In Other Words, They're Wrong Trivia Quiz

Answer: The Scarlet Letter

Nathaniel Hawthorne's 1850 masterpiece "The Scarlet Letter" follows the story of Hester Prynne, a 17th-century Puritan woman punished for adultery by being made to wear a bright red letter A at all times. Exploring themes of love, guilt, sin, revenge, and forgiveness, it was an instant bestseller and remains in print. The films it inspired have not been so fortunate; the 1995 film by Roland Joffé, starring Gary Oldman and Demi Moore, won a Golden Raspberry Award for "worst remake or sequel." It was generally considered a bad sign that the film admitted in the credits to having been "freely adapted" from the book.

The word "letter" in the title refers to A, a letter of the alphabet, not to a missive or epistle written to another person.

Answer: The West Wing

Airing on NBC from 1999 to 2006, "The West Wing" (created by Aaron Sorkin) was a popular television drama centering on the behind-the-scenes work of a U.S. presidential administration. (The title thus refers to the West Wing of the White House, the office wing of the presidential residence.) Over its run, the series picked up a staggering twenty-six Emmy Awards.

An organ specialized for flight is, of course, the wing of a bird, insect or other flying creature, and the inspiration for manmade devices from hang gliders to airplanes. While the White House's office area may somewhat resemble a wing in an aerial view (if you squint), it seems safe to assume that this meaning is not what "The West Wing" is about.

Answer: The Sound of Music

The 1965 movie version of the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical "The Sound of Music" follows an Austrian novice, Maria (Julie Andrews), as she sets out to be the governess to the large family of the widowed Captain Von Trapp (Christopher Plummer). To a rousing soundtrack, she finds love with the Captain; teaches the whole family to sing; and winds up leading them in their flight from the Nazis. Loosely based on the true story of the musical Von Trapp family, the musical was a huge success.

A sound is also, of course, a narrow strait or channel; think Long Island Sound in New York or Baynes Sound in British Columbia. The movie, however, has relatively little water in it.

Answer: The Lord of the Rings

J. R. R. Tolkien's masterpiece "The Lord of the Rings," a sequel to "The Hobbit," was published in three volumes in 1954 and 1955. The books trace the efforts of the hobbit Frodo and his companions to destroy the One Ring, an expression of the vast power and corruption of the dark lord Sauron. In 2001, New Line Cinemas released the first of an immensely popular three-part movie adaptation done by Peter Jackson (the final part, "Return of the King," was released in 2003 and won eleven Oscars). "The Lord of the Rings" has also been adapted in animated versions, radio shows and even a stage musical.

Despite the title, the ringing of bells does not feature much in the story.

Answer: 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea

Jules Verne's classic 1870 novel "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" tells the story of one Captain Nemo, renegade commander of a submarine (the Nautilus) that travels the seas free from the interference of any government. Despite some rather egregious errors in the first English translation, it has become much beloved in many languages (including the original French), and is often referenced in other works. Perhaps the most bizarre shout-out occurred in a 1989 episode of the animated children's show "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles," a parody entitled "20,000 Leaks Under the Sea."

In addition to a unit of distance (about three miles), a league is an organization. See, for example, innumerable sports leagues, as well as the graphic novel "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen" (which chronicles the adventures of a club of superheroes).

Answer: Raging Bull

"Raging Bull" was an Oscar-winning 1980 movie, directed by Martin Scorsese, that followed the life and fortunes of middleweight boxing champion Jake LaMotta (Robert DeNiro). Conversely, a papal bull is a formal document issued by the Pope of the Roman Catholic Church, and picked up its name because it was originally issued with a metal bulla (a type of seal).

Answer: Back to the Future

"Back to the Future," a popular sci-fi comedy movie trilogy released from 1985 to 1990, was directed by Robert Zemeckis and starred Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd. Fox played high-school student Marty McFly, who accidentally traveled back to 1955 using one of Lloyd's mad-scientist inventions -- and, even worse, he prevented his parents from dating! Having averted catastrophe by setting his parents up together, McFly went on to have other adventures, including saving the past and present from contamination by knowledge of the future (Part II) and rescuing his mad scientist friend from the Wild West in Part III. The movies were followed by an animated series, a run of comic books and even an amusement-park ride at Universal Studios.

Of course, the title of "Back to the Future" refers to a return to the future, not to the well-known body part. Tell that to the verbose mastermind!

Answer: Pride and Prejudice

"Pride and Prejudice" (1813), a romantic comedy following the fortunes and misfortunes of the five Bennett sisters (through the eyes of Elizabeth Bennett), is Jane Austen's best-known work. Still extremely popular in its original form, it has also inspired several film and TV versions, one of the most famous being the 1995 BBC miniseries starring Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth. At some bookstores it seems that whole shelves are devoted to sequels written in the modern day.

Some characters seem to find the Bennetts intimidating or frightening, but they would probably be much more intimidated by a pride of lions, a kinship and hunting group comprised of mostly females and cubs.

Answer: Live and Let Die

"Live and Let Die" (1973) was the eighth James Bond film and Roger Moore's first in the role of the British superspy. Based on the second Bond novel written by Ian Fleming, its circuitous plot concerned a wicked and monopolistic plot by voodoo baron Mr. Big, whose evil contraband varies from heroin (in the movie) to 17th-century gold coins (in the book). The movie's title song, which still receives ample radio play, was written by Paul and Linda McCartney and performed by Paul McCartney and Wings; it was the first Bond theme to be nominated for an Oscar.

A die is, of course, a gaming cube with the numbers from 1 to 6 on each side; one rolls it to introduce an element of chance into games ranging from craps to Monopoly. The McCartneys, however, pretty clearly meant the word "die" to mean "stop living."

Answer: The Green Mile

Published in 1996 as a six-part serial novel, Stephen King's "The Green Mile" tells of a man named John Coffey, sentenced to death for a terrible crime, who seems to possess healing hands. Titled after the green linoleum floor of the corridor to the execution chambers, the book was turned into a major motion picture (starring Tom Hanks and Michael Clarke Duncan) only three years later.

The word "green" also refers to the state of being new, inexperienced or untested; it most likely arises from the use of green to refer to unripe or unseasoned plants ("green lumber," for example, is not yet suitable for being used in buildings). A story set in Death Row in 1933, however, does not lack for characters with experience.

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