Re: Patton. As some here may know (can't remember if I've mentioned it before), my father was a battalion commander under Patton and his adjutant during the North Africa campaign. My dad was a consultant (uncredited) on the film and was invited to the Seattle premiere as an honored guest (he was Senior Officer at Ft. Lewis at the time), and he brought me as his semi-honored guest
. This was a big deal--krieg lights, red carpet, even an opening act of patriotic tunes on the big organ that rose up out of the pit. In fact, if you watch the film, one of Patton's adjutants in the film is named "Coughlin" and we've wondered if that was a slight reworking of my Dad. Anyhoo, two things--my Dad was in the battalion that Patton had to apologize to after slapping the shell-shocked soldier (try saying that three times fast). My Dad snuck a camera in and took pics of Patton apologizing. It's been driving me crazy since I inherited my Dad's stuff because I can't find those particular snapshots--I think my Dad, in his idiocy of what these would be worth on eBay today
, sent them to a friend of his. I found a letter to that effect in my Dad's effects and I actually called the guy, who was a semi-senile old fart (sorry) who was extremely confused as to who I was and who my Dad was.
But in terms of the film itself, yes, it's brilliant--but I'll never forget my Dad's whispered comment to me as the film started with Scott's monologue. "Well, he may look like Patton, but he sure as hell doesn't sound like him--Patton had a high, squeaky voice like a little girl's."
Maybe that could be the obstacle the young Patton strives to overcome in the remake.
