Action! ABCs (The Best Movies Alphabetically) Quiz

Answer: A Streetcar Named Desire

"A Streetcar Named Desire" was released in 1951. The film revolves around a southern belle who is searching for some place in the world to call her own, and is set in the French quarter of New Orleans. Blanche DuBois is that southern lady. She moves in with her sister Stella, and brother-in-law Stanley.

It was based on a play of the same name by Tennessee Williams. Mr. Williams also helped write the screenplay for the film. It was directed by Elia Kazan, and starred a virtually unknown actor named Marlon Brando as Stanley Kowalski.

It received 10 Academy Award nominations, and won four Oscars. Those awards were given for Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor and Supporting Actress, and Best Art Direction. The roles listed were played by Vivien Leigh, Karl Malden, and Kim Hunter.

Answer: Ben-Hur

"Ben-Hur" was released in 1959. The film was a fictional account of a Jewish nobleman, in a conquered Roman Judaea, who incurs the ire of a childhood friend. That friend, now a Roman Centurion, in turn causes the main character to be enslaved. It was based on the 1880 novel of the same name by Lew Wallace.

The film was directed by William Wyler, and starred Charlton Heston as the title character. It was nominated for 12 Academy Awards, and won 11 Oscars. The highlights of those 11 awards were Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor.

The roles listed were played by Jack Hawkins, Sam Jaffe, and Mino Doro.

Answer: Casablanca

"Casablanca" was released in 1942. The film is a romantic drama set in Morocco during World War Two. The main character's ex girlfriend and husband are leaders in the rebellion against Nazi Germany. They seek his help in staying one step ahead of the Nazis who are in hot pursuit.

It was based on an unproduced play called "Everybody Comes to Rick's" by Murray Burnett and John Allison. It was directed by Michael Curtiz, and starred Humphrey Bogart as Rick Blaine. It was nominated for eight Academy Awards, and won three Oscars.

The awards came in the categories of Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Screenplay. The roles were played by Paul Henreid, Claude Rains, and Conrad Veidt.

Answer: Dances With Wolves

"Dances With Wolves" was released in 1990. The film is about a U.S. Calvary officer who longs to see the untamed Great plains of the west. In doing so he learns from its inhabitants, the Lakota Sioux, what life is really all about. It was based on the 1988 novel of the same name by Michael Blake.

The film was Kevin Costner's directorial debut. He also starred as the title character. It was nominated for 12 Academy Awards, and won seven Oscars. It was the first western themed movie to win Best Picture since 1931's "Cimmaron".

It also won for Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay. The roles listed were played by Mary McDonnell, Robert Pastorelli, and Kevin Costner.

Answer: (The) Exorcist

"The Exorcist" was released in 1973. The film involves the possession of a young girl by a demonic entity, and her concerned mother enlists the help of a local priest, as well as an expert in exorcisms, to rid her of that horrific fate. It was based on the 1971 novel of the same name by William Blatty.

It was directed by William Friedkin, and starred Linda Blair as Regan MacNeil. It was nominated for 10 Academy Awards, but only managed to win Oscars for Best Screenplay and Best Sound. The roles listed were played by Max Von Sydow, Jason Miller, and Ellen Burstyn.

Answer: Forrest Gump

"Forrest Gump" was released in 1994. The film is a fictional account of the life of the title character, who inspires all those who are around him. He does so through his good nature, and perseverance over his mental deficiencies. It was based on the 1986 novel of the same name by Winston Groom.

It was directed by Robert Zemeckis, and starred Tom Hanks in the title role. It was nominated for 13 Academy Awards, and won six Oscars. The highlights of those awards were Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor.

The roles listed were played by Gary Sinise, Mykelti Williamson, and Robin Wright.

Answer: (The) Godfather

"The Godfather" was released in 1972. The film focuses on the fictional Italian-American Corleone crime family, and the trials and tribulations that come with leading that type of lifestyle. It was based on the 1969 novel of the same name by Mario Puzo.

It was directed by Francis Ford Coppola, and starred Marlon Brando in the title role. The film was nominated for seven Academy Awards, and took home four Oscars. Those awards were for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, and Best Screenplay. The roles listed were played by Robert Duvall, Diane Keaton, and Lenny Montana.

Answer: How Green was My Valley

"How Green was my Valley" was released in 1941. The film concerns the Morgan family, and their Welsh coal mining town. A coal miners' strike brings division among the Morgan clan. It was based on the 1939 novel of the same name by Richard Llewellyn. It was directed by John Ford, and starred Maureen O'Hara as Angharad Morgan.

It was nominated for 10 Academy Awards, and won five Oscars. The highlight of those awards was for Best Picture, where it beat out three other legendary movies, "Citizen Kane", "Sergeant York", and "The Maltese Falcon".

