"The most refreshing thing about "Patton" is that here — I think for the first time — the subject matter and the style of the epic war movie are perfectly matched. War was, for Patton, his destiny and sometimes great fun. Thus the big, magnificently staged battle scenes (photographed in marvelous, clear, deep focus), are not giving the lie to a film that, like "The Longest Day," would have us believe piously that war is hell. … Although the cast is large, the only performance of note is that of Scott, who is continuously entertaining and, occasionally, very appealing. He dominates the film, even its ambiguities, although he never quite convinced me that Patton, by any stretch of the imagination, could be called a rebel against anything except the good, gray, dull forces of bleeding heart liberalism."
Quote Details
Added by wikiquote-import-bot
Unverified quote
0 likes
Epic filmsBest Picture Academy Award winnersBiographical filmsUnited States National Film Registry filmsWorld War II films
Original Language: English
Available Languages (1)
Sources
Vincent Canby, in "Patton (1970) The Screen: 'Patton: Salute to Rebel" in The New York Times (5 February 1970)
https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Patton_(film)
Revision History
No revisions have been submitted for this quote.
Categories
Patton (film)
21 quotes on TrueQuotesView all quotes by Patton (film) →
Related Quotes
"[addressing the troops] I want you to remember that no bastard ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by …"
"[to Omar Bradley while visiting the ruins of Carthage] It was here. The battlefield was here. The Carthaginians defen…"
"[seeing his troops rout General Erwin Rommel's 21st Panzer Division at El Guettar] Rommel... you magnificent bastard,…"
"[writing about the death of his favorite aide, Captain Richard N. "Dick" Jenson, at the Battle of El Guettar] Captain…"
"[addressing 7th Army troops in an apology about the soldier-slapping incident] At ease.[Long pause] I thought I would…"
"[ranting about being assigned to lead the First United States Army Group I feel I am destined to achieve some great t…"
"[commenting to an aide, while reviewing a battle site the morning after] Fixed fortifications are man's monument to s…"
"[to staff, noting the obvious lack of German activity as winter sets in] There's absolutely no reason for us to assum…"
"[voiceover in the wake of his relief from Third Army] For over a thousand years, Roman conquerors returning from the …"
"The epic American war movie that Hollywood has always wanted to make but never had the guts to do before."