Patton (film)
Patton | |
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Directed by | Franklin J. Schaffner |
Screenplay by | |
Based on |
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Produced by | Frank McCarthy |
Starring | |
Cinematography | 20th Century Fox |
Release dates |
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Running time | 172 minutes rentals)[3] |
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 as Patton and Karl Malden as General Omar Bradley, and was directed by Franklin J. Schaffner from a script by Francis Ford Coppola and Edmund H. North, who based their screenplay on Patton: Ordeal and Triumph by Ladislas Farago and Bradley's memoir, A Soldier's Story.
Patton won seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Original Screenplay. Although Scott won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role, he declined the award.[4] The opening monologue, delivered by Scott as General Patton with an enormous American flag behind him, remains an iconic and often quoted image in film. 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 also preserved Patton in 2003.[5]
Plot
General George S. Patton addresses an unseen audience of American troops, emphasizing the importance Americans place upon victorious role models as well as his own demands that his men defeat the enemy by working and fighting as a team.
In its first encounter with the German Afrika Korps at the Battle of Kasserine Pass, the II Corps is humiliatingly defeated by Field Marshal Erwin Rommel, whom Patton places in high regard as a respected rival. Patton is placed in command of II Corps and immediately begins instilling discipline amongst his untested troops. Alongside the poor condition of American soldiers in the II Corps, Patton also identifies the stubbornness of his British counterpart; General Bernard Montgomery constantly undermines American forces to hog the glory. Patton's chance to prove his worth comes at the Battle of El Guettar where Patton defeats the Germans.
The eventual Allied victory in
With the
During the Battle of the Bulge Patton devises a plan to relieve the trapped 101st Airborne Division in Bastogne, which he does before smashing through the Siegfried Line and into Germany.
Germany capitulates, though Patton's outspokenness lands him in trouble once again when he compares American politics to Nazism. Though he is sacked again, Patton is kept on to see the rebuilding of Germany. In a final scene Patton is seen walking Willie, his bull terrier. Patton's voice is heard,
For over a thousand years, Roman conquerors returning from the wars enjoyed the honor of a triumph - a tumultuous parade. In the procession came trumpeters and musicians and strange animals from the conquered territories, together with carts laden with treasure and captured armaments. The conqueror rode in a triumphal chariot, the dazed prisoners walking in chains before him. Sometimes his children, robed in white, stood with him in the chariot, or rode the trace horses. A slave stood behind the conqueror, holding a golden crown, and whispering in his ear a warning: that all glory ... is fleeting.
Cast
- George C. Scott as General George S. Patton
- Karl Malden as General Omar N. Bradley
- David Bauer as Lieutenant General Harry Buford
- Edward Binns as Lieutenant General Walter Bedell Smith
- John Doucette as Major General Lucian Truscott
- Michael Strong as Brigadier General Hobart Gay
- Peter Barkworth as Colonel John Welkin
- Lawrence Dobkin as Colonel Gaston Bell
- Paul Stevens as Colonel Charles R. Codman
- Morgan Paull as Captain Richard N. Jenson
- Stephen Young as Captain Chester B. Hansen
- James Edwards as Sergeant William George Meeks
- Tim Considine as a shell-shocked soldier
- Bernard Montgomery
- Jack Gwillim as Field Marshal Sir Harold Alexander
- Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Tedder
- Air Vice-Marshal Sir Arthur Coningham
- Frank Latimore as Lieutenant Colonel Henry Davenport
- Karl Michael Vogler as Field Marshal Erwin Rommel
- Colonel General Alfred Jodl
- Siegfried Rauch as Captain Oskar Steiger
Production
Lee Marvin, Burt Lancaster, John Wayne, Robert Mitchum and Rod Steiger declined the role of Patton.[6][7] Steiger later said it was his greatest mistake.[8] Charlton Heston was considered for the role of Omar N. Bradley before Karl Malden was cast.[7]
Development
