==Introduction=="Patton" is a biopic of one of America’s greatest generals in World War II. The motion picture portrays the role of General George S. Patton, the most famous Allies tank commander of WW II. It concentrates on Patton’s career from 1942 to 1945. The movie begins with Patton's career during the North Africa campaign and his battle with Rommel, the Desert Fox. It then follows his part in the invasion of Sicily, his disgrace for striking a soldier and his role in the liberation of Europe after the D-Day landings and his role in the fall of the Third Reich. The feature also briefly deals with his role in post-war Germany and his death in an accidental car crash in the winter of 1945. The movie shows the strengths and weakness of this most difficult and brilliant man. The movie Patton was released in 1970 and it was a great success and one of the cinematic hits of that year. Directed by Franklin J. Schaffner, the movie was scripted by Francis Ford Coppola of Godfather fame and Edward Hill <ref>Cousins, Mark. The Story of Film: A Worldwide History (New York: Thunder's Mouth Press, 2006), p. 213</ref>. The film was produced by Twentieth Century Fox. The role of Patton was played by the American character actor George C Scott. The movie was enthusiastically received by both the public and the critics and won several Academy Awards. This article will discuss how accurate was the movie and did it reflect the reality of Patton’s role in the defeat of Nazi Germany.__NOTOC__[[File: 70 patton.jpg|200px300px|thumbthumbnail|left|A poster of the movie <i>Patton</i> starring George C. Scott]]
=="Patton and the opening Speech==The movie has " is a biopic of one of the most memorable opening scenes America’s greatest generals in Hollywood history. George C Scott emerges as Patton and gives a remarkable speech in front of a huge banner of the Stars and StripesWorld War II. The opening scene was written by Francis Ford Coppola and was not intended to be in motion picture portrays the final cut role of the movie but the director had second thoughts and luckily left it inGeneral George S. The speech of Patton was a unique blend of patriotism, nobility and crudities. However, Patton never gave such a speech. Yet it would be wrong to state that the speech was just a fabrication. Coppola cleverly took quotes from Patton’s speeches and interviews with reports and combined them in a brilliant way<ref>Cousins, p. 214</ref>most famous Allies tank commander of WW II. The words in the speech are It concentrates on Patton’s apart career from some lines used by the screenwriter 1942 to integrate the quotes into a coherent speech1945. The result was one of the most outstanding introductions in movie history but strictly speaking begins with Patton's career during the American general never gave such a speech. ==Patton in North Africa==The movie after the opening credits show the aftermath of a terrible American defeat in Kasserine Pass in Tunisia. Rommel had ruthlessly exposed the weakness and lack of experience of the Americans campaign and inflicted upon them a severe setback. It is believed that some 2000 American G.I.s died in the disaster. We first see Patton inspecting the battlefield after his appointment as commander. George Patton was a great admirer of Rommel and he studied his work and tactics. The movie correctly shows how the American general based his strategy against Rommel on the Desert Fox’s own ideas. The 1970 feature shows Patton reforming the army units that were defeated at Kasserine Pass and imposing strict discipline on the soldiers. He was a stickler when it came to the rules and discipline. This had a powerful impact on the G.Is and Patton did manage to transform them into a formidable fighting force. In the next battle, they did manage to defeat the Germans under with Rommel and this was a very important victory for America as it showed to their allies that they could defeat the Germans on their own<ref> D'Este, Carlo, Patton: A Genius for War (New York City: Harper Collins, 1995), p. 113</ref>. However, the part played by Patton in the allied victory over the Afrika Korps is overstatedDesert Fox. It took until 1943 for the allies to wear the Germans down in Tunisia and Patton did not play the decisive role in the Allied victory that the movie implied and that the General would often claim. [[File: Debbie Reynolds Auction - George C Scott -General George S Patton Jr- military shirt and tie from -Patton-.jpg|200px|thumb|left|A uniform worn byGeorge C Scott in the movie]]
