The last of his kind

Rating: 10/10 (20 September 2015)

Throughout the ages the world has seen many exalted military leaders come and go, but one such individual will forever be distinguishable from the rest. The individual in question is General George S. Patton Jr-the pure warrior. Unashamedly egotistical with a bizarre belief in both Christianity and reincarnation, Patton was a tough military genius as well as a keen historian and poet. A magnificent anachronism, an enigma no doubt. There hasn't been a military commander so brilliant before or since the second world war. Granted, Patton had his flaws. For one his impulsive demeanour bordered on lunacy and secondly he relished combat with a worrying degree of fetishism that seemed almost sexual. Factors such as these make one question the man's sanity, however I think we can overlook his emotional state as his infatuation with war would lead the allies to victory in Europe.
Here in Franklin J. Schaffner's profound tribute, General Patton is immortalised by the excellent George C. Scott in what is probably the actor's finest hour. Without a doubt, General Patton was the last of his kind and George C. Scott gives a one-of-a-kind performance. Scott thought he couldn't capture the essence of George Patton but despite being frustrated by this, he seems to be thoroughly enjoying the role and provides us with a superb take on the Patton legend. John Wayne and Robert Mitchum were contenders but neither could have embodied Patton's spirit the way George C. Scott did. He brings George Patton back from the grave and is firing on all cylinders, revelling in his own sharp witted charisma. Scott is truly mesmerising and each time he speaks you as the viewer are duty-bound to pay attention. Take Patton's opening speech shot against a huge U.S flag, masterfully scripted and terrifically executed it's the most compelling call to arms ever filmed. It sets the standard for the rest of the movie which remains consistent throughout. By the end of the speech I wished that I had served under Patton and even though he may have been hated by a lot of his men, I'd say they were ultimately proud to serve under a leader so ingenious. The film ends with an internal monologue from the General which is written and executed with touching sincerity to the point where it becomes philosophical. It struck a chord with me personally as it conveyed fantastically one of the sobering facts of not only war, but life in general and deeply illustrated how one can easily become disillusioned with both. The producer couldn't have hoped for a better script which was penned in part by the great Francis Ford Coppola, who would transform himself into something of a cinema heavyweight as the 70s progressed. Unique dialogue enriches the film, it's probably one of the most quotable films you'll ever see and some lines will give you a chuckle. Patton is a war movie as you already know, but the most intense scene takes place not on the battlefield, but within the confines of a military hospital. That's right, I refer to the infamous slapping incident in which General Patton assaulted a battle fatigued soldier in front of the man's contemporaries and army medical staff. A formidable and quite appalling occurrence in reality that is represented with commendable aplomb by Franklin J. Schaffner, who deserves to be eternally praised for using exemplary tact in bringing to the screen such a sensitive topic. I couldn't fault any of the performances in the film. Karl Malden is always a joy to watch and shares with George C. Scott some of the movie's best scenes. Impressive performances also came from Lawrence Dobkin as Colonel Gaston Bell, Michael Bates as Field Marshal Montgomery, Richard Munch as Colonel General Alfred Jodl, Frank Latimore as Lieutenant Colonel Davenport and Paul Stevens as Lieutenant Colonel Codman. Jack Gwillim is also worthy of note as General Alexander, as is Peter Barkworth as Colonel John Welkin and Seigfried Rauch as Steiger.
Jerry Goldsmith's rousing score also compliments the movie's sprawling visuals. For a film that is heavily character driven a considerable amount of effort was put into the stuntwork and special effects, both of which I thought were amazing. The suspense is tightened harshly for a large battle in the desert and a couple of minor skirmishes in Europe, not to mention a German air raid on a North African town. There's also a lot of fine looking armoured machinery on show throughout the film. Cold war M46, M47, M48 Patton tanks and M41 Walker Bulldogs are mocked up to represent second world war U.S Shermans and German Panzers. Historical completests will be pained by this fact, but for me there was nothing better than seeing those armoured beasts dominate the screen.
Hollywood's earnest love letter to one of the greatest military commanders in world history deserves to be seen numerous times-not just for George C. Scott's spectacular portray-but for an insight into the obsessively volatile psyche of one extraordinary individual. 10/10