Attack Trivia Quiz

Answer: Robert Aldrich

Although this gripping WWII movie features an excellent cast, it was not nominated for any academy awards. Aldrich did win the Italian Film Critics Award. Among his pictures are "Kiss Me Deadly", "What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?" and another WWII genre movie, "The Dirty Dozen".

Answer: Jack Palance

Jack Palance is brilliant in his role of a lieutenant caught between his loyal platoon and an inept, cowardly captain who was politically appointed. Born Volodymyr Palanyuk in Pennsylvania, Jack Palance started his career in stage productions and made the transition into movies in the early 1950s. Younger audiences will recall his role as Curly in "City Slickers".

Answer: Shove a hand grenade down his throat

Lieutenant Costa is upset at the unnecessary casualties in his platoon. He informs Captain Cooney that if any more of his men are killed during a mission because he does not provide support he will "personally shove this grenade down your throat and pull the pin." A convincing Eddie Albert portrays the captain. Eddie Albert went on the play Oliver Wendell Douglas in "Green Acres".

Answer: A farmhouse

After the survivors of the platoon take cover in a small farmhouse they manage to capture two Germans for interrogation in the cellar of the building. They learn that the village is heavily occupied and they are forced to make a run for it back to their base. Captain Cooney again fails to provide support and members of Costa's platoon are killed as they retreat.

There are scenes of Lieutenant Costa in a blacksmith shop, but they occur before he receives the orders to go into the village.

Answer: Sergeant First Class Tolliver

Sergeant First Class Tolliver is played by Buddy Ebsen. He is a mild mannered southern soldier who is a crack shot with a rifle. He calls the German sniper a "sacreligious son of a gun" before he shoots him. Buddy Ebsen began his career as a vaudeville dancer in the 1920s and eventually took roles in movies.

He was selected to play the Tin Man in "The Wizard of Oz" but became allergic to the costume's paint. He is probably best remembered as Jed Clampett in "The Beverly Hillbillies".

Answer: He is asked to stop a tank coming down the road.

When Lieutenant Costa finally finds Captain Cooney, the captain is having a nervous breakdown. Before Lieutenant Costa can kill him, a tank approaches and he has to grab a bazooka and go try to stop it.

Answer: A tank runs over his arm.

Lieutenant Costa manages to strike the tank with a bazooka round but it veers out of control and pushes him against a building, pinning his arm under the tank track.

Answer: Private First Class Bernstein

A beam falls on Private First Class Bernstein, forcing the men to retreat into a basement to hide from the Germans. He remarks about what the Germans would do if they capture a soldier named Bernstein. Bernstein is played by Robert Strauss, a notable character actor who went on to appear in many movies and television shows. His later credits even include an episodes of "The Monkees".

Answer: He is shot by one of his own men.

A severely wounded Lieutenant Costa shows up when they are in the basement to shoot Captain Cooney, but he bleeds to death from his amputated arm before he can. When the captain decides to surrender he is shot by his communications officer, Lieutenant Woodruff.

The official cause of death is that he is shot by the invading Germans. Lieutenant Woodruff is played by William Smithers. Smithers later appeared as a frequent guest in many 1960-1970's era police shows and starred as Jeremy Wendell on the TV show "Dallas".

Answer: Both Captain Cooney and Lieutenant Costa

In order to keep the communications officer silent about the facts and give Captain Cooney a medal, the lieutenant colonel has to agree to give one to Lieutenant Costa as well. The ironic final scene of the movie depicts Cooney and Costa, the coward and the hero, next to each other on litters. Lieutenant Colonel Bartlett is played by Lee Marvin. Lee appeared in many war movies and westerns and had his own television show in the 1960s called "M Squad".

He earned a Purple Heart during invasion of Saipan.