==Patton in Sicily==The film does accurately relate the leading role played by Patton It then follows his part in the liberation invasion of Sicily. His daring use of Armor was crucial in the defeat of the Nazis on the island. The movie does show Patton being motivated by the desire to do better than General Montgomery, the victor at El Alamein. There was his disgrace for striking a great personal rivalry between the two men who were both driven and wildly ambitious soldier and his role in many ways alike. The rivalry between Montgomery and Patton was a feature the liberation of Europe after the Sicilian campaign D-Day landings and was perhaps a factor his role in why it ended so quickly and with a decisive Allied victory. In fact, the rivalry was not as intense as the motion picture suggests and the two men worked together when needed for the good fall of the Allied cause<ref>D’Este, p. 119</ref>Third Reich. The movie shows Patton after visiting the wounded seeing a shellfeature also briefly deals with his role in post-shocked soldier. The G.I. was unable to continue fighting war Germany and had been sent behind the lines for treatment. Patton is outraged when he sees the soldier who does not have any physical wounds and is assumed by him to be a malingerer and he verbally and physically assaults him. When this was seen by a reporter it was widely publicized his death in an accidental car crash in America and elsewhere <ref>Lovelace, Alexander G. "The Image of a General: The Wartime Relationship between General George S. Patton Jr. and the American Media", Journalism History, 40 (no. 2 (Summer 2014)), pp. 108–120</ref>. This incident did lead to Patton being ordered to stand down and he was not given a front-line posting for almost a year. However, what the movie failed to show was that Patton slapped two different soldiers who he accused winter of being cowards. The scene where Patton apologizes to the soldier was accurate. The movie accurately reflects Patton’s reaction to his disgrace in Sicily1945. The order to remove him from the battlefield provoked a personal crisis for Patton. [[File: Pattonphoto.jpg|200px|thumb|left|Patton in 1944]]
==The movie portrayal shows the strengths and weakness of this challenging and brilliant man. The movie <i>Patton==It is generally accepted that Patton or old Blood and Guts as his men liked to call him was outstanding. He captures </i> was released in 1970 during the essence midst of the man and his many contradictionsVietnam War. Patton When it was a cultured man released, it was both a critical and believed in traditional values yet he could also be crude financial success. Directed by Franklin J. Schaffner, the movie was scripted by Francis Ford Coppola of Godfather fame and a bully Edward Hill. <ref>EssameCousins, HMark., PattonThe Story of Film: A Study in Command Worldwide History (New York City: Scribner & SonsThunder's Mouth Press, 19952006), p. 67213</ref>Twentieth Century Fox produced the film. The drive and the ambition role of Patton are also brilliantly captured in was played by the American character actor George C Scott. The movie. He was a very ambitious man enthusiastically received by both the public and believed that he was a great leader the critics and from childhood he believed that he was destined for greatness. The physical bravery of Patton is shown in many instances. It also won several Academy Awards. The film fairly accurately catches reflects the outspokenness reality of Patton’s role in the General and his love defeat of publicityGermany. Never shy to boast about his exploits, ====Patton was regularly in and the papers and was a very well-known figure in America. opening Speech====The movie also traces has one of the relationship between most memorable opening scenes in Hollywood history. George C. Scott emerges as Patton and General Omar Bradley and indeed gives a remarkable speech in front of a huge banner of the two men were close friends Stars and colleaguesStripes. The movie gets right many opening scene was written by Francis Ford Coppola and was not intended to be in the final cut of the details movie, But, the director had second thoughts and luckily left it in. The speech of Patton’s life such as his pearl-handled revolvers Patton was a unique blend of patriotism, nobility, and his white English bull terrier <ref> Essamecrudities. However, pPatton never gave such a speech. 203It would be wrong to state that the speech was just a fabrication. Coppola cleverly took quotes from Patton’s speeches and interviews and combined them in a brilliant way.