Disappointing

Rating: 5/10 (9 January 2012)

Generally educational biopic (in a vague sense), and George C Scott is of course captivating, but:
* Patton's dialogue is great when it's a direct Patton quote - otherwise his dialogue is limp and often doesn't fit the man at all. Everyone else's dialogue is dead and purposeful, sometimes a little like a nativity play - just dreadful.
* The opening cinematography is awe-inspiring ... absolutely brilliant and very promising ... but it ends there.
* There are no excuses for making action sequences this awful in 1970. See Tora! Tora! Tora! for a contemporaneous example.
I think this story and bio of Patton's personality could only really make a great and memorable movie - but this picture is a lazy, slightly weasely portrayal of a man who would probably himself admit to being more outwardly flawed than he is depicted here. Neither the dialogue, cinematography nor the action conspire to save the movie. It really could have been so, so much better with a little effort.
If it shows again, I won't regret missing it.