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==Introduction==__NOTOC__[[File: 70 patton.jpg|300px|thumbnail|left|<i>Patton</i> starring George C. Scott]]"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.[[File: 70 patton.jpg|200px|thumb|left|A poster of the movie Patton]]

==Patton and the opening Speech==The movie has one of shows the most memorable opening scenes in Hollywood history. George C Scott emerges as Patton strengths and gives a remarkable speech in front weakness of a huge banner of the Stars this difficult and Stripesbrilliant man. The opening scene was written by Francis Ford Coppola and was not intended to be in the final cut of the movie but the director had second thoughts and luckily left it in. 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<refi>Cousins, p. 214Patton</refi>. The words in the speech are Patton’s apart from some lines used by the screenwriter to integrate the quotes into a coherent speech. The result was one of the most outstanding introductions released in movie history but strictly speaking the American general never gave such a speech. ==Patton in North Africa==The movie after the opening credits show 1970 during the aftermath midst of a terrible American defeat in Kasserine Pass in Tunisia. Rommel had ruthlessly exposed the weakness and lack of experience of the Americans and inflicted upon them a severe setbackVietnam War. 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 When it was released it was both a great admirer of Rommel and he studied his work critical and tacticsfinancial success. The movie correctly shows how the American general based his strategy against Rommel on the Desert Fox’s own ideasDirected by Franklin J. The 1970 feature shows Patton reforming Schaffner, the army units that were defeated at Kasserine Pass and imposing strict discipline on the soldiers. He movie was a stickler when it came to the rules and discipline. This had a powerful impact on the G.Is scripted by Francis Ford Coppola of Godfather fame and Patton did manage to transform them into a formidable fighting forceEdward Hill. In the next battle, they did manage to defeat the Germans under 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'EsteCousins, Carlo, PattonMark. The Story of Film: A Genius for War Worldwide History (New York City: Harper CollinsThunder's Mouth Press, 19952006), p. 113213</ref>The film was produced by Twentieth Century Fox. However, the part The role of Patton was played by Patton in the allied victory over the Afrika Korps is overstatedAmerican character actor George C Scott. It took until 1943 for The movie was enthusiastically received by both the allies to wear public and the Germans down in Tunisia critics and Patton did not play won several Academy Awards. The movie fairly accurately reflects the decisive reality of Patton’s 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-defeat of Germany.jpg|200px|thumb|left|A uniform worn byGeorge C Scott in the movie]]

====Patton in Sicilyand the opening Speech====The film does accurately relate movie has one of the leading role played by most memorable opening scenes in Hollywood history. George C. Scott emerges as Patton and gives a remarkable speech in front of a huge banner of the liberation of SicilyStars and Stripes. His daring use of Armor The opening scene was written by Francis Ford Coppola and was crucial not intended to be in the defeat final cut of the Nazis on the island. The movie does show Patton being motivated by the desire to do better than General Montgomery, But, the victor at El Alamein. There was a great personal rivalry between the two men who were both driven and wildly ambitious director had second thoughts and luckily left it in many ways alike. The rivalry between Montgomery and speech of Patton was a feature unique blend of patriotism, nobility and crudities. However, Patton never gave such a speech. Yet it would be wrong to state that the Sicilian campaign and speech was perhaps just a factor fabrication. Coppola cleverly took quotes from Patton’s speeches and interviews and combined them in why it ended so quickly and with a decisive Allied victorybrilliant way. In fact, the rivalry was not as intense as the motion picture suggests and the two men worked together when needed for the good of the Allied cause<ref>D’EsteCousins, p. 119214</ref>. The movie shows Patton after visiting the wounded seeing a shell-shocked soldier. The G.I. was unable to continue fighting and had been sent behind words in the speech are Patton’s apart from some lines for treatment. Patton is outraged when he sees used by the soldier who does not have any physical wounds and is assumed by him screenwriter to be integrate the quotes into a malingerer and he verbally and physically assaults himcoherent speech. When this The result was seen by a reporter it was widely publicized in America and elsewhere <ref>Lovelace, Alexander G. "The Image one of a General: The Wartime Relationship between General George S. Patton Jr. and the American Media"most outstanding introductions in movie history, Journalism Historybut strictly speaking, 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 yearnever gave this speech. However, what the movie failed to show was that Patton slapped two different soldiers who he accused of being cowards. The scene where Patton apologizes to the soldier was accurate. The movie accurately reflects Patton’s reaction to his disgrace in Sicily. 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 of ==Pattonin North Africa====It is generally accepted that [[File: Debbie Reynolds Auction - George C Scott -General George S Patton or old Blood Jr- military shirt and Guts as his men liked to call him was outstandingtie from -Patton-. He captures the essence jpg|200px|thumb|left|One of the man and his many contradictions. uniforns worn by George C Scott during Patton was a cultured man and believed ]]The movie after the opening credits show the aftermath of a terrible American defeat in Kasserine Pass in traditional values yet he could also be crude Tunisia. Rommel had ruthlessly exposed the weakness and a bully <ref>Essame, Hlack of experience of the Americans and inflicted a severe setback. Over 2000 American G.I.s died in the disaster., We first see Patton: A Study in Command (New York City: Scribner & Sons, 1995), pinspecting the battlefield after his appointment as commander. 