Great Scott!

Rating: 7/10 (4 March 2015)

In his unforgettable opening statement, George C. Scott (as George S. Patton) stands in front of a giant US flag and asserts all "real Americans" love war and the sting of battle. Americans not only want to "shoot the enemy," he declares, we also want to "cut out their living guts" and use those guts to grease our tanks. According to Patton (via writer Francis Ford Coppola), the United States never lost a war and never will. They thought that in 1970. And, they were wrong. Although this film takes place during World War II, it feels like 1970. They include some newsreels, but there are too few 1940s pop culture references and everyone except Mr. Scott looks costumed...
No matter what the setting of a film is intended to be, it will first tend to reflect the time in which it was made. Most films fail to convincingly transport their audiences. Styles and sounds popular in different eras often take viewers to the wrong place and time. This is the case with "Patton". The General's opening speech could be taken as a plea to remain steadfast and support US President Richard Nixon's war escalations in Southeast Asia. The US reluctantly took this advice, but lost the war. That being said, "Patton" is a spectacular-looking production, and the riveting team of actor George C. Scott and director Franklin J. Schaffner surpasses the misguided and protracted spectacle.
******* Patton (2/4/70) Franklin J. Schaffner ~ George C. Scott, Karl Malden, Michael Bates, Edward Binns