War! What Is It Good For? Apparently, Extremely Compelling Films…

11. Patton

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This Franklin J. Schaffner’s colossal biographical ode to one of World War II’s most renowned and most controversial military figures. You get the sense that General George S. Patton would likely dig Schaffner’s work. Patton is a war movie, make no mistake, but it uses the war movie blueprint for housing a character study of its protagonist. The film doesn’t exactly flatter the general, but straddles a line between hero worship and sober representation. The film lets Patton, and by extension George C. Scott’s commanding and iconic portrait of him, speak for himself without fear of condemnation.