Review of Patton (1970) by Gary S — 27 Mar 2011

Freaking fantastic film that's longer than it should be and a bit slow at times but is so well acted that it more than makes up for those shortcomings. George C. Scott gives one of the best performances of all time as the title character Patton; why this man isn't more of a legend in cinema is truly baffling. Probably because he rejected the Academy whenever they nominated him for anything, citing that it "shouldn't be a competition." Good for him.

The cinematography is also nice, and the story takes an interesting spin on the tired WWII genre by focusing on a less than sympathetic American general whose historical ambitions teetered on the verge of obsession. The acting from Scott is astounding; something to truly behold. His mannerisms and facial expressions, along with his often hilarious line readings are just brilliant. I'm not sure if some of those lines were meant to come out as comical as they do, but the character just says such absurd things sometimes in such a believable way that you can't help but laugh. What a great, gruff voice.

And the action set pieces are spectacular, more so than in most action films today. I have no idea how they pulled off some of those scenes with the tanks and fighter planes and hundreds and hundreds of soldiers all in the same shot at the same time, and the first set piece where Patton is shooting at bomber planes with his pistol as they fly over his head, with everything in the same frame. How the heck did they do all that without special effects? It must have taken forever.

The film is truly an achievement, both technically and artistically, with a performance that's really one of the best ever captured on film. If the film had been tighter, it would probably be more accessible, but as it stands, it's pretty great, especially if you're a fan of action films, or war films, or films with brilliant performances. Strongly recommended.