I heard about it even before I arrived. The van driver who brought me to this place gave me a mim-tour of the area on the way: the marina, the ferry and the main drag downtown. 

Most of all, he pointed out the movie locations for “An Officer and a Gentleman.” Turns out that almost all of the 1982 film was shot in Port Townsend: the parade ground, the lighthouse, the military barracks, the motel, the beach.

Since I arrived here last week I’ve been trying to watch the movie. Last night I succeeded. And yes, there were most of the scenes I’ve been seeing on my walks around the area, all lit up on the screen. I’ll experience these places differently today.