Attempts to make a film about the life of Patton had been made since he died in 1945 but his widow, Beatrice, resisted.[9] After her death in 1953, producer Frank McCarthy began the project and, the day after Beatrice was buried, the producers contacted the family for help in making the film, requesting access to Patton's diaries, as well as input from family members but the family declined to help.[10] McCarthy also sought co-operation from The Pentagon; they also initially refused, as Patton's son, George Patton IV, was in the Army, and Patton's second daughter, Ruth, was married to an officer. By 1959, McCarthy had convinced the Army to co-operate.[11][9]
Bradley, the only surviving
Filming
The film started shooting February 3, 1969 and was shot at seventy-one locations in six countries, mostly in Spain, which had a lot of the U.S. Army's World War II surplus equipment.[11][9]
One scene, which depicts Patton driving up to an ancient city that is implied to be
The film was shot by cinematographer Fred J. Koenekamp in 65 mm Dimension 150, only the second film to be shot in that format after The Bible: In the Beginning... (1966).[9]
A sizeable amount of battle scene footage was left out of the final cut of Patton, but a use was soon found for it. Outtakes from Patton were used to provide battle scenes in the made-for-TV film Fireball Forward, which was first broadcast in 1972. The film was produced by Patton producer Frank McCarthy and Edmund North wrote the screenplay. One of the cast members of Patton, Morgan Paull, appeared in this production.[18]
Opening
The film opens with Scott's rendering of
When Scott learned that the speech would open the film, he refused to do it, as he believed that it would overshadow the rest of his performance. Director Schaffner assured him that it would be shown at the end. The scene was shot in one afternoon at Sevilla Studios in Madrid, with the flag having been painted on the back of the stage wall.[20]
All the medals and decorations shown on Patton's uniform in the monologue are replicas of those actually awarded to Patton. However, the general never wore all of them in public and was in any case not a
Music
The critically acclaimed score for Patton was composed and conducted by the prolific composer Jerry Goldsmith. Goldsmith used a number of innovative methods to tie the music to the film, such as having an echoplex loop recorded sounds of "call to war" triplets played on the trumpet to musically represent General Patton's belief in reincarnation. The main theme also consisted of a symphonic march accompanied by a pipe organ to represent the militaristic yet deeply religious nature of the protagonist.[21] The music to Patton subsequently earned Goldsmith an Oscar nomination for Best Original Score and was one of the American Film Institute's 250 nominees for the top twenty-five American film scores.[22] The original soundtrack has been released three times on disc and once on LP: through Twentieth-Century Fox Records in 1970, Tsunami Records in 1992, Film Score Monthly in 1999, and a two-disc extended version through Intrada Records in 2010.[21][23]
2010 Intrada Records album
Disc One
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Patton Salute (Solo Bugle)" | 0:44 |
2. | "Main Title" | 3:08 |
3. | "The Battleground" | 2:14 |
4. | "The Cemetery" | 2:42 |
5. | "The First Battle" | 2:50 |
6. | "The Funeral" | 1:54 |
7. | "The Hospital" | 3:36 |
8. | "The Prayer" | 1:11 |
9. | "No Assignment" | 2:23 |
10. | "Patton March" | 1:53 |
11. | "Attack" | 3:15 |
12. | "German Advance" | 2:32 |
13. | "An Eloquent Man" | 1:43 |
14. | "The Payoff" | 2:26 |
15. | "A Change Of Weather" | 1:23 |
16. | "Pensive Patton" | 0:16 |
17. | "End Title" | 2:20 |
18. | "Echoplex Session (bonus)" | 5:29 |
Total length: | 41:11 |
Disc Two
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Patton Speech (spoken by George C. Scott)" | 4:54 |
2. | "Main Title" | 2:17 |
3. | "The Battleground" | 2:19 |
4. | "The First Battle" | 2:48 |
5. | "Attack" | 3:14 |
6. | "The Funeral" | 1:53 |
7. | "Winter March" | 1:55 |
8. | "Patton March" | 2:04 |
9. | "No Assignment" | 1:59 |
10. | "German Advance" | 2:31 |
11. | "The Hospital" | 3:18 |
12. | "The Payoff" | 2:22 |
13. | "End Title & Speech (spoken by George C. Scott)" | 1:01 |
14. | "End Title (sans dialogue) (bonus)" | 1:11 |
Total length: | 33:46 |
Release
The film had its premiere on Wednesday, February 4, 1970, at the
First telecast
Patton was first telecast by
Home media
In 1977, Patton was among the first 50
Patton was first released on DVD in 1999, featuring an audio commentary by Charles M. Province, the founder of The George S. Patton Jr. Historical Society, and again in 2006, with a commentary by screenwriter Francis Ford Coppola and extra bonus features.
