How much do you remember about the movie Patton?

By: John Miller
Estimated Completion Time
4 min
How much do you remember about the movie Patton?
Image: 20th Century Fox

About This Quiz

General George S. Patton became  known for his aggressiveness, ego and strategic prowess in leading soldiers into battle during World War II. His notoriety and battlefield accomplishments began when he was the first officer assigned to the new U.S. Army Tank Corps during World War I. His love of glory, his courage and the adrenaline rush of matching wits with other commanders, led to his promotion through the ranks over the next several decades. The movie, Patton, takes places when Commander Patton, played by George C. Scott, reaches the high point of his career during World War II, leading the U.S. 7th Army in its invasion of Sicily. 

The famous speech he gave to his troops, the ego clashes between him and British commander Bernard Montgomery and the image of tanks sweeping across northern France at the head of the 3rd Army makes this movie worth experiencing again. Moreover, George C. Scott received an Academy Award for his outstanding performance, which he declined due to philosophical differences. His acting, along with a rousing opening monologue (one of the most famous in Hollywood's history) makes this movie a classic worth viewing again and again. So grab a bowl of popcorn, put your feet up and recall one of the greatest movies of all time by taking this quiz!

In the movie, Patton arrives to help out with a battle in which area?
Japan
North Africa
Antarctica
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Allies have suffered a terrible blow in North Africa. Patton is called in to halt the Axis and hopefully mount some sort of counterattack.

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"Patton" is a movie about which type of historical figure?
US president
US general
Egyptian goddess
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

"Patton" is a 1970 movie all about U.S. Gen. George S. Patton, who gained everlasting fame during World War II. The well-received film helped to cement Patton's legacy.

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Montgomery and his men beat the Germans and march victoriously into the city of Messina. What do they find?
Patton is already there
A concentration camp
A pile of bodies
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The British general believes that he has heroically liberated Messina, but as he reaches the city center, he realizes that the smirking Patton has done an end-around and already beaten him there.

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What's happening during the iconic opening scene?
Patton is giving a speech.
Patton is hacking a wooden door to pieces.
Patton is attacking the enemy.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The movie's opening scene finds Patton giving a rousing speech to a group of soldiers that we never see. It's one of the most famous monologues in Hollywood history.

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Who plays the role of Gen. Patton?
George C. Scott
Harrison Ford
Lyndon B. Johnson
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

George C. Scott received unanimous critical acclaim for his performance and then turned down an Academy Award due to philosophical differences.

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In the movie (and real life) Patton was one of America's best-known war heroes. How did he die?
In a car accident
Hitler had him assassinated.
He drank himself to death.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Just a few months after the war, Patton died following a car accident. It was perhaps a fitting end for a man who felt that his real purpose was to fight a war that was over.

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Before the invasion of Sicily, American commander Eisenhower rejects Patton's attack plan and adopts Montgomery's instead. Patton is relegated to which role?
Administrative
Support duty
Latrine duty
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Eisenhower decides that Montgomery's cautious invasion plan is best. Then, to Patton's dismay, Eisenhower places Patton at the rear in support of Montgomery's units.

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After arriving in Africa, Patton tells a British commander that the American defeat was caused by which factor?
Libyan terrorists
Outnumbered troops
Lack of air support
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Patton insists that lack of air cover was to blame for the American defeat. The British commander promises that his planes will step up their effort and moments later, a Nazi plane swoops over the camp.

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Gen. Bradley puts Patton in command of the Third Army and then what happens?
Patton promptly has half of his men put in handcuffs.
Patton succeeds brilliantly.
Patton is killed by a sniper's bullet.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Patton has no intention of letting another opportunity slip through his fingers. He summons his battlefield prowess and sends the Germans reeling, liberating parts of Europe faster than any other Allied commander.

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Patton is sent to counter the Nazis in North Africa. How does the general regard his foes?
He dismisses them as lightweights.
He teases and belittles them.
He respects them.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

He understands that the Nazis are formidable enemies and he treats them as such.

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The general is best known for leading what sort of army units?
Artillery
Tanks
Armored balloons
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The general is best known for his battlefield coordination of tank units. His armored columns have become a potent Allied force against the Nazis and other Axis countries.

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The general's strategy works flawlessly, but then his tanks stop moving. Why?
They run out of fuel.
They are all destroyed.
Patton's men decide to take a break.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Patton's tanks are overrunning Geman positions all along the front. But then they run out of fuel because his fuel supply has been diverted to his rival, Bernard Montgomery.

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Patton's famous opening speech addresses an unseen group of soldiers in what situation?
All the soldiers are dead.
They've just been humiliated in battle.
They are about to go to war.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The general is espousing the virtues of courage and honor as his men prepare to go to war. In Patton's mind, war is a great adventure, both for him and for his men.