<ref>Cousins, p. 214</ref>. These were part of The words in the public image of Old Blood and Guts, which he cultivated assiduouslyspeech are Patton’s apart from some lines used by the screenwriter to integrate the quotes into a coherent speech. The movie does catch the character result was one of the Generalmost outstanding introductions in movie history, but strictly speaking, Patton never gave this speech. ==Patton and the Phantom Army==Patton is shown in North Africa====[[File: Debbie Reynolds Auction - George C Scott -General George S Patton Jr- military shirt and tie from -Patton-.jpg|200px|thumb|left|One of the wilderness uniforms worn by George C Scott during Patton]]The movie after his disgrace in Sicilythe opening credits shows the aftermath of a terrible American defeat in Kasserine Pass in Tunisia. He is show in Rommel had ruthlessly exposed the movie as appointing weakness and lack of experience of the famous ‘Phantom Army’ <ref>D’Este, pAmericans and inflicted a severe setback. Over 2000 American G.I. 2013</ref>s died in the disaster. This was We first see Patton inspecting the case in real life and battlefield after his appointment as commander. Patton was placed in charge a great admirer of a phantom army that was designed to deceive Rommel, and he studied his work and tactics. The movie correctly shows how the Nazis concerning the location of American general based his strategy against Rommel on the D-Day landingsDesert Fox’s ideas. The 1970 feature shows Patton was part of an elaborate plan of misinformation that fooled reforming the Germans into thinking army units that the invasion of Europe would happen were defeated at Calais Kasserine Pass and not in Normandyimposing strict discipline on the soldiers. This deception known as Operation Fortitude He was very successful a stickler when it came to the rules and helped regulations. His attention to ensure that detail had a powerful impact on the D-Day Landings were G.Is. Patton did manage to transform them into a successformidable fighting force. This is all accurate and In the next battle, they did manage to defeat the Germans under Rommel. This victory was critical because it shows Patton’s deep unhappiness at this timeshowed their allies that America could beat the Germans on their own. He regarded command of the Phantom Army as a humiliation and believed that he was being denied a share of the glory of <ref> D-Day. The movie also shows how desperate 'Este, Carlo, Patton was to return to combat and General Dwight Eisenhower’s: A Genius for War (New York City: Harper Collins, the allied army’s Chief of Staff doubts about his reliability1995), p. The film also shows 113</ref> However, the part played by Patton begging in the allied victory over the Afrika Korps is overstated. It took until 1943 for his old position but this was the allies to wear the Germans down in Tunisia. Patton did not play the case, he was a proud man decisive role in the Allied victory even though both the movie and besides it had already been agreed that he would return to a front-line command Patton implied otherwise. ====Patton in Sicily====[[File: Pattonphoto.jpg|300px|thumbnail|left|Patton in 1944]]The film does accurately relate the leading role after D-Day<ref>D’Este, pplayed by Patton in the liberation of Sicily. 213</ref>His daring use of armor was crucial in the defeat of the German army on the island. The movie while not completely accurate does capture show Patton being motivated by the desire to do better than General Montgomery, the victor at this personally difficult time for him before and after D-DayEl Alamein.==Paton There was a great personal rivalry between the two men. They were both driven and wildly ambitious. The movie suggests that the Liberation of Europe==rivalry between Montgomery and Patton was appointed commander a feature of the US Third Army Sicilian campaign and was perhaps a few weeks after Normandy. This was accurate. It was factor in this campaign that he displayed his greatest skills as why it ended so quickly with a commanderdecisive Allied victory. The movie shows Patton brilliantly employing his tanks to break out of Normandy rivalry was not as intense as the motion picture suggests and allow the allied army to advance into two men worked together when needed for the central plains good of France and onwards to Paristhe Allied cause.<ref>D’Este, p. 119</ref> The movie captures very well Patton’s advance towards the German border shows Patton after visiting the wounded seeing a shell-shocked soldier. The G.I. was unable to continue fighting and how had been sent behind the advance was halted because lines for treatment. Patton is outraged when he sees the 3rd army had run out of fuelsoldier who does not have any physical wounds and is assumed by him to be a malingerer, and he verbally and physically assaults him. This When a reporter saw this it was the case widely publicized in America and the movie shows the anger and frustration felt by Patton at this factelsewhere.