The film made its
Reception
Box office
The film grossed an estimated $51,000 in its first week.
Critical response
Roger Ebert said of George C. Scott, "It is one of those sublime performances in which the personalities of the actor and the character are fulfilled in one another."[31] Gene Siskel gave the film three stars out of four and wrote that George C. Scott "has created an acting tour de force," but found it "repetitive – the second half doesn't tell us anything more than the first."[32] Vincent Canby of The New York Times wrote, "The most refreshing thing about 'Patton' is that here—I think for the first time—the subject matter and the style of the epic war movie are perfectly matched ... Although the cast is large, the only performance of note is that of Scott, who is continuously entertaining and, occasionally, very appealing."[33] Charles Champlin of the Los Angeles Times wrote, "'Patton' has, like Lawrence of Arabia, done the near-impossible by creating a finely detailed portrait despite all the tuggings toward simplification which are inevitable in the big budget, long, loud roadshow production desperate to attract mass audiences. As Patton, George Scott gives one of the great and unforgettable screen characterizations."[34] Gary Arnold of The Washington Post wrote that the film "eventually shares the dramatic limitations, as well as the visual triumphs, of Lawrence of Arabia: yet another fascinating but inconclusive portrait of a mercurial military leader. The camera focus is sharp, but the dramatic focus is blurred. We never quite understand Patton in historical context, in relation to the other generals of the period, and to the entire Allied war effort."[35] Pauline Kael of The New Yorker wrote that "technically the movie is awesomely impressive," but went on to state that "I'm sure it will be said that the picture is 'true' to Patton and to history, but I think it strings us along and holds out on us. If we don't just want to have our prejudices greased, we'll find it confusing and unsatisfying, because we aren't given enough information to evaluate Patton's actions."[36] John Gillett of The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote, "While communicating a relish for the man with all his warts, [Schaffner] also pinpoints the monstrous prejudices which lay beneath the surface. And, of course, he chose the right actor. Karl Malden's Bradley is neatly observed and the German players are good, but Scott's performance rightly dwarfs all the rest."[37]
Online film critic James Berardinelli has called Patton his favorite film of all time[38] and "to this day one of Hollywood's most compelling biographical war pictures."[39]
According to Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein's book The Final Days, it was also Richard Nixon's favorite film. Nixon first viewed Patton with his family at a private screening in the White House Family Theater on April 5, 1970. Nixon became obsessed with the film, repeatedly watching it with Henry Kissinger over the next month. He screened it several times at the White House and during a cruise on the presidential yacht USS Sequoia in the Potomac River. Kissinger sarcastically wrote of Nixon's insistence that he see the film on the cruise: "It was the second time he had so honored me. Inspiring as the film no doubt was, I managed to escape for an hour in the middle of it to prepare for the next day’s NSC meeting."[40]
Review aggregate website Rotten Tomatoes reported that 90% of critics gave the film a positive review based on 52 reviews, with an average score of 8.4/10. Rotten Tomatoes summarizes the critical consensus as, "George C. Scott's sympathetic, unflinching portrayal of the titular general in this sprawling epic is as definitive as any performance in the history of American biopics."[41]
Accolades
In 1971, the film was nominated for 10 Academy Awards at the 1971 ceremony, winning seven awards (including Best Picture). George C. Scott also won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance, but he declined it, citing a dislike of the voting process and the concept of acting competitions. He was the first actor to do so. The film's producer, Frank McCarthy, accepted the award on Scott's behalf.[42][43][44]
The Best Picture statuette is on display at the George C. Marshall Museum at the Virginia Military Institute, courtesy of Frank McCarthy.
