Audie Murphy Mergers Trivia Quiz

Answer: Courage

"The Red Badge of (Courage) Under Fire" is the merged title.

"The Red Badge of Courage" is based on Stephen Crane's novel about a young Union soldier's baptism of fire and his reactions to battle. Audie plays the Youth, Henry Fleming in a cast which includes Royal Dano, Bill Mauldin and Andy Devine.

"Courage Under Fire" involves Washington's character investigating the actions of a helicopter pilot played by Meg Ryan, to determine if the award of the Medal of Honor is warranted. Lou Diamond Phillips and Matt Damon also appear in the cast.

Answer: Shadow

The merger is "Cast a Long (Shadow) of a Doubt".

"Cast a Long Shadow" is of the "illegitimate son inherits ranch" variety of western, with the usual objections raised by those who think they have a better claim. John Dehner and James Best are also in the cast.

"Shadow of a Doubt" involves a young woman's suspicions about her favourite uncle, after whom she is named, and who may or may not be a murderer. The cast also includes Hume Cronyn and Macdonald Carey.

Answer: Bullet

"No Name on the (Bullet) for a Badman" is the merged title.

In "No Name on the Bullet" Audie plays a hired killer named John Gant who rides into town one day. Such are the secrets and feuds of the townsfolk that almost everybody thinks that he has come to kill them. Charles Drake and Warren Stevens are also in the cast.

In "Bullet for a Badman" Murphy plays a retired Texas Ranger who ends up at odds with a former friend and colleague who has turned to crime and whose ex-wife Audie's character has married. Darren McGavin plays the former friend, and the cast also includes Ruta Lee, Beverley Owen and Skip Homeier.

Answer: Raiders

The mergers are either "Kansas (Raiders) of the Lost Ark" or "Arizona (Raiders) of the Lost Ark".

"Kansas Raiders" would have us believe that young Jesse James (Murphy) joined Quantrill's Raiders towards the end of the American Civil War to right perceived wrongs done to his family, after which he rode off into the sunset to pursue his life of crime. Brian Donlevy is Quantrill, and other gang members include Tony Curtis, James Best and Richard Long.

In "Arizona Raiders" Audie is an ex-Quantrill's Raider named Clint, who is recruited to hunt his former gang down, becoming an Arizona Ranger to do so. Fred Graham plays Quantrell/Quantrill, and Buster Crabbe and Ray Stricklyn also appear.

"Raiders of the Lost Ark" is the movie that introduces us to Indiana Jones and his quest for adventure, the ark and defeating the bad guys including some nasty Nazis. Karen Allen, John Rhys-Davies and Denholm Elliott also appear.

Answer: American

The merger is "The Quiet (American) Hustle".

"The Quiet American" is set in Vietnam in the early 1950s, when the French were still in power. Murphy plays the young American who becomes interested in a young Vietnamese woman who is also entangled with an older British diplomat named Fowler (Michael Redgrave). The 2002 remake has Brendan Fraser as the American and Michael Caine as Fowler (this time a reporter).

"American Hustle" is an entertaining crime caper that keeps the audience guessing about what is happening all the way through the movie. Christian Bale, Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner and Bradley Cooper are all among the cast. Despite ten nominations, however, no Oscar is on the shelf.

Answer: Heaven

"Texas, Brooklyn & (Heaven) Can Wait" is the merged title.

"Texas, Brooklyn & Heaven" is one of Audie Murphy's first two films, both made in 1948. (The other is "Beyond Glory".) His character works with Madison's character at a Texas newspaper, and disappears from the film when the hero takes off for Brooklyn to seek his fortune.

"Heaven Can Wait" is about an American football quarterback (Beatty) who is whisked away to heaven only to discover that it is not his time yet. A problem arises when his body is cremated before his soul can be returned to earth, and the action involves finding a suitable replacement. James Mason and Jack Warden also appear.

Answer: Back

The merged title is "To Hell and (Back) to the Future"

"To Hell and Back" features Murphy playing himself as he becomes one of the most decorated American soldiers ever, receiving not only the Medal of Honor, but nearly every other award for which he is eligible, all before reaching voting age. Marshall Thompson, Charles Drake and Jack Kelly are among those who play his buddies.

"Back to the Future" and its sequels in 1989 and 1990 feature a young Fox as Marty McFly who engages in time travel alongside Dr Emmett Brown (Christopher Lloyd) in a specially-fitted DeLorean automobile.

Answer: The River

"Drums Along (the River) Wild" is the merger.

In "Drums Along the River" a miner played by Lyle Bettger is trying to stir up a war because he wants to get at the gold that is on Ute land. Audie's character and his father (Walter Brennan) try to prevent that from happening. Hugh O'Brian and Jay Silverheels also are in the cast.

"The River Wild" is an intense thriller set, as one might expect, on a fast-flowing river upon which Streep and her family (including David Strathairn) are taking a rafting journey. Initially, Bacon and his crony played by John C. Reilly, approach the family for help as they are inexperienced at river travel, and Meryl is an expert. Before long they show their true nature, and survival becomes far from assured.

Answer: Seven

Merged, the title is "The Magnificent (Seven) Ways from Sundown".

"The Magnificent Seven" comprise Yul Brynner, Steve McQueen, Charles Bronson, James Coburn, Robert Vaughn, Brad Dexter and Horst Buchholz as the seven gunmen hired by a Mexican village to protect them from Eli Wallach and his band of ruffians. The 2016 remake with Denzel Washington and some other guys is OK, but the 1960 version is truly magnificent (in the opinion of this fan girl). Note that I don't say 'original' as that label belongs to Akira Kurosawa's "Seven Samurai" (1954).

"Seven Ways from Sundown" is the unusual first name of Audie Murphy's character, who goes by Seven Jones for short. He's a Texas Ranger taking in a bad guy played by Barry Sullivan, with whom he forms something of a friendship as they face dangers together. Other cast members include Kenneth Tobey and John McIntire.

Answer: Night

"It Happened One (Night) Passage" is the merged title.

Director Frank Capra's "It Happened One Night" has the distinction of being the first movie to have won the "big five" Academy Awards. These are Best Picture, Best Director (Capra), Best Actor (Gable), Best Actress (Colbert) and Best Writing (Robert Riskin). The story is a romantic comedy following the antics of socialite Colbert and reporter Gable as they travel the country by bus and later hitch hiking, together.

In "Night Passage", Stewart is hired to get the railroad payroll past a gang of outlaws of which Murphy is a member. Dan Duryea plays the gang leader, and Brandon deWilde and Jay C. Flippen are also in the cast.