I am not a huge fan of war movies unless they include a wartime romance or a compelling backstory that humanizes the main characters. I don’t really enjoy seeing tanks roll by or blow men and cities to smithereens. I loathe the sounds of machine guns or grenades. I acknowledge that some enjoy and can identify every piece of equipment shown on screen. They seem to revel in those military, parade-like moments. This is not me. It is all so dusty with the ground and landscapes being destroyed. I truly hate the destruction of property, and I definitely don’t want to watch anyone being ejected or exploded into the air. I am obviously a peace-loving person at my core, but I do recognize that there are moments when all other options have failed. It is imperative to fight for what you believe to be true for the continuation of humanity. This has been the case over the history of our country. Some wars I can honestly say have been warranted, and yes, I can also say some battles were not ours to fight.
I have a great respect for anyone who volunteers to serve in our armed forces. They are courageous. They perform a job that most of us are not ready to commit to doing. Kudos to all of them. By the same token, I also admire and respect those who are capable of commanding those troops. This is not a strength everyone possesses. Because of them, our democracies across our globe have lived to see another dawn. Bravo.
I have been thinking about all of this lately because our country is immersed in yet another war. It is also on my mind because Memorial Day is upon us, and it is that time of year to think soberly about the cost of battle, both in human life and financially.
There have been hundreds of war movies created over the last century. A few of which I have already reviewed, but this week, a giant of a film and a legendary figure caught my attention. It was nominated for ten and won seven Oscars. It was one of the most controversial, premiering in 1970, featuring a humongous American flag painted on a studio wall, with a lone General giving a pep talk to his troops. I am referring to PATTON, the story about General George S. PATTON, created so brilliantly on screen by the incomparable George C. Scott. This was a film so ingeniously put together that most audiences truly believed Scott had become a four-star General throughout filming.
PATTON is a conundrum for me. On the one hand, Scott is a prolific actor taking on roles of the highest caliber. He literally becomes the character right before the camera’s eye. He made sure to over-research. He possesses strong acting instincts that propel him to the emotional heart of every scene. He is larger-than-life as he commands not only huge armies, but every frame. He is mesmerizing and electrifying, provoking viewers to follow him anywhere he chooses. This is what acting is all about. We believe he is PATTON from start to finish.
On the other hand, Scott’s personal opinions are awful and disgusting. It was well-known in Hollywood that Scott was antisemitic. He held no sympathy for the Holocaust or any of the survivors. He had more empathy for Nazi prisoners of war. He had great respect for the German armies, commanders, and did not believe in the war-crime trials that followed the end of WWII. He has been quoted as saying Jews were behind the diagnosis of shell shock and PTSD. Scott’s personal opinions were extremely hard to swallow and ignore, yet the studios did. And the Academy awarded him an Oscar for Best Actor. He was the first actor to not show up at the ceremony. He said he didn’t believe in competition among actors and refused to accept. (The following year, Scott was nominated for Best Actor again, but refused the nomination.)
This is all very difficult for me to compartmentalize as a movie reviewer. In the end, critics must separate the art from an actor’s personal side. It is essential to diagnose the actor’s performance and not who or what the man stands for. At times, this is easier said than done, but no one can deny that Scott was a consummate actor.
Several writers wrote PATTON, but Francis Ford Coppola created the main screenplay based on the actual notes from General Bradley’s A SOLDIER’S STORY. Coppola did receive the Oscar for Best Writing. Interestingly, his screenplay was rejected a few years earlier when it was submitted, but it ended up in the final script almost entirely intact. It is good to know he received proper credit.
Franklin J. Schaffer (PLANET OF THE APES, THE BOYS FROM BRAZIL) was the director who also received an Oscar for Best Director and Best Picture. He was more of an early television director responsible for the success of PLAYHOUSE NINETY. He was one of the first to utilize moving cameras while filming for TV. He knew how to create the overwhelming, huge battle scenes while capturing the pageantry of the tanks and troops marching by in parade mode. He knew what he wanted audiences to take away from PATTON.
Schaffner held his ground when Scott didn’t agree with his choices, even going so far as to lie to him. He told Scott the opening scene with PATTON in front of the American flag, giving the troops his pep talk, would be edited to the end of the film, where Scott insisted it be placed. Obviously, Schaffner didn’t agree, and Scott never found out until the film was finished. This was a man who had a strong vision for his cinematic work. It is, however, a travesty that several animals were killed during filming due to the explosive scenes and falling shrapnel. Thank goodness there are better, more current animal rights activists than there were in 1970.
Karl Malden portrayed the powerful General Bradley. He was a great match-up against Scott. Their dialogues together showcased what it took to command an army the size of which most of us could never imagine. Their argumentative scenes greatly enhanced the exploration of PATTON as an individual fighting his own mental battles. Their argumentative scenes stripped away the layers of these two giants and were necessary to give audiences a complete picture. They were surrounded by a phenomenal, supporting male ensemble, some of whom were regular soldiers from local bases.
PATTON is a sprawling, epic war biopic classic. It is a celluloid masterpiece that takes audiences on a long journey (almost 3 hours), dissecting the times and the life of General PATTON, a flawed man who could not keep his mouth shut or his inflated opinions to himself. PATTON immensely helped the Allies win World War II. This was a man who used to scream at his troops that he would not have any cowards in his army. This was a man who could “sniff out” centuries-old battlefields and also quote chapter and verse from the Bible. He devoutly prayed, yet caused a gigantic PR ruckus because he slapped a crying soldier. Fighting and winning the war was everything to him.
George C. Scott prolifically demonstrated all of these moments and more in PATTON. He was the reason the film was so successful critically and financially. Scott and PATTON’s legacies are forever linked. PATTON is quoted at the end, saying, “All glory is fleeting.” Maybe so, maybe so…. But as Memorial Day approaches, let’s all give a shout-out to the men and women who protect and serve our country.
PATTON is streaming on TCM.
