Product: George C. Scott: The Last Days of Patton (1986)
Rating: 5.0
Well, not really what one would like, but still...
I gave it five stars for the touching performance by George C. Scott, reprising his role as General Patton.Alas, one can guess the source of this DVD. A VHS tape.I already owned the original Fox VHS tape, which I will continue to keep.Yet, in quality, both are equivalent, neither worse, nor better.The only minus lies in the fact that the DVD sports an evident superimposed logo on one corner of the image.But this is not disturbing, since it is halfway transparent.Yet they could have done without it.So, back to the contents of this made-for-TV movie.First of all, it comes in its original full content version, running slightly over three hours long.The acting is fair for this kind of movie.Names such as Murray Hamilton, Eva Marie Saint and Daniel Benzali (in one of his earliest appearances), giveyou an idea of the caliber of actors involved.As the title states, this is a more or less faithful account of the last days of Patton, involving him as theMilitary Governor of occupied Bavaria and his relations and conflicts with General Eisenhower, which encompassesthe first half of the movie, to the tragic car accident that caused him to break his neck and surviving it fora while (the second part of the movie).We are also introduced into some flashbacks on Patton's earlier military career and his struggles to transforma static Army, into a rolling and moving Force.We get to see some of his romantic life and finally, is ultimate battle with Death itself.He died a hero and consequent to what he believed in.It is a very touching and moving picture of a very controversial historic figure, but despite all his humanfrailties this big hulk of a man demonstrates that one can keep his dignity even to the end.He was a fighter, beloved and perhaps even hated by those who knew him personally, but at least he was one manwho helped move things along in a time where many were too scared to act.He was a leader, he was a war philosopher, a classic hero, like those he worshiped from Ancient History, andtherefore he may be considered sitting in the Pantheon of these peers of his.This movie is a worthy complement to "Patton".If only 20th Century-Fox would care to pick it up again, restore its original filmed material, digitalize itand transfer it cleanly on DVD, they would have the appreciation of many who did appreciate and love the workdone on the transfer of "Patton".Only time will tell, but I am sure, one day, someone may wake up and smell the coffee...In the meantime, I can recommend this as an interim to that next version.As said, it is not worse, nor better than its VHS counterpart, but being this a DVD, brings a more durable platformto it.To me it is a worthy investment, if just as a historic documentation...