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The Last Days of Patton (1986)

Rate: 7
Viewed: 1/15, 4/22

LastPat
1/15: I saw Patton and liked it very much, thanks to George C. Scott's Oscar-winning performance.

Naturally, I was all for seeing The Last Days of Patton. Once again, he's flawless, and Eva Marie Saint is remarkable as Patton's wife. The rest of the cast is passable. Although the telefilm is 146 minutes long, it feels like four hours. Because my interest couldn't be sustained through many unnecessary scenes, I took some breaks.

It's hard to see the relevance of flashbacks to Patton's youth. Perhaps if there are more of them and less of going through the mundane affairs, I would have a better understanding as to kind of person he was. The final days for Patton look tough which is a sad way to go out. He died on December 21, 1945, just four months after the end of WWII, as a result of injuries that came from the freak automobile accident twelve days earlier.

All in all, The Last Days of Patton is an interesting history lesson that's worth watching for all fans of General George S. Patton.

4/22: George C. Scott reprises the most famous role of his career for the sequel: The Last Days of Patton.

Sixteen years may have passed, but he's still in top form. The cast isn't bad as it includes Eva Marie Scott, Murray Hamilton in his final acting role (who also worked with George C. Scott in Anatomy of a Murder), and Ed Lauter. Because of them, the film is watchable but is ultimately sad in the final hour.

The events portrayed may seem like weeks, going from the automobile accident to Patton's death, but in reality, it was only twelve days. Seat belts for vehicles weren't in vogue at that time. When Patton passed away, many in the army and in Washington, D.C., probably felt relieved because he was a ticking bomb ready to go off, enough to cause national embarrassment, and talked about invading Russia. Therefore, there's a strong indication that he was mentally ill as a result of many brain injuries during horse accidents and military battles, among others. Jean Gordon, Patton's niece, may be shown in the film, but there are rumors that they were romantically involved for a long time. She killed herself eighteen days after his death.

All in all, if you're a fan of Patton and want to see more, you should continue with The Last Days of Patton.