25 Great Films, Part 2 Trivia Quiz

Answer: The Searchers

1956's "The Searchers" produced John Wayne's favorite character, Ethan Edwards. In fact, Wayne named one of his sons Ethan after the character. The film focuses on the hatred that Ethan holds for Native Americans, especially Comanches, who have burned his brother's farm home and kidnapped Ethan's two nieces. Ethan and Martin Pawley (played by Jeffrey Hunter) spend five years searching for Debbie (Natalie Wood), who has eventually become Comanche herself. Vera Miles also stars as Laurie, Martin's girlfriend.

This western was directed by John Ford.

Answer: The Adventures of Robin Hood

"The Adventures of Robin Hood" (1938) was nominated for Best Picture, but won Best Art Direction, Film Editing, and Music. Flynn is the famous hero Robin Hood, who steals from the rich to give to the poor. Claude Rains is the evil Prince John, and Basil Rathbone is Guy of Gisborne. Olivia de Havilland is the beautiful Lady Marian Fitzwalter, love of Robin Hood. Robin finds himself at odds with Prince John when he supports John's rival, brother Ricahrd the Lionhearted. Robin is jailed and sentenced to death by hanging, but Marian and Robin's band of merry men conspire to free him. Michael Curtiz directed.

Answer: Rocky

"Rocky" came out in 1976, and starred Sylvester Stallone, who wrote the script. The film was nominated for ten Oscars, and won three: Best Picture, Director, and Film Editing. The song "Gonna Fly Now" was nominated for Best Original Song, and Sylvester Stallone, Talia Shire, Burgess Meredith, and Burt Young received nominations. The director was John G. Avildsen.
"Rocky" is about a "loser" boxer who is given the chance to fight the Heavyweight Champion of the World, Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers). Rocky (Stallone) trains with the help of Mickey (Meredith), and dates friend Paulie's (Young) sister Adrian (Shire).

Answer: To Kill a Mockingbird

Harper Lee published "To Kill a Mockingbird" in 1960, and the book won the Pulitzer Prize. Gregory Peck won Best Actor for his role as Atticus Finch, the white lawyer who receives criticism for defending a black man, Tom Robinson, who is accused of raping a white girl. The character of Atticus was voted the number one hero by the American Film Institute (in 2003).

The movie was nominated for eight Oscars, including Best Picture, but won three: Best Actor, Best Art Direction, and Best Screenplay. Young Mary Badham, who received a nomination for her performance, plays Atticus' daughter Scout Finch. Robert Duvall makes an appearance as strange neighbor Boo Radley. Robert Mulligan directed.

Answer: The Best Years of Our Lives

William Wyler directed this film, which won seven Oscars: Best Picture, Director, Actor, Supporting Actor, Film Editing, Music, and Screenplay. It was also nominated for Best Sound. Fredric March won for his role as Al Stephenson, who returns home to Boone City with strangers Fred Derry (Dana Andrews) and Homer Parish (Harold Russell). Teresa Wright plays Peggy Stephenson, Al's daughter who falls in love with Fred. Myrna Loy plays Milly Stephenson, Al's wife, and Virginia Mayo plays Marie Derry, Fred's wife. Cathy O'Donnell and Hoagy Carmichael also feature. Harold Russell also received a special award for his role as Homer, the sailor who lost his hands. Russell himself had also lost his hands in the war.

Answer: Notorious

This 1946 film was nominated for two Oscars: Best Screenplay and Best Supporting Actor (Claude Rains). Cary Grant stars as Devlin, who persuades German-American Alicia (Ingrid Bergman) to socialize with some of her father's old friends in Brazil. Claude Rains is Alex Sebastian, a Nazi who was once in love with Alicia. Alicia marries Sebastian, which causes complications with Devlin.

Answer: Laura

"Laura" (1944) is a murder mystery that becomes more complicated as the film progresses. The beautiful Gene Tierney is Laura Hunt, a woman who is found murdered. Dana Andrews plays Detective Mark McPherson, who falls in love with the dead woman as the investigation progresses. Clifton Webb co-stars as Laura's older friend Waldo Lydecker. Vincent Price is Laura's fiance Shelby Carpenter, and Judith Anderson plays Laura's Aunt Anne, who is in love with Shelby.
"Laura" won Best Cinematography, and was nominated for Best Director, Supporting Actor, Art Direction, and Screenplay.

Answer: Rio Bravo

"Rio Bravo" stars John Wayne as John T. Chance, Dean Martin as the drunken Dude, Ricky Nelson as Colorado Ryan, Angie Dickinson as "Feathers", and Walter Brennan as the crippled Stumpy. The Howard Hawks film was not nominated for any Oscars, but one fantastic scene features Ricky Nelson and Dean Martin singing together: "My Rifle, My Pony, and Me" and "Get Along Home, Cindy, Cindy". When Joe Burdette (Claude Akins) kills a man in a local saloon, Chance struggles to keep peace in the town. Burdette's prestigious older brother, Nathan (John Russell), makes trouble for Chance, who has to deal with personal problems as well.

Answer: On the Waterfront

"On the Waterfront" (1954), directed by Elia Kazan, is a powerful classic. Brando, in what many film critics believe to be the greatest performance by an actor in the history of American films, plays Terry Malloy. His older brother Charley (Rod Steiger) is a close friend of the corrupt waterfront union boss, Johnny Friendly (Lee J. Cobb).

When Terry unwittingly helps with the murder of a local boy, he becomes deeply involved with the injustice going on down on the waterfront. Terry falls in love with Edie Doyle (Eva Marie Saint), who, along with Father Barry (Karl Malden), pushes Terry to speak with the crime commission, leading to the death of his brother. "On the Waterfront" was nominated for twelve Oscars, and won eight: Best Picture, Director, Actor, Supporting Actress, Art Direction, Cinematography, Film Editing, and Screenplay.

Answer: Return of the Jedi

"Return of the Jedi" came out in 1983. It is the last film (chronologically) in the "Star Wars" saga. Mark Hamill is Luke, Harrison Ford is Han Solo, Carrie Fisher is Leia, and Billy Dee Williams is Lando Calrissian. The film did not win any Oscars, but was nominated for four: Best Sound, Art Direction, Effects, and Music.
Luke Skywalker rescues friends Han and Leia from the clutches of the evil Jabba the Hutt, finally finishes his training as a Jedi knight, and defeats the Dark Side.

I hope you enjoyed my 25 favorite films; thanks for taking the quiz!