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How is British commander Bernard Montgomery portrayed in the film?
Not highly intelligent
Borderline arrogant
Incredibly indifferent
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Like Patton, Montgomery has a huge ego, and he's got a rather wide arrogant streak. He and Patton frequently clash in terms of personality and battlefield strategy.

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Patton suffers consequences for abusing one of his own soldiers?
True
False
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Patton thinks he's above the law, but he's not. Eisenhower learns of the abuse incident, and he decides to relieve Patton of his command. He also forces the abusive general to apologize in front of multiple groups of soldiers.

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The general's forces beat the Nazis at the Battle of El Guettar, and afterward, Patton finds out that his German counterpart, Erwin Rommel wasn't even present. Why?
Rommel was already dead
Rommel was sick
Rommel ran away in fear
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The general is nearly distraught when he learns that Rommel was sick and not present at the battle. He wanted to beat the legendary Nazi on the battlefield.

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During the Italian campaign, Patton encounters a traumatized Allied soldier. What does he do to the soldier?
Comforts him
Beats him
Leaves him
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The egotistical American general sees the shell-shocked soldier and thinks he's a coward who's scared of battle. He slaps him and mocks him and orders him back to the front.

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In spite of his dressing down, Patton thinks that he will be in charge of which operation?
Battle of Okinawa
D-Day
Bombing of Hiroshima
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Patton is sure he's only experienced a temporary setback. He's certain that Eisenhower will put him in charge of the D-Day invasion of Europe, one of the most important campaigns of World War II.

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Before D-Day, Patton is placed in charge of the First United States Army Group. What's special about this unit?
It doesn't exist.
It contains mostly female soldiers.
It used new weapons.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The First United States Army Group is a fake army group that exists only on paper. It's meant as a decoy to confuse German spies and military leaders.

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At the end of the movie, Patton realizes that he's a lion with no more battles to fight. He says that all glory is ______.
Fleeting
Bloody
Exhilarating
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Patton speaks about ancient Roman conquerors and the glory they felt after winning a war. But he also realizes that "all glory is fleeting."

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When Patton arrives in North Africa, he's not happy about the behavior of the men under his command. What are they doing?
Being aggressive
Being undisciplined
They are unorganized.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

When Patton arrives on his trusty Jeep, his men are lollygagging about, apparently not too concerned that they're at war. Patton immediately sets about changing their attitudes.

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D-Day begins without Patton in command of any real units. What does he do?
He gets angry.
He gets emotional.
He grovels for a chance to command.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Patton is agonized that history is happening without him. He grovels to Gen. Omar Bradley for a chance to take command as the Allies fight the Germans in Europe.

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The First United States Army Group decoy worked in large part because _______.
Hitler bought it
The Germans never caught on
The Germans feared Patton
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Germans respected and feared Patton's abilities as an offensive commander, and they were convinced that he would lead the D-Day invasion. The decoy worked very well in the movie, and in real life, too.

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A huge group of American troops is surrounded by Germans during the Battle of the Bulge. What does Patton do?
He attacks.
He marches to save them.
He sacrifices them in order to take other objectives.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

During the Battle of the Bulge, the Germans pin down the Americans near Bastogne. In what became one of the most legendary moments of the war, Patton frantically sends his men to the town and rescues the trapped Americans.

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As it becomes clear that the Nazis will lose the war, how does Patton respond?
He becomes dejected.
He plans his future political career.
He tries to befriend his former enemies.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Patton is downright sad at the idea of the war ending. He thinks war is an exciting challenge and doesn't want Hitler and his cronies to give up.

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Did Patton actually give the speech that opens the film?
True
False
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The general did say many of these legendary words but the movie version combines real-life multiple speeches into one that's perfectly moving for the big screen.

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When the general reaches camp for the first time, he finds a cook who isn't wearing his entire official uniform. What does Patton do to the man?
Fines him
Reprimands him
Has him removed
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

An undisciplined camp cook isn't wearing his regulation leggings. Patton decides that this is a punishable offense, and thus, fines the man $20. The general's strict rules force the men to follow all army guidelines.

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The Allies push the Nazis out of North Africa. Then Patton and his men are sent to liberate which nearby area?
Sicily
Tokyo
Germany
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Once North Africa is liberated, Patton's men are ordered to invade Sicily. Two commanders (Patton and British Gen. Bernard Montgomery) are told to come up with a plan for the invasion.

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How does Patton perceive the press?
He never speaks to (or about) the media.
He hates the media with every fiber of his being.
He thinks of them as a tool for power and talks to them.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Patton is a manipulator, and he sees the press as a way to shape public opinion and as a means to grow his own power. It's just one more reason that Eisenhower often doesn't trust the brash American general.

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As the invasion begins, what does Patton do?
He defies his orders
He does exactly what he's supposed to
He begins to devise a new plan
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Patton has no intention of taking a backseat to Montgomery. As the invasion begins, Patton defies his orders and decides to race Montgomery toward the objective.

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You Got:
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20th Century Fox