Patton (1970)

Director: Franklin J. Schaffner
Stars: George C. Scott, Karl Malden, Stephen Young
Runtime: 172 minutes

Synopsis: An exploration of General George S. Patton's role in the Second World War.

• Performances: 10/10

Why? I didn't see George C. Scott. The Oscar-winning actor (who famously declined the famous award) completely disappeared in his role as the menacing, at times scary title character. It's a performance that still holds up to this day, and one that will be remembered as one of the greatest ever for a very, very long time. 

• Screenplay: 9/10

Why? Behind a great performance, there's always a great script. Before he directed "The Godfather" and "Apocalypse Now", Francis Ford Coppola won his very first Oscar (along with Edmund H. North) for writing this masterpiece. More than just a biopic, the movie also serves as an amazing character study of a man obsessed with his image. A man that was born to fight. A man convinced that his sole purpose on Earth was to lead his men and kill enemy soldiers. Every word that came out of his mouth, every action or decision he made contributed to the development of a character I immediately researched when the film came to an end. And while it turned out that the writers did play around a little with the character's true nature, the changes they made were of minimal proportions and didn't really impact the story told in the film, which is something I respect when it comes to biopics. 

• Costumes/Makeup: 7/10

Why? While the military costumes and set designs were incredibly realistic, my main issue with this aspect was the makeup part. For a film that featured more than one battle and set during the Second World War, it cruelly lacked the element that immediately jumps into any person's mind when the term war is mentioned: blood.  

• Editing: 9/10

Why? Making a nearly 3 hours long film is no easy task. It's a decision that can potentially kill a film if not done perfectly. "Patton" won an Oscar for its editing and it's well deserved. The film's pacing was incredible, and I wasn't bored for a second. I usually try to stay away from movies that are over two and a half hours long, but I'm sure glad I decided otherwise when I put on Franklin J. Schaffner most known film (along with "Planet of the Apes").

• Cinematography: 8/10

Why? Absolutely no complaints here. The movie looked beautiful and cinematographer Fred J. Koenekamp perfectly captured both the atrocities of war and alluring sceneries of the countries where the action was taking place. 

• Score/Soundtrack: 7/10

Why? Very effective, but not really very inventive. I loved the score but it still had that cliché military vibe you'll probably find in any similarly themed picture.

FINAL GRADE: 9/10