Director: Franklin J. Schaffner
Entertainment grade: A-
History grade: B-

General George S Patton was one of the US’s top brass during the second world war, serving in North Africa and on the western front. Outspoken and always controversial, he inspired either intense loyalty or abject loathing.

People

The real General Patton was quite a card. An obsessive military history junkie who believed fervently in a Christian God and simultaneously in reincarnation, he loved war and killing with a passion that quite often tipped over into the distasteful. He was obsessed with the tiniest details of turnout, losing his rag if any soldier had untied shoelaces or five o’clock shadow. George C Scott gives one of the all-time great screen performances in the title role, making the crazy old coot almost sympathetic without softening any of his rough edges. One thing he does soften is the voice, but that’s understandable. Had he imitated the real Patton’s Mickey Mouse squeak, it would have been impossible to take the movie seriously.

Dialogue

The screenplay by Francis Ford Coppola and Edmund H North is terrific, capturing Patton’s flights of classical erudition just as convincingly as his tireless cussing. Often, the words used are actually Patton’s own, though they have toned down some of the swearing (Patton himself would never have said “fornication” when there was another F-word so readily to hand). Even in the imaginary opening sequence, when Patton pep-talks straight to camera in front of a colossal stars and stripes, much of the dialogue is accurate. “Americans love to fight!” he barks. “That’s why Americans have never lost and will never lose a war!” Yes, well, this isn’t Reel Future.

Details

It’s true that a lot of the military props, notably the tanks, are inaccurate models. However, these are more than compensated for by the energy of the film’s battle sequences – including one where Patton gets his own revolvers out and starts firing at two low-flying Luftwaffe planes. Asked by a reporter about this famous pair of pearl-handled guns, Patton growls: “They’re ivory! Only a pimp from a cheap New Orleans whorehouse would carry a pearl-handled pistol.”

Scandal

In a momentary departure from the truth, Patton is desperate to make it through Sicily to Messina before the British general Montgomery. On his way, he visits a field hospital. Among the casualties is a young man who appears to be suffering from a nervous breakdown. Patton flies into a rage: “You’re just a goddamn coward!” (Whacks sobbing soldier on the head with his leather gloves.) “Won’t have a yellow bastard sitting here crying in front of these brave men who’ve been wounded in battles! SHUT UP!” (whack) “Send him up to the front!” Unfortunately, this is a pretty accurate depiction of a real scene and, as in the movie, it nearly ended Patton’s career. What is not mentioned here is that the supposedly “shell-shocked” soldier, Charles Kuhl, turned out to have been suffering from malaria. In the film, Patton’s apology is shown to be grudging. In real life, he was genuinely remorseful.

War

After the scandal, Patton is reduced to conducting military history tours (quite good ones) for fellow soldiers in Malta, and hanging around in a chintzy flat in London to confuse the Nazis. Finally, at the helm of the Third Army, he leads troops into battle to relieve the 101st Airborne, who are encircled at Bastogne. All accurate enough, though the verdict of one Nazi on this American general is not: “The absence of war will kill him.” Though Patton did die soon after the war, it was from the more mundane cause of injuries sustained during a car accident.

Verdict

It bends a few facts, and occasionally slips towards satire. But, for the most part, this is a remarkably enjoyable – and commendably fair – biopic of an unforgettable character. They don’t make many films, or indeed generals, like this any more.