Best Picture Oscar Anagrams 1980-1989 Quiz

Answer: Driving Miss Daisy

Jessica Tandy played Daisy Werthan, an aging lady in Atlanta, Georgia. Her driving skills deteriorated and her son (Dan Aykroyd) hired a chauffeur to get her around town. Miss Daisy was not at all happy about losing her independence. Morgan Freeman played the chauffeur, Hoke Colburn, who overcame Daisy's initial reluctance to be chauffeured, and over the years a solid friendship formed.

"Driving Miss Daisy" was nominated for nine Oscars, winning four of them. Winners were Best Picture, Best Actress in a Leading Role (Jessica Tandy), Best Screenplay and Best Makeup.

It was also nominated for Best Actor in a Leading Role (Morgan Freeman), Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Dan Aykroyd) and three other Oscars.

Answer: Rain Man

In "Rain Man" Tom Cruise played Charlie Babbitt who valued money over just about everything. When his father died and left three million dollars to an anonymous beneficiary, he was determined to find him. The beneficiary was a long lost brother, Raymond Babbitt (Dustin Hoffman), who was an autistic savant. They traveled across the country and a relationship built over time as Charlie got to know his brother.

"Rain Man" won four of the eight Oscars it was nominated for. Oscars won were for Best Picture, Best Director (Barry Levinson), Best Actor in a Leading Role (Dustin Hoffman) and Best Screenplay. Nominations included Best Cinematography and Best Original Score.

Answer: The Last Emperor

Not long before his third birthday in 1908, Pu Yi became emperor of China. His life changed dramatically with revolution, war, imprisonment and marriages until his death in 1967.

"The Last Emperor" won all eight Oscars for which it was nominated. They included Best Picture, Best Director (Bernardo Bertolucci) and Best Screenplay.

Answer: Platoon

"Platoon" was the story of Chris Taylor, a new recruit in the Vietnam War. The two sergeants in his platoon had opposing views of humanity. Chris struggled to come to terms with the chaos and mayhem of the war and within his platoon.

"Platoon" won four Oscars and was nominated for four more. Oscars it won were for Best Picture, Best Director (Oliver Stone) and two others. It was nominated for Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Tom Berenger and Willem Dafoe were both nominated), Best Screenplay, and Best Cinematography.

Answer: Out of Africa

Meryl Streep played Karen Blixen, a woman in an unhappy marriage living in Kenya. Robert Redford played Denys Finch Hatton a British big game hunter. They fell in love but finding happiness together was another question.

"Out of Africa" won seven of the 11 Oscars for which it was nominated. Oscars won were for Best Picture, Best Director (Sydney Pollack), Best Screenplay and four others.

Nominations were for Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Klaus Maria Brandauer), Best Actress in a Leading Role (Meryl Streep), and two others.

Answer: Amadeus

"Amadeus" was the story of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart told through the eyes of Antonio Salieri, his rival and possible assassin. Salieri was in an insane asylum and told a priest of his interaction with Mozart, his incredible jealousy of Mozart's natural talent, his disgust of Mozart's vulgar behaviour, and how he killed Mozart.

"Amadeus" won eight Oscars. They were Best Picture, Director (Milos Foreman), Actor in a Leading Role (F. Murray Abraham), Screenplay and four others.

"Amadeus" was also nominated for Best Actor in a Leading Role (Tom Hulce) and two more Oscars.

Answer: Terms of Endearment

"Terms of Endearment" was about the relationship between a mother and daughter (Shirley MacLaine and Debra Winger respectively) as their lives were changed by marriage, births, infidelity, new friends and death. Jack Nicholson played Garrett Breedlove, a retired astronaut. He moved in next door to Shirley Maclaine and they began a mercurial relationship.

Nominated for 11 Oscars, "Terms of Endearment" won five Oscars including Best Picture, Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Jack Nicholson), Best Actress in a Leading Role (Shirley MacLaine), Best Director (James L. Brooks) and Best Screenplay.

It was also nominated for Best Actor in a Supporting Role (John Lithgow), Best Actress in a Leading Role (Debra Winger) and four other Oscars.

Answer: Gandhi

"Gandhi" was the story of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, a lawyer involved in human rights who led India to independence from Britain. Assassinated in 1948, his funeral was recreated by director Sir Richard Attenborough and saw over 400,000 people gather to commemorate and celebrate the life of Gandhi.

"Gandhi" won eight of the 11 Oscars it was nominated for. Oscars won included Best Picture, Best Actor in a Leading Role (Ben Kingsley), Best Director (Sir Richard Attenborough), Best Screenplay and four others.

It was also nominated for Best Makeup, Best Music and Best Sound.

Answer: Chariots of Fire

"Chariots of Fire" was the story of two British sprinters, one Christian and one Jewish, competing in the Paris Olympics of 1924. Strong religious convictions made one athlete contemplate giving up the chance for an Olympic medal. The other faced anti-Semitism as he progressed in his athletic career.

"Chariots of Fire" won four Oscars. It won Best Picture, Screenplay, Music, and Costume Design.

It was also nominated for Best Director (Hugh Hudson), Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Ian Holm) and Best Film Editing.

Answer: Ordinary People

"Ordinary People" was about the accidental death of a couple's eldest son and the ramifications it had on them and the younger brother. Despite the trappings of wealth, they were not immune to the emotional consequences of a tragic death and are merely ordinary people. "Ordinary People" was Robert Redford's first directorial work.

"Ordinary People" won four Oscars. They were Best Picture, Best Director (Robert Redford), Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Timothy Hutton) and Best Screenplay.

"Ordinary People" was also nominated for two more Oscars. They were for Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Judd Hirsch) and Best Actress in a Leading Role (Mary Tyler Moore).