In 2006, the Writers Guild of America selected Francis Ford Coppola and Edmund H. North's adapted screenplay as the 94th best screenplay of all time.
American Film Institute Lists
- AFI's 100 Years...100 Movies – #89
- AFI's 100 Years...100 Heroes and Villains:
- George S. Patton – #29 Hero
Sequel
A
See also
Notes
- ^ "Patton". British Board of Film Classification.
- ISBN 978-0-8108-4244-1.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-8108-4244-1.
- ^ TotalFilm. "Review of Patton". Archived from the original on July 5, 2011. Retrieved April 24, 2006.
- ^ "Preserved Projects". Academy Film Archive. Archived from the original on August 13, 2016. Retrieved August 4, 2016.
- ^ "Patton".
- ^ a b Gussow, Mel (April 21, 1971). "'Patton' Campaign: It Took 19 Years". The New York Times.
- ^ Cornwell, Rupert (July 10, 2002). "Rod Steiger, 'brooding and volatile' Hollywood tough guy for more than 50 years, dies aged 77". The Independent. Archived from the original on September 13, 2011. Retrieved May 21, 2009.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Patton at the American Film Institute Catalog
- OCLC 857277430.
- ^ a b c d e "Why I Wanted To Portray Patton". Photoplay. July 1970. p. 24.
- ^ "From 'The Godfather' Trilogy to 'American Graffiti', 'Patton', 'The Conversation' & 'Apocalypse Now', Francis Ford Coppola Shares His Oscar Memories". March 25, 2022.
- ISBN 0-06-016455-7.
- ISBN 978-0-8050-5686-0.
- ^ a b c d Marshall, S.L.A. (March 21, 1970). "Great Georgie Redone". The Charleston Gazette. 4: 4.
- ISBN 84-206-0575-1.
- ^ Mitchell, George J. "The Photography of "Patton"". in70mm.com. Archived from the original on January 5, 2012. Retrieved December 29, 2011.
- ^ "Fireball Forward - Rotten Tomatoes". Flixster, Inc. Archived from the original on September 25, 2020. Retrieved November 12, 2012.
- ^ ≠°Travers, Steven. The Duke, the Longhorns, and Chairman Mao: John Wayne's Political Odyssey."
- ^ Mitchell, George J. (1975). "The Photography of Patton". After the Battle (7): 38–43. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved September 7, 2017.
- ^ Filmtracks.com. Retrieved 2011-04-22.
- ^ AFI's 100 Years Of Film Scores Archived 2011-07-16 at the Wayback Machine from the American Film Institute. Retrieved 2011-04-22.
- ^ "Patton". Intrada Records. Archived from the original on October 21, 2012. Retrieved October 21, 2012.
- Daily Variety. February 6, 1970. p. 3.
- ^ a b "Hit Movies on U.S. TV Since 1961". Variety. January 24, 1990. p. 160.
- ^ Maxwell, Barrie (November 8, 2012). "Patton (Remastered)". The Digital Bits. Archived from the original on September 16, 2017. Retrieved October 29, 2017.
- ^ "Strength at Some N.Y. Situations; 'Patton' Spanky 51G; 'Zabriskie' OK Kickoff; 'Looking Glass,' In 2, Big". Variety. February 11, 1970. p. 9.
- ISBN 978-0-8184-0485-6.
- ^ Cohn, Lawrence (October 15, 1990). "All-Time Film Rental Champs". Variety. p. M178.