The roles listed were played by Roddy McDowall, Walter Pidgeon, and Rhys Williams.

Answer: It's a Wonderful Life

"It's a Wonderful Life" was released in 1946. The film shows flashbacks of the life of George Bailey as he battles with thoughts of suicide. With the help of a guardian angel, George sees how life would've unfolded without him. It was based on a short story from 1943 titled "The Greatest Gift" by Philip Van Doren Stern.

The film was directed by Frank Capra, and starred James Stewart as George Bailey. It was nominated for five Academy Awards, but took home only a single Oscar for technical achievement in special effects.

The roles listed were played by Frank Albertson, Donna Reed, and Virginia Patton.

Answer: Jaws

"Jaws" was released in 1975. The film is about a great white shark that stalks the waters off of fictional Amity Island, and the battle with the township to keep their tourist industry afloat through it all. It was based on the the 1974 novel of the same name by Peter Benchley.

It was directed by Steven Spielberg, and starred the trio of Roy Scheider, Robert Shaw, and Richard Dreyfuss. It was nominated for four Academy Awards, and won three Oscars for Best Editing, Best Sound, and Best Original Score.

The roles listed were played by Murray Hamilton, Susan Backlinie, and Jeffery Voorhees.

Answer: (The) King and I

"The King and I" was released in 1956. The film is a musical drama about an English tutor to the King of Siam's family, and the clash of cultures and personalities that emerge. It was based on the 1944 novel titled "Anna and the King of Siam" by Margaret Landon.

It was directed by Walter Lang, and starred Yul Brynner as King Mongkut of Siam. It was nominated for nine Academy Awards, and took home five Oscars. The highlighted awards being Best Actor, and Best Art Direction. The roles listed were played by Deborah Kerr, Alan Mowbray, and Rita Moreno.

Answer: Lawrence of Arabia

"Lawrence of Arabia" was released in 1962. The film is an account of English officer T.E. Lawrence's experiences in the Arab world during World War One. It was based on the life of T.E. Lawrence, and his 1926 book "Seven Pillars of Wisdom". It was directed by David Lean, and starred Peter O'Toole as the title character.

This epic was nominated for 10 Academy Awards, and won seven Oscars. Best Picture and Best Director being the biggest of the seven. The roles listed were played by Anthony Quayle, Arthur Kennedy, and Anthony Quinn.

Answer: (A) Man for All Seasons

"A Man for All Seasons" was released in 1966. The film is the true life account of Sir Thomas More, and how he stood up to King Henry the Eighth over the King's decision to annul his marriage to Anne Boleyn. In doing so More was regarded as traitor by his Majesty It was adapted from the Robert Bolt play of the same name.

It was directed by Fred Zinnemann, and starred Paul Scofield as Sir Thomas More. The film won six Oscars out of the eight it was nominated for. It won for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor, among others.

The roles listed were played by Leo McKern, Wendy Hiller, and John Hurt.

Answer: No Country for Old Men

"No Country for Old Men" was released in 2007. The film was a fictional drama about a satchel of drug money, and the many who tried to obtain it. The Mexican Cartel, a hired assassin, a hunter, and Texas law enforcement all match wits in the pursuit of that fortune.

It was based on the 2005 novel of the same name by Cormac McCarthy. It was directed by, brothers, Joel and Ethan Coen, and starred Javier Bardem and Josh Brolin. The film was nominated for eight Oscars, and won four. The most notable being Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor.

The roles listed were played by Woody Harrelson, Tommy Lee Jones, and Kelly MacDonald.

Answer: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

"One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" was released in 1975. The film was a fictional account of life in an Oregon mental institute for the criminally insane. At the forefront is Randle McMurphy, a man who is trying to avoid true incarceration by pretending to be out of mind.

It was based on the 1962 novel of the same name by Ken Kesey. The film was directed by Milos Forman, and starred Jack Nicholson as Randle McMurphy. It was nominated for nine Academy Awards, and won what is known as the "Big Five" (Best Picture, Director, Actor, Actress, and Screenplay).

The roles listed were played by Louise Fletcher, Sydney Lassick, and Brad Dourif.

Answer: Platoon

"Platoon" was released in 1986. It was based on director Oliver Stone's experiences in the Vietnam War, and as stated in the film, a battle for one soldier's soul by two juxtaposed Army Staff Sergeants. It starred an ensemble cast of emerging talent.

It was nominated for eight Oscars, and won four, including Best Picture and Best Director. The roles listed were played by Tom Berenger, Charlie Sheen, and Johnny Depp.