<ref> EssameLovelace, pAlexander G. 203</ref> "The Image of a General: The Wartime Relationship between General George S. He truly believed that if he had been given more fuel that he could have ended Patton Jr. and the war in Europe much more quicklyAmerican Media", Journalism History, 40 (no. 2 (Summer 2014)), pp. The movie does not really show Patton’s role in 108–120</ref> After the Lorraine campaign on the German-French border. Here incident, Patton defeated 's commander ordered to step down from his post, and he was not given a counterfront-attack by line posting for almost a Panzer Army but year. However, what the movie failed to show was told that Patton slapped two different soldiers who he could not advance into Germanyaccused of being cowards. This The scene where Patton apologizes to the soldier was a bitter disappointment to Patton as he once again believed that General Eisenhower was frustrating accurate. The movie accurately reflects Patton’s reaction to his efforts to bring the war disgrace in Europe to a swift conclusion. This crucial part Sicily. ====The movie portrayal of Patton’s story Patton====It is not presented in generally accepted that Patton or "Old Blood and Guts" as his men liked to call him was an outstanding soldier who possessed an oversized personality. Scott effectively captured the movie. The Battle essence of the Bulge was one of Patton’s man and indeed the American army’s finest hourshis many contradictions. The General led his units in Patton was a counterattack that was pivotal cultured man and believed in driving the German counter-attack backtraditional values, yet he could also be crude and a bully. The role of Patton <ref>Essame, H., Patton: A Study in the Battle is not exaggerated and he played a very important role Command (New York City: Scribner & Sons, 1995), p. 67</ref> The drive and the ambition of Patton are also brilliantly captured in the American victorymovie. One famous scene in the movie is incorrectHe was a very ambitious man and believed that he was a great leader. We are shown Even from childhood, Patton as praying for the weather to improve so believed that he and his men could receive air support to defeat the Nazis was destined for greatness. <refdh-ad/>Farago, Ladislas, The physical bravery of Patton is also shown several times in the movie. It also accurately portrays Patton: Ordeal 's outspokenness and Triumph (New York City: Ivan Sergeyevich Obolensky, 1964), p. 145</ref>his love of publicity. Patton ordered an army Chaplin Never shy to compose boast about his exploits, Patton was regularly in the papers and was a prayer to ask God for clear weathervery well-known figure in America. This happened but not as shown during The movie also traces the Battle of relationship between Patton and General Omar Bradley, and indeed the Bulge but rather during two men were close friends and colleagues. The film gets right many of the 3rd army’s campaign in Lorraine. ==Patton and Reincarnation==One details of the subPatton’s life such as his pearl-themes in the movie was Patton’s belief in reincarnation. The US commander did believe in reincarnationhandled revolvers and his white English bull terrier.<ref> Essame, p. In one scene Patton is shown as visiting the battlefield 203</ref> These were part of Zama where the Romans had defeated Hannibalpublic image of Old Blood and Guts, which he cultivated assiduously. Patton is shown as sensing, that in a previous life he had fought in The movie does catch the character of the battle, over 2000 years earlier General. This visit with Bradley was highly unlikely. The belief in reincarnation is shown to be very important in ====Patton life’s and gave him a sense of purpose and a belief that he the Phantom Army====After his disgrace in Sicily, Patton was a person apartessentially sent out to pasture. This Instead of being to the D-Day invastion he was probably very important placed in the development charge of the mental outlook of Patton"Phantom Army.’ <ref>FargoD’Este, p. 2132013</ref>. The movie has In real life, Patton was placed in charge of a German intelligence officer whose duty it is "phantom army" that was designed to monitor Patton and to understand him, deceive the Nazis concerning the Steiger, as he is referred to in location of the movieD-Day landings. There Patton was no such officer and part of an elaborate plan of misinformation that fooled the character is a pure invention. The scriptwriters created this figure to expand upon Germans into thinking that the theme invasion of reincarnation Europe would happen at Calais and not in the movie epicNormandy. ==How accurate was Patton==Hollywood This deception known as Operation Fortitude was very successful and history usually do not mixhelped to ensure that the D-Day Landings were a success. It This is quite common for filmmakers to take a historical subject all accurate, and to distort it for their own purposes and to dumb- it down for entertainment purposes. In shows Patton’s deep unhappiness at this time. He regarded his command of the case of Patton there Phantom Army as a humiliation and believed that he was no real attempt to distort the story being denied a share of the glory of PattonD-Day. There are glaring inaccuracies such as Patton’s opening speech in the The movie but even this also shows how desperate Patton was based on his own statements and captured to return to combat despite General Dwight Eisenhower’s, the character allied army’s Chief of the manStaff, something even acknowledged