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One of the greatest screen biographies ever produced, this monumental film runs nearly three hours, won seven Academy Awards, and gave George C. Scott the greatest role of his career. It was released in 1970 when protest against the Vietnam War still raged at home and abroad, and many critics and moviegoers struggled to reconcile current events with the movie's glorification of Gen. George S. Patton as a crazy-brave genius of World War II.
How could a movie so huge in scope and so fascinated by its subject be considered an anti-war film? The simple truth is that it's not--Patton is less about World War II than about the rise and fall of a man whose life was literally defined by war, and who felt lost and lonely without the grand-scale pursuit of an enemy. George C. Scott embodies his role so fully, so convincingly, that we can't help but be drawn to and fascinated by Patton as a man who is simultaneously bound for hell and glory. The film's opening monologue alone is a masterful display of acting and character analysis, and everything that follows is sheer brilliance on the part of Scott and director Franklin J. Schaffner.
Filmed on an epic scale at literally dozens of European locations, Patton does not embrace war as a noble pursuit, nor does it deny the reality of war as a breeding ground for heroes. Through the awesome achievement of Scott's performance and the film's grand ambition, Patton shows all the complexities of a man who accepted his role in life and (like Scott) played it to the hilt. --Jeff Shannon
Special Features
DVD extras include a 50-minute documentary entitled A Tribute to Franklin J. Schaffner. Originally produced in 1997 for the Patton laserdisc release, the documentary covers the elementary background of the film, including many stills from the production. Schaffner (who died in 1989) and George C. Scott (who died in 1999) are heard only in interviews recorded for the film's 1970 release. The only new interviews are from less vital players: production head Richard D. Zanuck, cinematographer Fred Koenekamp, and composer Jerry Goldsmith. The absence of retrospective views from Scott and cowriter Francis Ford Coppola is unfortunate. The audio essay is not by a filmmaker, but Charles M. Province, the founder and president of the George S. Patton Jr. museum. His background on the man is impressive, but one misses a filmmaker's touch to the essay, or even the recollections of Scott himself. The high point of the documentary discusses the arguments over the legendary opening sequence. The short ends with a huge misstep--letting Oliver Stone go off on one his tirades about President Nixon and the influence that Patton had on the Vietnam War. Even if Stone's observations are relevant, his assertions about George C. Scott are totally inappropriate. The DVD also contains an isolated track of Goldsmith's influential score. --Doug Thomas
Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
By Edmonson
TOP 500 REVIEWER
Format:Blu-ray
"Patton"(1970) is a biographical war film directed by Franklin Schaffner (Planet of the Apes) and stars George C. Scott as George S. Patton. The script is by Francis Ford Coppola and Edmund H. North. The opening scene with Patton delivering a speech in front of a huge American flag is an iconic image in film history. The film won Best Picture, and Best Director, at the Academy Awards (1971), and Scott won Best Actor for his role as Patton. The movie was nominated for 11 Academy Awards and won 7.
Patton was a surly and brilliant strategist who was well versed in history. He even fantasized about being reincarnated throughout history. This allowed him to project his view of the present world through the eyes of historians, which in turn, gave him an uniquely clear view of his circumstances and his goals as a military leader. He subsequently had many military successes during WWII.
"Patton" looks great on blu-ray as it was shot in 65mm Dimension 150. Schaffner was acknowledged as being one of the best to handle "epicness" in films. "Patton" runs at close to three hours in length.
Patton was a surly and brilliant strategist who was well versed in history. He even fantasized about being reincarnated throughout history. This allowed him to project his view of the present world through the eyes of historians, which in turn, gave him an uniquely clear view of his circumstances and his goals as a military leader. He subsequently had many military successes during WWII.
"Patton" looks great on blu-ray as it was shot in 65mm Dimension 150. Schaffner was acknowledged as being one of the best to handle "epicness" in films. "Patton" runs at close to three hours in length.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
By Neil Olsen
Format:DVD
I am not always a fan of war films, but this is a really good exception and George C. Scott gives the performance of a lifetime of a highly controversial figure. Whether you end up liking or hating Patton, probably a mixture of the two, you can't help but admire some aspects of the man, just one of those guys you wouldn't want to get on the wrong side of. The bonus material is really interesting and provides important background on the man, the myth and the legend. Money and time well spent.
By Jon Lidolt
Format:Blu-ray|Amazon Verified Purchase
I chose this rating because it's the first time that Patton can be viewed at home (if you have a large and well calibrated wide screen monitor) almost exactly the way it looked in a 70mm equipped movie theatre - the Blu-ray transfer is that good. Not to mention that it's a truly outstanding film in every respect... especially the Academy Award Winning performance of George C. Scott as General Patton.
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4.6 out of 5 stars
Most recent customer reviews
3.0 out of 5 stars
War movie or biography ?
If Patton is supposed to be a war movie with it's main character being General Patton, then the German tanks shouldn't look like something from the Spanish military with grey paint... Read more
Published 5 months ago by Myles Hall
5.0 out of 5 stars
Génial film de guerre
Biographie du général Patton, l'un des grands stratèges de la Deuxième guerre mondiale.
George C. Read more
George C. Read more
Published 6 months ago by CINEVORE
5.0 out of 5 stars
A truly classic movie - the way they should be made
The movie is a classic & still holds up well. The performances are fantastic & it is historically accurate. Seeing it in Blu Ray adds to the experience. Read more
Published 15 months ago by WWII Movie Lover
1.0 out of 5 stars
Not the product described
Great film, but not the product described by Amazon. I bought this because it is described as having German audio - turns out Amazon just walked over to Best Buy and mailed it to... Read more
Published 17 months ago by Nato
5.0 out of 5 stars
All glory is fleeting
The screen play is co-written by Francis Ford Coppola and Based upon the two books "Patton: Ordeal and Triumph" by Ladislas Farago and "A Soldier's Story" by General Oman N. Read more
Published on Nov 21 2006 by bernie
4.0 out of 5 stars
Decent Film/No Frills DVD
It's to the much-deserved credit of the underrated George C. Scott--simply brilliant here--and director Franklin Schaffner that the celebrated general of "Patton's" title comes... Read more
Published on Jun 25 2004 by Stephen Kaczmarek
5.0 out of 5 stars
GREATEST WAR FILM EVER MADE
In 1970, two films juxtaposed each other. "Patton" was an unlikely winner of eight Oscars. The pacifist Scott for all practical purposes took his Buck Turgidson character and... Read more
Published on Jun 6 2004 by Steven R. Travers
5.0 out of 5 stars
WORTH SEEING JUST FOR THE OPENING SPEECH
In this post-9/11 world everyone should see this film if only to see and hear the famous speech Patton gave to his troops, opening the film. Read more
Published on May 14 2004 by givbatam3
5.0 out of 5 stars
The best and last epic american film ever made
To say in few words: Patton is the most genuine state of epic spirit you feel since the first images. Read more
Published on May 1 2004 by Hiram Gomez Pardo
5.0 out of 5 stars
great biopic
What you have here is one of the better movies ever made, and certainly one of George C. Scott's greatest (though his greatest is still Dr. Strangelove). Read more
Published on April 25 2004 by adead_poet@hotmail.com
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