Critics' Picks - Critics' Picks: 'Patton' - NYTimes.com/video

[squamish4244]

No disrespect to the man, but Patton's actual voice was high-pitched and squeaky, not gravelly like Scott's. I read that soldiers would call him up at HQ just to hear his voice and then hang up and laugh.

[squamish4244]

As Grandpa Simpson said, "You can push them out of a plane, you can march them off a cliff, you can send them off to die on some God-forsaken rock, but for some reason you can't slap them." War is tragically comical at times.

[ScotteDio]

Of course ....America loves War!!!! General Patton is best example of an American: cultured with nationalist & honor.

[loosekarrott]

@ScotteDio war is AWESOME! I hope you and your family die in one!

[ScotteDio]

@loosekarrott Don't worry, I will be kill you with your family hippies! Less scum parasites on over populated Earth!!! Hoorah!!!

[FetaCheese222]

@ScotteDio I don't see *you* running off to fight in any wars, mister.

[ScotteDio]

@FetaCheese222 I am retire Petty Officer First Class, ignorant narrow scum, I served in Cuba, former Yugoslavia, & Afghanistan.

[FetaCheese222]

@ScotteDio Sorry.

[FetaCheese222]

@ScotteDio But that's still no excuse to act like an asshole.

[ScotteDio]

@FetaCheese222 I am defending myself. Lately, you can't show love towards your country & give respect to patriotic heroes without being acted.

[hunhun23]

Patton was a good general in real life but I can guarantee you that my stepfather, who fought in WWII, said that he was as big an SOB in real life.

[IcyScythe]

@hunhun23 ya I've heard that they all thought that, but Patton's 3rd Army had the lowest casualty rate of any American Army by quite a margin so... he def knew what he was doing.

[loosekarrott]

@hunhun23 he was beating a shellshocked man, i think everyone knows he was an asshole.

[robotpanda77]

@Danboy5050 Is that a real quote from Patton then?

[LaidBackTiger]

Thank God for patton.

[robotpanda77]

I don't care for the ending, the entire idea of a slave baring the audacity to remind the emperor of something is bad enough, let alone attempting to criticize his moment of glory as it occurs. The tale should have had the emperor himself realize this, or have a divinity whisper it to him.

[TheCrazyKakoos]

I would be more frightened of laying around in a field hospital next to fellow soldiers who are inured and bleeding while I am without a physical debilitation than fighting and getting shot at by Germans on the front line.

[squamish4244]

@TheCrazyKakoos The guy Patton slapped was in shock. Back then it was perceived as cowardice, when we know that not to be true now. Anyway Patton deserved his punishment because striking a subordinate is a very serious breach of protocol in the army and even three-star generals are not above the law.

[TheCrazyKakoos]

@squamish4244

True but I'd still feel bad for having lesser nerves than my fellow soldiers.

[ajb1776]

You may not believe in reincarnation but Patton did. Hence, in Patton's mind. He shall return to the glory of war and lead a great army into victorious battle. The flag of freedom flies where marches Patton and his soldiers.

[mallardguy65]

patton wad the greatest and most feard warrior of or time. he will return.

[septip123]

@mallardguy65 Um...I think he might be dead.

[swanningaround]

Patton should never have slapped a soldier and called him a coward. he had no right. He did not face the danger that soldier did. It is typical of politicians and generals to call others cowards. Patton was not proven. He never faced a superior enemy. Any fool can be brave against a weak opposition.

MacArthur did, and he proved himself. He was a worthy winner of the Medal of Honor.

[emrrbv]

correct me if i am wrong but patton fought with decoration for bravery in ww 1. if u look up the word courageous in the dictionary it just says see genl patton. case closed.

[swanningaround]

emrrbv. Not case closed for me. You are obviously a hard man - you do not allow for human weakness, like Patton. I am absolutely against people like you and Patton. Anyone can call someone else a coward. As far as I am concerned, the army is better off without men like Patton. Me? If he called me a coward, I would shoot the bastard.

[khusker69]

Patton would of slapped you too. I'd approve that slap.

[swanningaround]

khusker. He probably would have. You are probably some yuppie manager, the same type who organized the Holocaust. I would always fight against your type, as you would fight against me. Your type normally end up with a bullet in the back.

[headjh]

In the back? So, you are a coward.

[swanningaround]

headjh. Absolutely. It is the normal way to deal with brutal offficers in wartime. It is kill or be killed friend.

[headjh]

You say that Khusker is the type who would organize a holocaust. Do you understand which side Patton was on or are you just a liberal who flunked history. I don't blame you by the way. I blame the public school system, where you probably excelled.

[swanningaround]

headjh. Unfortunately there are many yuppie managers who are exactly the same types as the SS Sturmfuehrers etc. who ran the Holocaust. Khusker seems like that. He lacks any feeling our understanding and just seems to want to impress his superiors and beat down his team members.

[rugbynimbus]

George C. Scott was so successful in portraying Patton that he's more Patton than the man himself.

[mdcsun]

@rugbynimbus I do agree. George Scott voice is much harsher than Patton. His look is much more mean the Patton.

[indiemen]

@rugbynimbus im black and i agree

[manweller1]

@rugbynimbus That's so true.

[N49ers]

NY Times bunch of commie bastards. Fuck em

[emrrbv]

this a.o. scott might just be the best movie critic active today. he is simply outstanding ---and without pretense.

i hope he reads this.

[1973Johnny2bad]

nyt are commie pinkos.

[N49ers]

Fuck the NY Times

[crock703]

I'd never even heard of this movie (I'm fairly young), until I bought a stack of DVDs in China, and found it inside. I played it and was so glad I had. I'd never seen it, but it somehow felt familiar. Its a "turn turner", and its a war movie that doesn't mire in the misery of war. Its not cowboy flick either. It shows "Patton's war," a film all about how experience entirely from his perspective. He was the star of the show and he is here.

[XNotoraciousX]

I think George C. Scott's portrayal of a general in this and in "Dr. Strangelove" could be the subject of a student paper. Both were great movies about war, and yet completely different from each other.

[JollyGirlinyaface]

That was a great pick! Thanks!! Look forward to the next one you choose.

Cheers!!!