67</ref>Patton was a great admirer of Rommel and he studied his work and tactics. The drive and movie correctly shows how the ambition of Patton are also brilliantly captured in American general based his strategy against Rommel on the movieDesert Fox’s own ideas. He  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 very ambitious man stickler when it came to the rules and believed that he was discipline. This had a great leader and from childhood he believed that he was destined for greatnesspowerful impact on the G.Is. The physical bravery of Patton is shown in many instancesdid manage to transform them into a formidable fighting force. It also accurately catches In the outspokenness of next battle, they did manage to defeat the General and his love of publicityGermans under Rommel. Never shy to boast about his exploitsThis was a critical because it showed their allies that America could defeat the Germans on their own.<ref> D'Este, Carlo, Patton was regularly : A Genius for War (New York City: Harper Collins, 1995), p. 113</ref> However, the part played by Patton in the papers and was a very well-known figure allied victory over the Afrika Korps is overstated. It took until 1943 for the allies to wear the Germans down in AmericaTunisia. The movie also traces Patton did not play the relationship between Patton and General Omar Bradley and indeed decisive role in the Allied victory even though both the two men were close friends movie and colleaguesPatton implied otherwise. The movie gets right many of  ====Patton in Sicily====[[File: Pattonphoto.jpg|300px|thumbnail|left|Patton in 1944]]The film does accurately relate the details leading role played by Patton in the liberation of Patton’s life such as his pearl-handled revolvers and his white English bull terrier <ref> Essame, pSicily. 203</ref>. These were part His daring use of armor was crucial in the public image defeat of Old Blood and Guts, which he cultivated assiduously. the German army on the island. The movie does catch show Patton being motivated by the character of desire to do better than General Montgomery, the Generalvictor at El Alamein. ==Patton and There was a great personal rivalry between the two men. They were both driven and wildly ambitious. The movie suggests, that the Phantom Army==rivalry between Montgomery and Patton is shown in was a feature of the wilderness after his disgrace Sicilian campaign and was perhaps a factor in Sicilywhy it ended so quickly with a decisive Allied victory. He is show in In fact, the movie rivalry was not as intense as appointing the famous ‘Phantom Army’ motion picture suggests and the two men worked together when needed for the good of the Allied cause.<ref>D’Este, p. 2013119</ref>  The movie shows Patton after visiting the wounded seeing a shell-shocked soldier. The G.I. This was the case in real life and Patton was placed in charge of a phantom army that was designed unable to deceive continue fighting and had been sent behind the Nazis concerning the location of the D-Day landings. lines for treatment. Patton was part of an elaborate plan of misinformation that fooled is outraged when he sees the Germans into thinking that the invasion of Europe would happen at Calais soldier who does not have any physical wounds and is assumed by him to be a malingerer and he verbally and not in Normandyphysically assaults him. This deception known as Operation Fortitude When this was seen by a reporter it was very successful widely publicized in America and helped to ensure that the D-Day Landings were a successelsewhere. This is all accurate and it shows Patton’s deep unhappiness at this time<ref>Lovelace, Alexander G. He regarded command "The Image of the Phantom Army as a humiliation General: The Wartime Relationship between General George S. Patton Jr. and believed that he was being denied a share of the glory of D-DayAmerican Media", Journalism History, 40 (no. The movie also shows how desperate 2 (Summer 2014)), pp. 108–120</ref> This incident did lead to Patton was being ordered to return to combat stand down and General Dwight Eisenhower’she was not given a front-line posting for almost a year. However, what the allied army’s Chief movie failed to show was that Patton slapped two different soldiers who he accused of Staff doubts about his reliability. being cowards. The film also shows scene where Patton begging for his old position but this was not apologizes to the case, he soldier was a proud man and besides it had already been agreed that he would return accurate. The movie accurately reflects Patton’s reaction to a front-line command role after D-Day<ref>D’Este, p. 213</ref>. his disgrace in Sicily.  ====The movie while not completely accurate does capture Patton at this personally difficult time for him before and after D-Day.portrayal of Patton==Paton and the Liberation of Europe==It is generally accepted that Patton or "Old Blood and Guts" as his men liked to call him was appointed commander an outstanding soldier who possessed an oversized personality. Scott effectively captured the essence of the US Third Army a few weeks after Normandyman and his many contradictions. This was accurate. It Patton was a cultured man and believed in this campaign that traditional values yet he displayed his greatest skills as could also be crude and a commanderbully.<ref>Essame, H. The movie shows , Patton brilliantly employing his tanks to break out of Normandy and allow the allied army to advance into : A Study in Command (New York City: Scribner & Sons, 1995), p. 67</ref> The drive and the central plains ambition of France and onwards to Paris. The Patton are also brilliantly captured in the movie captures . He was a very well Patton’s advance towards the German border ambitious man and how the advance believed that he was halted because the 3rd army had run out of fuela great leader. This Even from childhood, Patton believed that he was the case and the movie shows the anger and frustration felt by Patton at this fact<ref> Essame, p. 203destined for greatness.  <dh-ad/ref>. He truly believed that if he had been given more fuel that he could have ended the war  The physical bravery of Patton is also shown several times in Europe much more quickly. The the movie does not really 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 It also accurately portrays Patton's outspokenness and his love of publicity. Never shy to boast about his exploits, Patton was regularly in the papers and was a bitter disappointment to Patton as he once again believed that General Eisenhower was frustrating his efforts to bring the war very well-known figure in Europe to a swift conclusionAmerica. This crucial part of Patton’s story is not presented in The movie also traces the movie. The Battle of relationship between Patton and General Omar Bradley and indeed the Bulge was one of Patton’s two men were close friends and indeed the American army’s finest hourscolleagues. The General led his units in a counterattack that was pivotal in driving the German countermovie gets right many of the details of Patton’s life such as his pearl-attack back. The role of Patton in the Battle is not exaggerated handled revolvers and he played a very important role in the American victoryhis white English bull terrier. One famous scene in the movie is incorrect<ref> Essame, p. We are shown Patton as praying for 203</ref> These were part of the weather to improve so that he public image of Old Blood and his men could receive air support to defeat the Nazis <ref>Farago, LadislasGuts, which he cultivated assiduously. The movie does catch the character of the General. ====Patton: Ordeal and Triumph (New York City: Ivan Sergeyevich Obolensky, 1964), pthe Phantom Army====Patton is shown in the wilderness after his disgrace in Sicily. 145He is show in the movie as appointing the famous ‘Phantom Army.’ </ref>D’Este, p. Patton ordered an 2013</ref> This was the case in real life and Patton was placed in charge of a phantom army Chaplin that was designed to compose a prayer to ask God for clear weather. This happened but not as shown during deceive the Nazis concerning the Battle location of the Bulge but rather during the 3rd army’s campaign in LorraineD-Day landings. ==Patton and Reincarnation==One was part of an elaborate plan of misinformation that fooled the sub-themes in Germans into thinking that the movie was Patton’s belief invasion of Europe would happen at Calais and not in reincarnationNormandy. The US commander did believe in reincarnation. In one scene Patton is shown  This deception known as visiting Operation Fortitude was very successful and helped to ensure that the battlefield of Zama where the Romans had defeated HannibalD-Day Landings were a success. Patton This is shown as sensing, that in all accurate and it shows Patton’s deep unhappiness at this time. He regarded his command of the Phantom Army as a previous life humiliation and believed that he had fought in was being denied a share of the battle, over 2000 years earlier . This visit with Bradley was highly unlikelyglory of D-Day. The belief in reincarnation is shown to be very important in movie also shows how desperate 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 to return to combat despite General Dwight Eisenhower’s, the development allied army’s Chief of the mental outlook of Patton<ref>Fargo, p. 213</ref>Staff, doubts about his reliability. The movie has a German intelligence officer whose duty it is to monitor Patton and to understand him, film also shows Patton begging for his old position but this was not the Steiger, as case. While he is referred was a proud man, it had already been agreed that he would return to in the moviea front-line command role after D-Day. There was no such officer and the character is a pure invention<ref>D’Este, p. 213</ref> The scriptwriters created this figure to expand upon the theme of reincarnation in the movie epic. ==How movie while not completely accurate was does capture Patton at this personally difficult time for him before and after D-Day. ====Paton and the Liberation of Europe====Patton was appointed commander of the US Third Army a few weeks after Normandy. This was accurate. 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 very well Patton’s advance towards the German border and how the advance was halted because the 3rd army had run out of fuel. This was the case and the movie shows the anger and frustration felt by Patton at this fact.<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 really 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 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 very important 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 happened but not as shown during the Battle of the Bulge but rather 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 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 own 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==Hollywood and history usually do not mix. It is quite common for filmmakers to take a historical subject and to distort it for their There are glaring inaccuracies such as Patton’s opening speech in the movie but even this was based on his own purposes statements and to dumb- it down for entertainment purposescaptured the character of the man, something even acknowledged by the Generals’ family. In Much of the case details of Patton there was no real attempt to distort his role in the story defeat of PattonGermany are true. There are glaring inaccuracies such as The only real omission was the lack of focus on Patton’s opening speech Lorraine Campaign, where he distinguished himself. There are some exaggerations in the movie but even this was based on his own statements and captured some minor distortions such as in the character of the manweather-prayer scene. In general, something even acknowledged by the Generals’ family. Much movie managed to produce a great overview portrayal of the details character and career of his role in the defeat of Germany are true. The only glaring omission was the lack of focus on Patton’s Lorraine Campaign, where he distinguished himself. There are some exaggerations in the movie and some distortions such as in the weather-prayer scene. In general, the movie managed to produce a great overview of the character and career of an extraordinary American leaderan extraordinary American leader. [[Category:Historically Accurate]][[Category:World War Two History]][[Category:Military History]][[Category:20th Century History]][[Category:Wikis]] ====References====<references/>