47th Academy Awards 1975 Trivia Quiz

Answer: The Godfather Part II

"The Godfather Part II" is a continuation of the story of the Corleone crime family with Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) now the Don of the family. "The Godfather Part II" was nominated for eleven Academy Awards and the movie created history as the first sequel to win the Best Picture Academy Award.
It's other wins were:
Best Director - Francis Ford Coppola
Best Supporting Actor - Robert De Niro
Best Adapted Screenplay - Francis Ford Coppola, Mario Puzo
Best Art Direction - Dean Tavoularis, Angelo Graham, George R. Nelson
Best Original Dramatic Score - Nino Rota, Carmine Coppola.

Answer: The Conversation

Francis Ford Coppola's "The Conversation" (1974) stars Gene Hackman as Harry Caul, a surveillance expert who has recorded a conversation between a couple as they walk through a crowded square. Unable to understand the conversation Harry becomes obsessed in trying to make sense of what he has heard, believing it may have murderous intent. "The Conversation" casts both Harrison Ford and Cindy Williams from the 1973 released Francis Ford Coppola production "American Graffiti".

Answer: Murder on the Orient Express

"Murder on the Orient Express"(1974) is based on the Agatha Christie novel of the same title. It stars Albert Finney as Hercule Poirot (a role for which he received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor) who investigates the death of Samuel Ratchett (Richard Widmark) aboard the train, the Orient Express. With an all star cast of suspects including Ingrid Bergman who plays Greta Ohlsson, a Swedish missionary to Africa, "Murder on the Orient Express" was critically acclaimed and was nominated for six Academy Awards, with Ingrid Bergman being the only win for the film in the category of Best Supporting Actress.

Answer: Art Carney

Art Carney for his portrayal of Harry Coombes in "Harry and Tonto"(1974) won the Best Actor category at the 47th Academy Awards 1975. "Harry and Tonto" follows the story of Harry and his cat, Tonto, as they make their way across America from New York to Los Angeles, and the people and family members they meet along the way. "Harry and Tonto" was also nominated for an Academy Award in the category Best Original Screenplay - Paul Mazursky and Josh Greenfeld.

Answer: Madeline Kahn

Madeline Kahn was born 29th September, 1942 in Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.A. Madeline worked in numerous films with Mel Brooks such as "Blazing Saddles" (1974), "Young Frankenstein" (1974), "High Anxiety" (1977) and "History of the World, Part I" (1980). Before she was cast as Lili von Shtupp in "Blazing Saddles", Madeline Kahn was contracted to appear in the Lucille Ball film "Mame"(1974), but due to artistic differences with Lucille she was fired from the role. "Mame" went on to be a box office flop and the final cinematic released film for Lucille Ball, whilst "Blazing Saddles" was the launch pad for Madeline Kahn's career which lasted till her death in 1999, aged 57, from ovarian cancer.

Answer: Valerie Perrine

Valerie Perrine was born 3rd September, 1943 Galveston, Texas, U.S.A. Starting as a Las Vegas showgirl, Valerie made her screen debut as Montana Wildhack in the movie "Slaughterhouse-Five"(1972). In the movie "Lenny"(1974), a film about comedian Lenny Bruce (Dustin Hoffman), Valerie Perrine plays a stripper named Honey, who is to become Lenny's wife. For this role she was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress. Valerie Perrine's most memorable role is as Miss Teschmacher, Lex Luthor's (Gene Hackman) girlfriend and accomplice in the first two "Superman" franchise movies, with Christopher Reeve as Superman.

Answer: Best Original Screenplay - Robert Towne

"Chinatown" is frequently listed as one of the greatest films of all-time and has been chosen by the Library of Congress for preservation. "Chinatown"(1974) stars Jack Nicholson as J.J. "Jake" Gittes, a private investigator who is hired by Evelyn Cross Mulwray (Faye Dunaway) to follow her husband Hollis, an outspoken opponent of a new reservoir construction in the Los Angeles region.

When Hollis is found drowned in a reservoir, Gittes suspects murder and when he is warned off by the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power he finds it goes much deeper than just murder. Of the eleven nominations received only Robert Towne won an Academy Award for his Screenplay.

Answer: Thunderbolt and Lightfoot

Following his nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his role "The Last Picture Show" (1971), Jeff Bridges teamed up with Clint Eastwood in the film "Thunderbolt and Lightfoot"(1974). A car thief named Lightfoot (Jeff Bridges) helps a bank robber known as "The Thunderbolt" (Clint Eastwood) flee from his fellow gang members, who believe Thunderbolt has double crossed them.

When caught by the gang members, Thunderbolt proposes a new heist which is successful, but the following events result in Lightfoot being kicked in the head which results in cerebral damage and ultimately death. For his role as Lightfoot, Jeff Bridges received his second nomination for an Academy Award, but it wasn't until his fifth nomination for "Crazy Heart"(2009) that he finally won an Academy Award.

Answer: Fred Astaire

"The Towering Inferno"(1974) is a disaster film produced by Irwin Allen two years after his successful production "The Poseidon Adventure"(1972). "The Towering Inferno" stars Paul Newman as Doug Roberts, the architect of the "Glass Tower" skyscraper in San Francisco. Roger Simmons (Richard Chamberlain) is the electrical engineer who has used cheap electrical wiring in the building, without the knowledge of his father-in-law, James Duncan (William Holden), the builder of the high-rise. During the dedication ceremony, a fire breaks out on the 81st floor trapping the guests, including Harlee Claiborne (Fred Astaire), a con man. For his role as Claiborne, Fred Astaire received his first and only nomination for an Academy Award. Steve McQueen plays Mike O'Halloran, S.F.F.D. 5th Battalion Chief, in charge of putting the fire out. O. J. Simpson plays Harry Jernigan, the Chief Security Officer of the "Glass Tower".

Answer: Earthquake

Both "Earthquake"(1974) and "Airport 1975"(1974) starred Charlton Heston and George Kennedy, but it was "Earthquake" that was nominated for four Academy Awards winning Best Sound Mixing (Ronald Pierce, Melvin M. Metcalfe, Sr.). It also won a Special Achievement Academy Award for Visual Effects - Frank Brendel, Glen Robinson and Albert Whitlock.

The premise of "Earthquake" was simple, survival after an earthquake destroys most of Los Angeles. In 1974, disaster films were at their peak for box office takings, and many made for television disaster films were also being produced in 1974 such as "Heatwave!"(1974) and "Hurricane"(1974).

But this was a short lived era of films, as by 1978 the genre was not drawing interest from the public, and this reflected in box office takings.

It wasn't until 1997, when James Cameron made a film called "Titanic" that the genre got new interest ($2.1 billion in box office takings does tend to be noticed).