Scotts rendition of the speech was highly sanitized so as not to offend too many. However, the uniform worn by george c scott only has five rows. Now they were not merely puppets in brown uniforms. The movie speech was edited for obvious reasons such as language and time. Parents need to know that patton is an epic war movie, and a biopic about general george s. Engaged in battle against germanys field marshal rommel. Scott gives a rousing and inspired speech to the troops in which he lays out his partriotic values and. Patton is a classic american war movie and this speech is arguably the best part of the film. Certain facts are there like his name, that he was male, had two legs and was a general officer in wwii.
The world war ii phase of the career of controversial american general george s. Patton is a 1970 american epic biographical war film about u. Apparently the one speech that was transcribed that most resembled the one in the movie was given on june 5, 1944, or dday minu. For hundreds of eager rookies, newly arrived from the states, it was a great day in their lives. Side plots also speak of pattons numerous faults such his temper and tendency toward insubordination, faults that would prevent him from becoming the lead. Third, you are here because you are real men and all real men like to fight.
The speech was a composite of several speeches he gave to several of his subordinate units over the course of the war. Charismatic and flamboyant, patton designed his own uniforms, sported ivoryhandled sixshooters, and believed he was a warrior in past lives. This selection, taken from the unknown patton, a biography by charles m. His voice was actually rather high, certainly not the gravelly bass of george c. This is a discussion on the real patton speech of june 5, 1944 within the military history forums, part of the armed services category. As soon as the opening scene begins its cuts to the close ups of pattons uniform just prior to his opening speech you know this is the highest level of detail and color accuracy you have ever witnessed for this film. His voice was actually rather high, certainly not the gravelly.
However, the filmmakers could hardly kill off the hero of their movie. But a great deal of his persona was presented from a most unflattering light mainly due to the book written that the movie. Patton jr men, all this stuff youve heard about america not wanting to fight, wanting to stay out of the war, is a lot of horse dung. It amazes me how patton memorized his entire speeches. Scott assumes command of and instills some muchneeded discipline in the american forces. Pattons speech at the beginning of the film sanitizes his reallife quotations, which. Scott in the 1970 movie patton is presented below in its entirety. He explained to me that the movie was a very good portrayal of patton in that it. Schaffner from a script by francis ford coppola and edmund h.
Mods, i hope youll see fit to allow this today since it is our history. The bilious bastards who wrote that stuff about individuality for the saturday evening post dont know anything more about real battle than they do about fornicating now, we have the finest food and equipment, the best spirit, and the best men in the world. The speeches were intended to motivate the inexperienced third army for its pending combat duty. This speech has become part of american culture, due in great part to george c. The marching with patton symbolic theme, or close variations thereof, has been spoken by president obama many times during 20082009, always without elaboration, but with understandable pride in. Scotts oscarearning portrayal of the general in the 1970 movie, patton. Men, all this stuff youve heard about america not wanting to fight, wanting to stay out of the war, is a lot of horse dung. At military bases across the us theater owners reported that soldiers in the audience would often stand up. Third army headquarters somewhere near the german border on the night of december 18, 1944, when he receives a phone call from 12th army group commander lt. North, who based their screenplay on the biography patton. As a man, his belief in reincarnation played a role in victory. Patton slapped two united states army soldiers under his command during the sicily campaign of world war ii.
Men, all this stuff you hear about america not wanting to fight, wanting to stay out of the war, is a lot of bullshit. Patton s speech to the third army was a series of speeches given by general george s. One of the most celebrated films of the early 1970s, franklin j. It was a big hit in its day and won seven academy awards, including best picture. It was an oration the real patton delivered countless times to units of his 3d. His aggressiveness and ego are dramatized in a famous film from the 70s starring another famous george, george c. Ordeal and triumph by ladislas farago and omar bradleys. In the speeches, patton urged his soldiers to do their duty regardless of personal fear, and he exhorted them to.
Pattons harddriving personality and lack of belief in the medical condition of combat stress reaction, then known as battle fatigue or shell shock, led to the soldiers becoming the subject of his ire in incidents on 3 and 10. Third army on june 5, 1944, one day before the normandy invasion, dday. But it was not just a speech, it was a performance. Patton actually recited the widely revered speech four to six times between late may and early june 1944, without consulting any notes, writes terry brighton in his book patton, montgomery. Schaeffers academy award winning patton has been released on dvd a couple of times in different versions for different territories but fox has gone back to the well one last time with this recent two disc set appearing under their cinema classics collection banner. Now, i want you to remember that no bastard ever won a war by dying for his country. Patton speech before dday 6544 wwii dday was the invasion of europe 6644. It includes widescreen battlefield violence, with shooting and explosions. There are glaring inaccuracies such as patton s opening speech in the movie, but even this was based on his statements and captured the character of the man, something even acknowledged by the generals family. Pattons speech to the third army was a series of speeches given by general george s. From the time he was a child, he always had outstanding memorization capabilities.
The film begins with pattons career in north africa and progresses through the invasion of europe and the fall of the third reich. In the case of patton, there was no real attempt to distort the story of patton. How accurate was the movie patton in portraying general. The movie patton was released in 1970 during the midst of the vietnam war. Thirty years from now, when youre sitting around your fireside with your grandson on your knee and. The movie sees the war as patton saw it, as pattons story. Both the actual painting and the one used in the movie show pattons uniform with seven rows of ribbons. George patton was the only allied general truly feared by the nazis. The speech as pattons officers liked to call it, was full of blood and guts as well as plenty of cussing for effect. Scott, karl malden, michael bates and karl michael vogler. The speech portions of which were delivered by the actor george c. General george s patton talks about excellent job done by. A critically acclaimed film that won a total of eight academy awards including best picture, patton is a riveting portrait of one of the 20th centurys greatest military geniuses. In real life, patton died in december 1945, shortly after an illfated traffic accident in mannheim, germany.
Sink argentinas carrier 1982 the secret british falklands war mission duration. I see the war most vividly through the eyes of an old friend, the director russ meyer, who enlisted at 17 and believed, with patton, it was the best thing that ever happened to him. Whether that is physically true is unseen, but as a scholar he knew the land and the historical spirit of the land intimately. General george s patton gives a brief speech in boston, massachusetts. This day marked their first taste of the real thing. Patton to troops of the united states third army in 1944, prior to the allied invasion of france.
The ageold strife i see where i fought in many guises, many names but always me. He speaks of the third army heroes and talks about the excellent job the men of the medical corps did during world war ii. Scott wears in the opening speech were actually george s. Overall, the greatest generation worked as a united, complete whole. The real george s patton also had accumulated seven rows of ribbons at this point in 1945. When you were kids, you all admired the champion marble shooter, the fastest. Patton takes a fresh look at one of the most popular and charismatic generals in american history. Patton 15 movie clip americans love a winner 1970 hd. It is one of the most iconic scenes of all the great war movies. Even its director and writer, andrew kightlinger, was raised in south dakota.
What has been termed the speech in this film is completely accurate. The movie begins without showing the 20th centuryfox logo, or any other. Province, deals with the memorable speech by general george patton 18851945 to the third army on june 5, 1944, the eve of the allied invasion of europe. All real americans love the sting and clash of battle. He led the army in the mediterranean theater in wwii, and then the fighting in france following the invasion of normandy. Even the soldier who boils water so you dont get the shits is essential. Scott emerges as patton and gives a remarkable speech in front of a huge.
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