by the Generals’ family. Much of the details of doubts about his role in the defeat of Germany are truereliability. The only glaring omission film also shows Patton begging for his old position, but this was not the lack of focus on Patton’s Lorraine Campaign, where case. While he distinguished himselfwas a proud man, it had already been agreed that he would return to a front-line command role after D-Day. There are some exaggerations in the movie and some distortions such as in the weather-prayer scene<ref>D’Este, p. In general, the 213</ref> The movie managed to produce a great overview of effectively portrays Patton's difficult personality. ====Paton and the character and career Liberation of an extraordinary American leaderEurope====Patton was appointed commander of the US Third Army a few weeks after Normandy.It was in this campaign that he displayed his greatest skills as a commander. The movie shows Patton brilliantly employing his tanks to break out of Normandy and allow the allied army to advance into the central plains of France and onwards to Paris. The movie captures Patton’s advance towards the German border and how the advance was halted because the 3rd army had run out of fuel. Patton's troops did run out of film and the movie accurately shows Patton's anger and frustration.<ref> Essame, p. 203</ref> He truly believed that if he had been given more fuel that he could have ended the war in Europe much more quickly. The movie does not show Patton’s role in the Lorraine campaign on the German-French border. Here Patton defeated a counter-attack by a Panzer Army but was told that he could not advance into Germany. This order was a bitter disappointment to Patton as he once again believed that General Eisenhower was frustrating his efforts to bring the war in Europe to a swift conclusion. This crucial part of Patton’s story is not presented in the movie. The Battle of the Bulge was one of Patton’s and indeed the American army’s finest hours. The General led his units in a counterattack that was pivotal in driving the German counter-attack back. The role of Patton in the Battle is not exaggerated, and he played a significant role in the American victory. One famous scene in the movie is incorrect. We are shown Patton as praying for the weather to improve so that he and his men could receive air support to defeat the Nazis.<ref>Farago, Ladislas, Patton: Ordeal and Triumph (New York City: Ivan Sergeyevich Obolensky, 1964), p. 145</ref> Patton ordered an army Chaplin to compose a prayer to ask God for clear weather. This order happened but it did not happen during the Battle of the Bulge but it was issuded during the 3rd Army’s campaign in Lorraine. ====Patton and Reincarnation====One of the sub-themes in the movie was Patton’s belief in reincarnation. In one scene Patton is shown as visiting the battlefield of Zama where the Romans had defeated Hannibal. Patton is shown as sensing, that in a previous life he had fought in the battle, over 2000 years earlier. This visit with Bradley was highly unlikely. The belief in reincarnation is shown to be very important in Patton life’s and gave him a sense of purpose and a belief that he was a person apart. This was probably very important in the development of the mental outlook of Patton.<ref>Fargo, p. 213</ref> The movie also has a German intelligence officer whose duty it is to monitor Patton and to understand him, the Steiger, as he is referred to in the movie. There was no such officer, and the character is a pure invention. The scriptwriters created this figure to expand upon the theme of reincarnation in the movie epic. ====How accurate was Patton?====Hollywood and history usually do not mix. It is quite common for filmmakers to take a historical subject and to distort it for their purposes and to dumb- it down for entertainment purposes. In the case of Patton, there was no real attempt to distort the story of Patton. There are glaring inaccuracies such as Patton’s opening speech in the movie, but even this was based on his statements and captured the character of the man, something even acknowledged by the Generals’ family. Much of the details of his role in the defeat of Germany are true. The only real omission was the lack of focus on Patton’s Lorraine Campaign, where he distinguished himself. There are some exaggerations in the movie and some minor distortions such as in the weather-prayer scene. In general, the movie managed to produce a great overview portrayal of the character and career of an extraordinary American leader. <div class="portal" style="width:85%;">====Related DailyHistory.org Articles===={{#dpl:category=World War Two History|ordermethod=firstedit|order=descending|count=7}}</div> [[Category:Historically Accurate]][[Category:World War Two History]][[Category:Military History]][[Category:20th Century History]][[Category:Wikis]] ====References====<references/> January 20, 2019