Answer: (The) Quiet Man

"The Quiet Man" was released in 1952. The film is about a retired American boxer who returns to the Ireland homestead of his birth. There he runs afoul of a local Irishman who has long sought to buy his family's land. It was based on a 1933 "Saturday Evening Post" short story of the same name by Maurice Walsh.

It was directed by John Ford, and starred John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara. It was nominated for seven Oscars, and won for Best Director (John Ford's fourth award in that category) and Best Cinematography.

The roles listed were played by John Wayne, Ward Bond, and Eileen Crowe.

Answer: Rocky

"Rocky" was released in 1976. The film was a fictional story about a second rate Philadelphia boxer who gets an unexpected chance to fight for the world heavyweight title. It was written for the screen by Sylvester Stallone. It was directed by John Avildsen and starred Stallone as Rocky Balboa.

The film was nominated for nine Academy Awards, and took home four Oscars. The feature awards being Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor. The roles listed were played by Joe Spinell, Thayer David, and Burgess Meredith.

Answer: (The) Silence of the Lambs

"The Silence of the Lambs" was released in 1991. The film was a fictional thriller about an FBI agent enlisting the help of one serial killer to help catch another serial killer named Buffalo Bill, who was terrifying the many towns and states in, and around the Appalachian Mountains.

It was based on the novel of the same title by Thomas Harris. It was directed by Jonathon Demme, and starred Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins. The film was nominated for seven Oscars, and joined the "Big Five Club" with awards given for Best Picture, Director, Actor, Actress, and Screenplay.

The roles listed were played by Scott Glenn, Anthony Heald, and Brooke Smith.

Answer: Titanic

"Titanic" was released in 1997. It was based on accounts of the historical sinking of the RMS Titanic, and incorporates fictionalized aspects, as written by director James Cameron. It starred Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio. It was up for 14 Academy Awards, and garnered 11 Oscars. Of those 11 awards, Best Picture and Director were among them.

The roles listed were played by Bill Paxton, Billy Zane, and Gloria Stuart.

Answer: Unforgiven

"Unforgiven" was released in 1992. The film is a fictional western about retired outlaws looking to collect a reward for avenging the disfigurement of some local prostitute. It takes place in the small Wyoming town of Big Whiskey. It was based on a screenplay written by David Webb Peoples, and is said to also be loosely based on "The Iliad" by Homer.

It was directed by Clint Eastwood, who also starred in it as William Munny. The film won four of the nine Oscars it was nominated for. The highlighted awards being Best Picture, Director, and Supporting Actor (Gene Hackman).

The roles listed were played by Morgan Freeman, Saul Rubinek, and Anna Thomson.

Answer: Vertigo

"Vertigo" was released in 1958. The film is a psychological thriller about a private eye who is hired to keep a man's wife from committing suicide, and is set against the backdrop of San Francisco Bay. It was based on the 1954 French novel "D'entre les morts" (meaning From Among the Dead) by Boileau Narcejac.

It was directed by Alfred Hitchcock, and starred James Stewart as Scottie Ferguson. It garnered no Academy Award nominations. However, as time has passed many film critics have come to consider it as being in the upper echelon of all films ever made.

The roles listed were played by Jimmy Stewart, Barbara Bel Geddes, and Tom Helmore.

Answer: West Side Story

It is the 1961 release of "West Side Story" that is spoken of for this quiz. The film is a musical about two New York street gangs who battle for turf. Complicating matters is that one rival member falls in love with his adversary's sister. Ernest Lehman adapted his screenplay from the 1957 play of the same name, and both were inspired by Shakespeare's play "Romeo and Juliet".

The film was directed by Robert Wise, and Natalie Wood was the headlining star as Maria. It won 10 of its 11 Oscar nominations, with winning nods given for Best Picture, Director, and Supporting Actor and Actress.

The roles listed were played by Penny Santon, John Astin, and William Bramley.

Answer: Yankee Doodle Dandy

"Yankee Doodle Dandy" was released in 1942. It was written for the screen by Robert Buckner and Edmund Joseph. It was based on the life and times of George Cohan, who was known as "The Man Who Owned Broadway". It was directed by Michael Curtiz, and starred James Cagney as Mr. Cohan.

It was nominated for eight Academy Awards, and won three including Best Actor. The roles listed were played by Irene Manning, Jeanne Cagney, and Richard Whorf.

Answer: Zero Dark Thirty

"Zero Dark Thirty" was released in 2012. It was written for the screen by Mark Boal about the manhunt for the terrorist, Osama Bin Laden. Bin Laden was the mastermind behind the 9/11 terrorist attacks in the U.S. It was directed by Kathryn Bigelow, and starred Jessica Chastain as a fictional C.I.A. agent.

It was nominated for five Oscars, and won a single award for Sound Editing. The roles listed were played by Jessica Chastain, Jason Clarke, and Kyle Chandler.