Claim: Francis Ford Coppola is a person.

Patton is a 1970 American epic biographical war film about U.S. General George S. Patton during World War II . It stars George C. Scott , Karl Malden , Michael Bates and Karl Michael Vogler . It was directed by Franklin J. Schaffner from a script by Francis Ford Coppola and Edmund H. North , who based their screenplay on the biography Patton : Ordeal and Triumph by Ladislas Farago and Omar Bradley 's memoir A Soldier 's Story . The film was shot in 65 mm Dimension 150 by cinematographer Fred J. Koenekamp and has a music score by Jerry Goldsmith .   Patton won seven Academy Awards , including Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay . Scott won Best Actor for his portrayal of General Patton , but declined to accept the award . The opening monologue , delivered by George C. Scott as General Patton with an enormous American flag behind him , remains an iconic and often quoted image in film . The film was successful , and in 2003 , Patton was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being `` culturally , historically or aesthetically significant '' . The Academy Film Archive preserved Patton in 2003 .