way, and the movie does seem to take a highly patriotic approach in the sense of insulting/detracting from the achievements of the rival English general. As I watch this film, I become more and more convinced of the role that film plays as a way of teaching history. If their portrayal of Patton is too nice on him, people will always remember him that way. Perhaps now, when we look at such films as JFK and Schindler's List, there is going to be a historical legacy from the way the directors have spinned the tale.

George C Scott plays the role perfectly. Some of the battle scenes are greatly done. Though I was sometimes confused at their assumptions that the viewer would know the geography of all the places clearly (even though they showed maps, I was still not understanding what was going on until after some of the scenes). This film won seven academy awards, and I can see why.

77/100