Biographical Films Trivia Quiz

Answer: The Social Network

"The Social Network" was a 2010 movie starring Jesse Eisenberg as Facebook founder Marc Zuckerberg. The film begins in 2003 while computer genius Zuckerberg was still at Harvard. It depicts the creation of the social network site, Facebook, with his roommates, e.g., Eduardo Saverin and Dustin Moskowitz, the suit by the Winklevoss twins, and his becoming the world's youngest billionaire.

Answer: Immortal Beloved

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) was the subject of the 1994 movie "Immortal Beloved", with Gary Oldman playing the title role. Aside from Beethoven's legendary compositions, the film explores a letter he wrote to a nameless "beloved", and attempts to discover the identity of this mystery woman.

The story is told in flashbacks, after the composer's death, through his secretary, Anton Schindler.

Answer: La Vie en Rose

Marion Cotillard portrays the French chanteuse Edith Piaf (1915-1963) in the 2007 movie "La Vie en Rose". Nicknamed "The Little Sparrow", Edith's life was filled with both celebrity and misfortune. She was raised by her paternal grandmother who was a madam. Piaf was discovered singing on a street corner at nineteen.

A sad love affair, the death of her only child and her alcoholism brought great tragedy. She wrote the song "La Vie en Rose" which became her signature.

Answer: My Left Foot

Christy Brown (1932-1981) was an Irish author and painter, despite being born with cerebral palsy. Daniel Day-Lewis played the role in the 1989 movie "My Left Foot" (from an earlier autobiography). The title comes from the fact that Brown used the only limb he had control over, (i.e., his left foot) to write and paint.

Although incapacitated as a child, a social worker brought him books and painting materials which led to his development and subsequent success.

Answer: Monster

On the infamous side, we have the 2003 film "Monster" depicting the serial killer Aileen Wuornos (1956-2002). The beautiful Charlize Theron greatly altered her appearance in order to play the Florida prostitute who was convicted of shooting six men to death between 1989 and 1990.

She killed her first victim in self-defense but, seemingly, developed a blood-lust thereafter. She was executed by lethal injection in 2002.

Answer: The Theory of Everything

"The Theory of Everything" is a 2014 film about the life of the brilliant theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking (1942-2018). The film centers around the relationship between Hawking and his first wife, Jane Wilde. Stephen was diagnosed with ALS at the age of 21, and was given just two years to live. Defying the odds, this remarkable genius went on to study, teach and write ("A Brief History of Time") until the age of 76. Eddie Redmayne played Hawking.

Answer: De-Lovely

The 2004 musical, "De-Lovely" is the story of the life of American composer Cole Porter (1891-1964). The film showcases the wonderful music created by Porter, e.g., "Night and Day", "Anything Goes" and "It's De-Lovely". It also focuses on the people in his life, especially his relationship with his wife Linda. Porter wrote both the words and the music for his songs. The talented Kevin Kline portrayed the remarkable Cole Porter.

Answer: The Hours

Although not presented in chronological order, the 2002 movie "The Hours" is about three different women from three different time periods, and how they are affected by Woolf's novel "Mrs. Dalloway". Nicole Kidman plays Virginia Woolf (1882-1941), the first of the trio, and depicts a single day in her life in 1923. We see her plagued by her emotional demons and her sense of foreboding. We know that some years later she will fill her pockets with stones and drown herself.

Answer: The Imitation Game

The name Alan Turing (1912-1954) should be renowned, and he should have been hailed as a hero. In the 2014 film "The Imitation Game", brilliant cryptanalyst Turing gathers a team of code-breakers (pre-geeks) to attempt to break Germany's Enigma code during World War II. Benedict Cumberbatch plays the conflicted genius whose system was the precursor of the modern computer. Sadly, persecution for his sexual orientation resulted in his suicide in 1954.

Answer: Funny Girl

If you are old enough, you may remember the 1968 film that made Barbra Streisand famous. Barbra played the role of Fanny Brice (1891-1951) in the musical "Funny Girl". Fanny was a singer and comedian who Ziegfeld put in his "Follies" in 1910. Not the typical beauty of the time, her talent outshone her features and, despite defying Ziegfeld in her first performance, she became a major star. "Hello Gorgeous."