Top Ten War Movies - #6

No proper assemblage of cinematic representations of war would be complete with number six on my list.

If you ever have an opportunity to be in the vicinity of Fort Knox, KY you absolutely must visit the General George Patton Museum.

Patton is the third installment of the 1970 movie trifecta.

George C. Scott does an absolutely brilliant job of portraying the mercurial Patton and Karl Malden is cast as the perfect complement in General Bradley

Very few figures from the Second World War inspire as much controversy, admiration or awe as this plain-spoken cavalryman.

I took great personal interest in this production as my father was a combat infantryman who participated in the liberation of France and Belgium. After the breakout at St. Lo they were frequently attached to elements of Patton’s armor (or vice versa) in the dash across northern France. The frequently outran their supply lines and literally ran out of gas by the close of August, 1944.

Pop used to tell a story about an episode during the war where he saw the General actually directing traffic.

I have no reason to believe that he was making it up.

Particularly since this was before the movie ever came out.



I know this is nit-picking, but all the armor used in this movie was from the 1950s. M47s for the US and M48s for the Jerries. Ironically – both are named for Patton.