The film ‘Patton’ chronicles the story of General George S. Patton, a World War II tank commander, from his arrival in North Africa to the allied invasion of Europe and the eventual defeat of Germany. The movie opens with Patton (played convincingly by George C. Scott) addressing his troops with a screen-sized American flag as the backdrop. In the next scene, Patton arrives in North Africa at Kasserine, the site of a battle in which American soldiers, under British command, were massacred by the Germans.
His first battle pits his troops against the famous German tank commander Irwin Rommel’s Afrika Corps. Following the victory at Kaserine, Patton gives a high-level, formal dinner to promote his plans for invading Sicily. He wants to land his troops at Palermo, a city on the Northwest corner of the island then drive to Messina, the gateway to Italy located at the Northeast of Sicily while British Field Marshal (Bernard) Montgomery invades Syracuse in the South and drives northward to Messina.
By doing this, Patton’s troops would cut off the escape route of the Germans. Patton’s plan was nixed by the allied high command and he was ordered to protect (Monty’s) left flank on the mountainous road to Messina. Patton ignored the order, drove his troops to victory at Palermo then beat ‘Monty’ to Messina. This was the beginning of the war of egos between the commanders that would last throughout the war (Patton, 1970).
During his march to Messina, Patton entered an army hospital to console the wounded and came across a soldier suffering from ‘battle fatigue.’ Patton became enraged, slapped the soldier and threatened to shoot him then ordered him to be sent to the front lines. This incident caused Patton to be subjugated to a decoy while the command of the American forces in Europe was given to Bradley. The decoy ploy worked as Germany scattered its troops to counteract Patton’s movements. The ruse was especially effective during the allied invasion of Normandy (D-Day). After the D-Day invasion, Patton was given command of the Third Army which cut a swift path across France toward German soil but was re-directed Northward to thwart the last, desperate advance by the Germans commonly know as the Battle of the Bulge. (Patton, 1970).
The film was released in 1970 during the height of the protest movement of the Vietnam War. It reminded the public of a time when Americans were proud of their involvement in military actions. “‘Patton,’ released during the height of the Vietnam War, successfully had it both ways. It could be appreciated by hawks, as a celebration of Patton’s courage and battlefield genius, and also by doves, as an exposure of his failings” (Wilmington, 2002).
The film was essentially accurate in its depiction of historical events but a couple of aspects stood out as inaccurate such as Patton’s speech to his troops in which he apologized for the slapping incident. While he was indeed ordered to do so by Allied Commander Dwight Eisenhower and did gather those under his command for the apology, in reality, his troops cheered for long and so loud at his arrival, he was never able to deliver this speech as the film depicted.
Those words on the balcony were never spoken. The movie showed his blatant disregard for American casualties in favor of victory at any cost which is fictional as his casualty rates were among the lowest in the European theater. “Patton was neither cold nor insensitive, he cared deeply about those under his command who stood in the face of enemy fire and refused to yield” (Berardinelli, 1994). One can learn a brief overview of the war and the integral part that Patton’s armies played in the liberation of Europe and defeat of Germany as it was based on, for the most part, historical events. “(Patton) is a ‘mini’ history lesson of the war in Europe.
Everyone is there, Patton, Bradley, and Montgomery played remarkably true to life” (Patton, 2001). This film was inspirational, to say the least. It won much acclaim following its release and although somewhat dated by today’s cinematic standards, it is easy to understand why. The overall feeling one takes away after viewing the film is a deeper appreciation of those that served and died for the greater good and for a man who was the right person, at the right time in history. Without his strong leadership, it seems that the war would have been prolonged at the very least with the cost of many more lives.
Works Cited
Patton Dir. Franklin J. Schaffner. Perf. George C. Scott, Karl Malden, Stephen Young, Michael Strong and Carey Loftin. 20th Century Fox (1970).
“Patton” History in Film. (2001). Web.
Berardinelli, James. “Patton” Film Review (1994). Web.
Wilmington, Michael. “Movie review, ‘Patton’” Metromix (2002). Web.