Quotes from "Patton" - Part 1 Trivia Quiz

Answer: General George S. Patton Jr. (George C. Scott)

In this opening scene in the movie, General Patton (standing in front of a huge U.S. flag) is addressing some raw American troops, giving them some ground rules of what he expects from them in battle. This movie speech is actually a screenwriter's blending together of several different speeches Patton actually gave. Even though it appears in the opening of the movie first, it was filmed last since George C. Scott thought it would be a "tough act to follow." So, director Franklin Schaffner misled Scott as to where the scene would appear in the finished film.

Answer: General George S. Patton Jr. (George C. Scott)

In this scene Patton's aides are pinning third stars on his shirt collar for his promotion to Lieutenant General, after he was nominated by U.S. President FDR. When General Omar Bradley (Karl Malden) asks if he isn't being premature since the U.S. Senate hasn't approved the promotion, Patton replies with this quote.

Answer: General Omar N. Bradley (Karl Malden)

In this scene, Generals Patton and Bradley are discussing how American troops appeared scared in their battle at Kasserine Pass. Patton noted it was their first taste of battle and told the story of how, in his first battle, he was terrified of the thought of a bullet coming straight for his nose. Bradley responds with this quote.

Answer: General George S. Patton Jr. (George C. Scott)

In this scene General Patton has just assumed command of the Western Task Force in North Africa in 1943 after the Allied debacle at Kasserine Pass. After inspecting a barracks and mess hall, a displeased Patton hopes to infuse his green troops with some discipline and says this quote in the mess hall.

Answer: General George S. Patton Jr. (George C. Scott)

In this scene General Patton is inspecting a field hospital near his command headquarters. He asks the doctor where his helmet is and the doctor replies, "I can't use my stethoscope when I'm wearing my helmet." Patton replies with this quote.

Answer: General George S. Patton Jr. (George C. Scott)

In this scene Patton is inspecting some ancient ruins and comments to General Bradley that Romans and Carthaginians had fought there. He was being driven out to see the Kasserine Pass battlefield, but directed the driver to turn to these ruins saying, "I can smell a battlefield." In real life, Patton believed in reincarnation.

Answer: Vice-Marshal Sir Arthur Coningham (John Barrie)

In this scene Patton has just met Allied air cover coordinator, Vice-Marshal Sir Arthur Coningham and has complained about the lack of air cover for his troops. Coningham says this quote. Just then two German planes strafe their building and the area around it. Patton (under a table) says, "We were discussing air supremacy, Sir Arthur."

Answer: General George S. Patton Jr. (George C. Scott)

In this scene, General George Patton is inspecting the burial grounds for American soldiers, orders a 24-hour guard for the area, and comments, "Our graves aren't gonna disappear like everybody else's who fought here: the Greeks, Romans, Carthaginians." When his aide Capt. Dick Jenson (Morgan Paull) comments that jousting and his poetry are not of this century, Patton resignedly says this quote.

Answer: Field Marshal Erwin Rommel (Karl Michael Vogler)

In this scene Field Marshal Rommel has just landed in a plane in Africa, after the German victory at Kasserine Pass (with a temporary POW enclosure in the background). One of his aides says he is optimistic about future battles with "British generals and American troops" and Rommel replies with this quote.

Answer: Field Marshal Erwin Rommel (Karl Michael Vogler)

In this scene Rommel and Jodl are talking together in Germany and they are about to see Fuhrer Adolph Hitler. When Jodl reminds Rommel that Hitler will want to know how he intends to deal with Patton's forces, Rommel turns serious and says this quote.

Answer: General George S. Patton Jr. (George C. Scott)

In this scene Patton is jubilant at outmaneuvering Rommel at the battle of El Guitar and says this quote. He later finds out Rommel had gone back to Berlin for some medical aid, and was upset at going up against a "second stringer." His aide, Lt. Col. Charles Codman, soothes Patton by noting, "But, general, he undoubtedly planned the German battle. If you defeat Rommel's plan, you've defeated Rommel. Isn't that true?"

Historical note: Rommel's book, as seen in the movie scene where his aides wake Patton in preparation for this battle, is titled "The Tank in Attack." The book Rommel published (in 1937) was titled "Infanterie greift an" (about infantry actions in WWI). He was working on a follow-up book to be titled "Panzer greift an" but it was never published before Rommel's forced suicide in 1944. His notes were translated into English with the sometimes title of the book that was on Patton's night stand, although it is questionable if this book was available at the time of this battle.

Answer: Col. Gen. Alfred Jodl (Richard Münch)

In this scene German Capt. Oskar Steiger has just tried to sum up a description of Patton for General Jodl by saying, "Patton is a romantic warrior, lost in contemporary times." General Jodl doesn't understand, so Capt. Steiger quotes a newspaper story that tells how Patton jumped in trying to stop some men pushing a girl into a van (she was later revealed to be a fiancé of one of the men). Steiger says, "Sir, do you not see? Don Quixote battles six merchants from Toledo and saves Dulcinea's virtue." Jodl replies with this quote.

Answer: General Omar N. Bradley (Karl Malden)

In this scene during the Sicily invasion, Generals Patton and Bradley are talking, with Patton claiming he is "just following orders, like the simple, old soldier I am." Just then General Carver (Michael Strong) comes in with orders from General Alexander for Patton to stop at Agrigento to help Monty (who had met heavy resistance at Catania). Patton tells Carver to claim the orders were "garbled in transmission," to ask the message be resent, and to have them take their time doing so.

This would allow Patton enough time to reach Palermo.

Then Patton and Bradley resume their conversation, with Patton asking, "Now, where were we?" Bradley perceptively replies with this quote.

Answer: General Omar N. Bradley (Karl Malden)

In this scene General Bradley had just observed General Patton ordering Major General Lucian Truscott (John Doucette) to perform a difficult amphibious assault, just so he could get to Messina before Montgomery. Bradley tells Patton he is taking a great risk with the men under his command and makes a withering assessment of General Patton with this quote.

Answer: Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery (Michael Bates)

In this scene British Field Marshal Montgomery and his troops parade into Messina during the Sicily invasion thinking they got there first, but then they see American General Patton and his troops already there, waiting to review the British. An uncomfortable-looking Montgomery says this quote and a beaming Patton replies with the line, "Pity, 'cause I shaved very close this morning in preparation for getting smacked by you."

Part 2 of "Quotes from Patton" covers from the invasion of Sicily through the Battle of the Bulge and Part 3 covers from the Battle of the Bulge through the end of the movie.