The Heart And Soul Of General Patton

Rating: 9/10 (21 June 2007)

Even with George C. Scott loudly saying that he would refuse the Academy Award should it be given him for Best Actor of 1970, so dominating and domineering is his portrayal, I'm not sure the Academy had any other choice. He's that good in the part.
You watch Patton it's like watching a wide screen color newsreel of World War II from the George S. Patton point of view. The film takes you from Patton taking over the II Corps in the North African desert after the defeat at Kasserine Pass right through V.E. day and after.
All the things that contribute to Patton's legend are brought to life, his achievements, his braggadocio, even those character flaws that allowed for no weakness in others, we see in full view. Scott really got inside the heart and soul of General Patton.
Patton had an uncomfortable knack of living up to his billing, at least it was uncomfortable enough for his critics. The only other role of substance and this is really the only weakness of the film is that of Karl Malden as Omar Bradley. Though personality wise they were as far apart as you can get, in real life and in the movie they had great respect and even affection for each other. The other personalities of World War II appear mostly as paste board figures, maybe with the exception of Edward Binns as Walter Bedell Smith, Eisenhower's hard-nosed chief of staff.
Ike is never seen in the film yet he looms over the action as an unseen presence of great wisdom. Wisdom Ike had indeed, after that soldier slapping incident in Sicily, it took considerable guts for Ike to bring Patton back. Patton the film came out a year after Ike's death and he had and still has wellsprings of affection that run deep with the American public.
Patton's finest hour was at the Battle of the Bulge in the relief of the 101st Airborne at Bastogne. His relief there, accomplished within 48 hours and racing north in France during the freezing winter, broke the back of Hitler's last gambit for a negotiated peace instead of an unconditional surrender. He said he'd do it and did it, there was never a question about his ability after that.
I first saw the film during basic training in Fort Polk, Louisiana. That line during Scott's opening speech shoveling manure in Louisiana never failed to bring the house down.
Scott in refusing the Oscar did a very classy thing. He donated the Oscar to the Patton Museum in Fort Campbell, Kentucky.
George S. would be proud of George C.