Humor is Tragedy Plus Time Trivia Quiz

Answer: Grosse Pointe Blank

John Cusack plays assassin Martin Q. Blank who returns to his hometown for a high school reunion. The quote comes at the end of a visit to his mother Mary (played by Barbara Harris) who is in a nursing home with a debilitating condition like Alzheimer's.

It is a disjointed conversation. She comes out with some apparently random comments, sometimes seemingly quite wise and relevant. She is being wheeled away when Cusack calls out to her. When making the quote, it is not clear whether she has forgotten who he is or is just complimenting her son.

The film is a 1997 American black comedy and a bit of a love story.

Answer: Stand By Me

'Stand By Me' is a 1986 coming-of-age movie based on Stephen King's 1982 story "The Body". In the film, the four boys are at the beginning of their hike to find the body of a missing boy, walking along train tracks. Vern has already mentioned bringing a comb, in case of a TV appearance.

After the topic of water comes up, Vern says, "Hey, I'm kinda hungry. Who's got the food?" Teddy notes the hike was Vern's idea. Vern then comes up with the quote. The film's title comes from Ben E. King's song of the same title.

Answer: Uncle Buck

Uncle Buck, played by John Candy, has come to babysit his brother's kids in the 1986 comedy-drama. His niece Tia has a boyfriend Bug that Buck instantly dislikes. A battle of wits ensues between Tia and her uncle. In this scene, talking to Bug, he goes on about an axe, how sharp it is and how he uses it. Bug seems to gets the message although Tia tries to reassure him.

Answer: Dirty Dancing

Patrick Swayze takes Jennifer Grey (playing Frances "Baby" Houseman) from her parent's table to perform during this 1989 romantic drama film. Her parents disapproved of her dancing and had forced her to sit out of the performance, in a corner as it happens.

The expression has come to mean in effect nobody with talent should be stopped from displaying it. Although an iconic movie quote, Swayze was not keen on it to begin with, as confirmed in his memoir "The Time of My Life". This was also the title of the song they danced to in this scene, with the song gaining an Oscar as Best Original Song.

Answer: Forrest Gump

Tom Hanks plays the title role in this 1994 comedy-drama, adapted from Winston Groom's 1986 book of the same name. The film charts his progress through the latter half of 20th century America, being involved in historic incidents, making his mark despite his apparent difficulties.

In this scene, he has rescued his childhood friend Jenny from the attentions of some men in a nightclub, but she keeps her distance from him. She's about to jump in a vehicle to run away again when he makes this statement.

She asks him to promise that if he gets into trouble, not to be brave but to just run away. Running is one of the themes of the film.

Answer: Ace Ventura: Pet Detective

Jim Carrey plays Ace Ventura in this 1994 comedy movie, being the character behind the catchphrase used in the franchise. For example, he plays a UPS man with a large pot-belly delivering a parcel, having spent the previous few minutes breaking the parcel's contents.

This allows him to distract the pet-napper with an insurance claim form whilst rescuing the small Shiatsu dog. He leaves a dummy in its place, presumably from the pot-belly. The 'alrighty then' catchphrase is used like a transition phrase. Carey had a hand in shaping the nature of the comedy portrayed in the script.

The movie launched Carey's film career and started a franchise.

Answer: The Shawshank Redemption

This quote comes in a conversation between Andy Dufresne and Ellis Boyd 'Red' Redding in the prison yard. Andy is setting out his dream to end his days in Mexico. Red chides him not to do that to himself. Andy summarises his choices with the quote. This 1994 prison drama is based on Stephen King's 1982 novella "Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption". Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman play Andy and Red respectively.

Initially it didn't do well in the box office. After being nominated for several Oscars, it was re-released in 1995 to better reception.

Answer: Jerry Maguire

The 1996 sports comedy-drama "Jerry Maguire" is perhaps best known for its 'Show me the money!' quote, however there were a few memorable ones in the film. The 'hello' quote was made by Rene Zellweger (as Dorothy) to Tom Cruise (as Jerry Maguire) near the end of the movie.

He enters the living room where the Divorced Women's Group is in session. Starting with 'Hello', he begins talking to try and persuade her to stay with him, pausing every now and then but getting no response. Eventually Dorothy tells him to shut up and makes the quote.

Answer: Fight Club

Based on the 1996 novel of the same name, the 1999 David Fincher-directed movie starred Brad Pitt (as Tyler) and Edward Norton as the narrator. Described by its director as a coming-of-age movie like 'The Graduate' (1967), arguably it comes from the opposite direction where the narrator does not see a world of possibilities for himself.

The theme is to regain control of your life instead of being trapped in the corporate working class. Tyler's quote (on authenticity and pressure to conform) fits with the theme.

Answer: Home Alone

Eight-year-old Kevin gets left behind in the panic to get to the airport in "Home Alone" (1990). So he sets about enjoying himself including watching the film "Angels With Filthy Souls" from which the quote comes from. He samples the sound clip to good effect when ordering pizza and, later in the movie, to trick a would-be burglar.

There is no such film in real life, although the excerpt filmed for the movie was inspired by the 1938 film "Angels With Dirty Faces".