Sunday, October 15, 2017

Best Picture of 1970: Patton

When is comes to Best Pictures we have learned that there are many the involve war in some shape, form or fashion. Many have been about a group of people serving, or have served. Some are about the families that they left behind. However, up until now we have not had one that was about a one man. Let me tell you folks this is not any man we are talking about. We are talking about General George S. Patton. General Patton is one of the greatest Generals to have ever graced a war. His ideals about war, and the art of war, were a tad crazy a time but revolutionary. It has been said that he was an enigma of a man when he was alive. Which made that much harder making a movie about him after he had passed. The movie is a tribute to the all the man, myth, and legend that Patton was. Patton and all of its glory is a film that I believe only begins to scratch the surface of subject that it's about.








Not only did Patton take home the top prize but it also tied that year for the most nominations with Airport. Patton took home Seven out of the Ten awards. However, that was not the talk of the town the next morning. After the dust settled from all the awards and celebration the world was told that George C. Scott, the man who played General Patton, had not only won the Award for Best Actor but he REFUSED the award! Now, Mr. Scott was not present at the ceremony that night and did not give some horrible speech in front of everyone but he did tell everyone later that he did not like how the voting worked for the award. He wasn't a fan of the Oscars it seems. In an interview about that show he said that it was a "two hour meat parade". There is not a super long history of people refusing and Oscar, out of all the awards given there is a small handful of refusals. However, George C. Scott was the first to ever refuse an Academy Award. 20th Century had a masterpiece on their hand and that was proven when Patton beat out: Universal's Airport; Columbia's Five Easy Pieces; Paramount's Love Story; and their own M*A*S*H. To further its prestige Patton was selected for preservation by the National Film Registry in 2003.


So, by this point I am so sick of war films. I have seen many in a very short amount of time. I was at my parents house before I watched this film and they were asking me which films where next. When I said that Patton was the next one he got very excited. Now, my dad likes to watch a lot of movies. He is not a fan of many. Most of them he hates actually. However, he said he LOVED this film. My mom says that it's like the only film that if he is flipping through channels and it's on he will finish watching the film. My dad does not watch ANY movie unless it is from the very beginning. So, I knew that had to have been a good film if my dad will watch it from any point. My theory was correct from the second I turned the movie on. That giant American Flag taking up the whole screen and Patton coming out to make a speech is a scene that was wonderfully executed. I have to say that this movie has one of the best opening lines I have ever heard in a film. This movie is must see in my opinion.

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