- ^ "Patton, Box Office Information". Box Office Mojo. Archived from the original on January 29, 2012. Retrieved January 29, 2012.
- ^ Roger Ebert (March 17, 2002). "Patton (1970)". rogerebert.com. Retrieved December 1, 2009.
- ^ Siskel, Gene (March 5, 1970). "Patton". Chicago Tribune. Section 2, p. 11.
- ^ Canby, Vincent (February 5, 1970). "The Screen: 'Patton: Salute to Rebel'". The New York Times. 33.
- ^ Champlin, Charles (February 15, 1970). "'Patton' Features George C. Scott as 'Old Blood and Guts'". Los Angeles Times. Calendar, p. 13.
- ^ Arnold, Gary (March 1, 1970). "Take Your Pick of War Heroes: General Patton". The Washington Post. F1-F2.
- ^ Kael, Pauline (January 31, 1970). "The Current Cinema". The New Yorker. p. 73.
- ^ Gillett, John (June 1970). "Patton: Lust For Glory". The Monthly Film Bulletin. 37 (437): 123.
- ^ "#1: Patton". reelviews.net. Archived from the original on December 1, 2018. Retrieved July 1, 2017.
- ^ James Berardinelli. "Patton". reelviews.net. Archived from the original on December 5, 2020. Retrieved December 1, 2009.
- OCLC 906705247.
- ^ "Patton". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Archived from the original on November 12, 2020. Retrieved July 29, 2022.
- ^ "The 43rd Academy Awards (1971) Nominees and Winners". oscars.org. Archived from the original on July 2, 2015. Retrieved August 27, 2011.
- ^ Purtell, Tim (April 16, 1993). "1971: George C. Patton said no to Oscar". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on August 10, 2014. Retrieved April 28, 2020.
- ^ "NY Times: Patton". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. 2009. Archived from the original on April 13, 2009. Retrieved December 28, 2008.
- ^ "The 43rd Academy Awards (1971) Nominees and Winners". oscars.org. Archived from the original on July 2, 2015. Retrieved July 4, 2015.
- BAFTA. 1966. Retrieved September 16, 2016.
- ^ "23rd DGA Awards". Directors Guild of America Awards. Retrieved July 5, 2021.
- HFPA. Retrieved July 5, 2021.
- ^ "KCFCC Award Winners – 1970-79". December 14, 2013. Retrieved July 10, 2021.
- ^ "1970 Award Winners". National Board of Review. Retrieved July 5, 2021.
- ^ "Complete National Film Registry Listing". Library of Congress. Retrieved December 16, 2015.
- ^ "1970 New York Film Critics Circle Awards". New York Film Critics Circle. Retrieved July 5, 2021.
- ^ "Film Hall of Fame Inductees: Productions". Online Film & Television Association. Retrieved August 15, 2021.
- ^ "Awards Winners". wga.org. Writers Guild of America. Archived from the original on December 5, 2012. Retrieved June 6, 2010.
- ^ Declined award.
- ^ Tied with Five Easy Pieces.
Further reading
- In 2005, Patton's wife's "Button Box" manuscript was finally released by his family, with the posthumous release of Ruth Ellen Patton Totten's book, The Button Box: A Daughter's Loving Memoir of Mrs. George S. Patton.Taylor, John M.; Taylor, Priscilla S. (July 23, 2005). "Gen. Patton's wife, a New York citizen". The Washington Times.
- Suid, Lawrence H. (2002). Guts & Glory: The Making of the American Military Image in Film. University Press of Kentucky. pp. 260–278. ISBN 978-0-8131-9018-1. Suid's book contains an extended discussion of the production of Patton and of public and critical response to the film; the discussion occupies most of the chapter, "13. John Wayne, The Green Berets, and Other Heroes".
External links
- Patton at IMDb
- Patton at AllMovie
- Patton at the TCM Movie Database
- Patton at the American Film Institute Catalog
- Patton at Box Office Mojo
- Patton at Rotten Tomatoes
- Patton at Metacritic