Patton




God help me, I do love it so.

With those words uttered, so ends one of the most contrasting war epics ever made. The subject isn't war, but actually the study of one dynamic man and his lust for battle and glory.

This film covers the latter half of WWII that entailed the slow but inevitable downfall of the Nazis. When we first meet George Patton (George C. Scott), he is a two star general who is fighting to liberate northern Africa. His solid leadership and tactics make him a formidable enemy, and soon he liberates Sicily as well. But he has a tendency to get himself in trouble with his superiors, and is passed up by his much less vibrant friend (Karl Malden) to head the invasion of Europe.

An exceptional example of how to do a character sketch, Patton never fails in being interesting, even despite a short amount of action. The real conflict here is between Patton and his superiors and Patton and himself. The enemy that he faces on the battlefield proves to be no match to the trouble he gets himself into.

Having a larger than life character never hurts a movie like this. Patton is a man of differing characteristics. He is often described as the "pure warrior," yet he appreciates poetry and history as well. He is a devout Christian, yet he believes in reincarnation and swears constantly. His approach is to always be on the offensive, always demanding the best out of his men. It is in his moments of triumph you cheer for him, but the movie shows both sides of his methods. At times it shows you his simple brutality. The movie has several moving examples of each. It shows the ups and downs of his pursuit for glory.

This movie wouldn't have been half of what it is without the unforgettable performance from Scott. He brings life to a role that could have easily been heartless. Aside from Malden (who doesn't do bad either), there aren't any other major characters.

The pacing here isn't fast, but it moves along well enough. With a movie that is as limited as this one, it is a surprise that it's as entertaining as it is. The movie does its best to change up the pace once in a while. The terrain constantly varies and a few laughs are thrown in with Patton's cowardly (and hopelessly ugly) dog Willy. Throw in a script full of memorable lines and some good music, and you've got yourself a classic. My only complaint is there are a few scenes that skirt the edge of believability.

Personally, I can't help but like Patton and his methods, even though they were undoubtedly a bit much at times. He knew how to get the best efficiency out of his men and kick butt.



-The Gnome