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British War Films Trivia Quiz

War films made by British studios tend to be less glamorous and often more realistic than those made in Hollywood. Here are a few questions about five of these movies, all made in the 1950s. See how much you can remember.

A multiple-choice quiz by spanishliz. Estimated time: 4 mins.

Author
spanishliz

Time
4 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
124,535

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
6 / 10

Plays
2059

Awards
Top 20% Quiz

Last 3 plays: Guest 71 (6/10), Guest 136 (4/10), pughmv (9/10).

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. "The Battle of the River Plate" (1956) depicted one of the early naval actions of World War Two. In which South American city's harbour did the German ship take refuge? Hint

Buenos Aires

Montevideo

Valparaiso

Rio de Janeiro

NEXT>

Question 2 of 10

2. What was the ultimate fate of the German ship in "The Battle of the River Plate"? Hint

Sunk by British gunfire

Scuttled by her crew

Interned in a neutral port

Escaped to fight again

NEXT>

Question 3 of 10

3. The British film "Ice Cold in Alex" (1958) was given the more exciting title "Desert Attack" when shown in the United States. To what does the original title refer? Hint

An unheated billet

A cold night in the desert

A romantic disappointment

A glass of beer

NEXT>

Question 4 of 10

4. Which actor appeared as a German posing as a South African in "Ice Cold in Alex"?
Hint

John Mills

Anthony Quayle

Harry Andrews

Kenneth More

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Question 5 of 10

5. Former naval officer Nicholas Monsarrat wrote the novel upon which the 1953 movie "The Cruel Sea" was based. What was the name of the corvette upon which much of the action took place? Hint

HMS Compass Rose

HMS Saltash Castle

HMS Sunflower

HMS Flower

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Question 6 of 10

6. Which of the following actors did NOT appear in the film "The Cruel Sea"?
Hint

Jack Hawkins

Stanley Baker

Donald Sinden

Kenneth More

7. The first part of the 1954 film "The Dam Busters" dealt with the development and testing of Barnes Wallis's bouncing bomb, and with the training of the squadron formed to deliver it. How did Wallis secure the use of a Wellington bomber for the test sessions? Hint

By begging shamelessly

By paying someone under the table

By pointing out that he designed the aircraft

By calling in a favour

NEXT>

Question 8 of 10

8. The scenes showing the raid on the Ruhr Dams made by "The Dam Busters" took up a good portion of the latter part of the film, as one Lancaster after another delivered one bouncing bomb each. What did the crews use to determine their height above the water? Hint

Altimeters

Guesswork

Weighted lines

Lights

NEXT>

Question 9 of 10

9. "Ill Met by Moonlight" (1957) told the true story of two British officers, played by Dirk Bogarde and David Oxley, and a group of partisans who captured a German general. Where did the action take place? Hint

Crete

Sicily

France

Tunisia

NEXT>

Question 10 of 10

10. Who directed both "Ill Met by Moonlight" and "The Battle of the River Plate"? Hint

Charles Frend

Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger

Michael Anderson

J. Lee Thompson

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Most Recent Scores

Nov 28 2024 : Guest 71: 6/10
Nov 22 2024 : Guest 136: 4/10
Nov 13 2024 : pughmv: 9/10
Nov 02 2024 : Guest 75: 2/10
Oct 27 2024 : Mikeytrout44: 8/10
Oct 26 2024 : Guest 216: 6/10

Score Distribution

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. "The Battle of the River Plate" (1956) depicted one of the early naval actions of World War Two. In which South American city's harbour did the German ship take refuge?

Answer: Montevideo

The Graf Spee entered the neutral harbour of Montevideo, Uruguay after the battle with the British cruisers Ajax, Achilles and Exeter. HMS Exeter retired due to damage sustained in the battle whilst the others, later joined by HMS Cumberland, waited for the German ship to emerge. Tension was built in the film by speculation regarding what decision Captain Langsdorff would make when the time limit for remaining in harbour expired.

