Arts & Entertainment

'Patton' Was Here

For history and film buffs, here's some local trivia about "Patton."

Today is Dec. 21, the anniversary of the death of Gen. George S. Patton, the storied WW II general.

What does Los Alamitos have to do with the man famous for his African campaign against the Axis of Evil, you might ask? The answer: not much. But Los Alamitos has everything to do with the myth and legend behind the man.

Perhaps one of the most famous monologues in film history is the one delivered by George C. Scott in the opening scene of 1970's seven-Oscar-winning film, Patton. Written by Francis Ford Coppola, the scene takes place before the backdrop of a giant American flag and was meant to portray a famous speech by Patton to his Third Army. That iconic piece of American film history was made in the Liberty Theater on the Los Alamitos Joint Forces Training Base.

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So, in honor of the man and the film, here is the famous scene shot in Los Alamitos.

Warning: the film is rated R due to profanity, and this clip contains some cursing.

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