2. What was the ultimate fate of the German ship in "The Battle of the River Plate"?

Answer: Scuttled by her crew

Captain Langsdorff, played by Peter Finch, made the difficult decision to scuttle his ship rather than face the forces waiting for him in international waters. Anthony Quayle appeared as Commodore Harwood and John Gregson as Captain Bell of HMS Exeter. Bernard Lee, who later played 'M' in the early James Bond films, played a Merchant Navy captain who had been a prisoner aboard Graf Spee during the battle.

The US release title was "The Pursuit of the Graf Spee".

3. The British film "Ice Cold in Alex" (1958) was given the more exciting title "Desert Attack" when shown in the United States. To what does the original title refer?

Answer: A glass of beer

John Mills, as the officer leading a small group attempting to cross the desert in an ambulance ahead of the advancing German army, daydreamed about a bar in Alexandria and the ice-cold draught beer sold there.

4. Which actor appeared as a German posing as a South African in "Ice Cold in Alex"?

Answer: Anthony Quayle

Van der Poele (Quayle) was found out when he was followed on a supposed 'call of nature'. The pack that he had guarded so zealously contained a radio with which he was in contact with the advancing Germans. John Mills played Captain Anson. Harry Andrews played the Sergeant Major in the group. Kenneth More did not appear in this film.

5. Former naval officer Nicholas Monsarrat wrote the novel upon which the 1953 movie "The Cruel Sea" was based. What was the name of the corvette upon which much of the action took place?

Answer: HMS Compass Rose

Flower class corvettes actually existed, and were employed during the Battle of the Atlantic as convoy escorts. Saltash Castle was the name of the frigate in the film, command of which was given to Commander Ericson (Jack Hawkins) after Compass Rose was sunk.

6. Which of the following actors did NOT appear in the film "The Cruel Sea"?

Answer: Kenneth More

Although Kenneth More appeared in numerous British war films of the 1950s and '60s, such as "Reach for the Sky" and "Sink the Bismarck!" he was not a member of the cast of "The Cruel Sea". Stanley Baker played the obnoxious Number One of Compass Rose.

He faked an ulcer to avoid a second sea cruise. Sinden was Lieutenant Keith Lockhart, who succeeded Baker's character as First Lieutenant, and stayed with Commander Ericson (Hawkins) until the end of the war (and the movie).

Answer: By pointing out that he designed the aircraft

Barnes Wallis (Michael Redgrave) was a true boffin (scientist), having also had a hand in pre-war airship design and the later development of specialised 'earthquake' bombs. His geodesic design for the Wellington was quite remarkable. The scene in the Ministry office when he throws off a casual "Perhaps if you tell them I designed it...," is quite amusing.

Answer: Lights

Two lights were attached to each Lancaster in such a way that they converged when the aircraft was at precisely the correct height for dropping the bomb (as calculated by designer Barnes Wallis). Flying into heavy flak with one's aeroplane lit up could not have been easy! Wing Commander Guy Gibson (Richard Todd) led the raid, and after dropping his own bomb made diversionary passes over the dam as other crews made their bombing runs, all of which was shown in detail in the film. Gibson was subsequently awarded the Victoria Cross.

The US release title was "The Dambusters".

Answer: Crete

The film showed the capture of General Kreipe (Marius Goring), and the subsequent foot-slog across the island to rendezvous with a submarine before the Germans could catch up with them and free their general.

The US release title was "Night Ambush".

10. Who directed both "Ill Met by Moonlight" and "The Battle of the River Plate"?

Answer: Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger

The directing team of Powell and Pressburger also collaborated on such fine films as "One of Our Aircraft Is Missing", "Small Back Room" and "A Matter of Life and Death" amongst others. The incorrect choices directed the other films featured in this quiz. Michael Anderson directed "The Dam Busters". Charles Frend was responsible for "The Cruel Sea", and J. Lee Thompson was director of "Ice Cold in Alex".

Source: Author spanishliz

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor skunkee before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.

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