But Who Starred in the Original Film? Quiz

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. "Anna and the King" was released by 20th Century Fox in 1999. It is the romantic/musical story of a teacher imported from the U.K. to tutor the many children of the King of Siam. In this film, which was a remake of "The King and I" (1956), Anna Leonowens (the teacher) is played by Jodie Foster. Yung-Fat Chow, plays His Majesty, the King of Siam. Who played those lead roles in 1956's, "The King and I"?

Answer: Deborah Kerr and Yul Brynner

Yul Brynner won the Best Actor Oscar, and Ms. Kerr was nominated for Best Actress, but lost out to Ingrid Bergman ("Anastasia"). The film was the story of an English docent, a Siamese King, and the relationship that grew between them. The movie, set in 1862 Siam (now Thailand), was based on a novel, "Anna and the King of Siam", by Margaret Langdon (1944). "The King and I" had an amazing musical score, featuring (among others), the following songs: "Shall We Dance", "Is a Puzzlement", "Hello Young Lovers", "Getting to Know You", "Whistle a Happy Tune" and "I Have Dreamed".
Brynner also starred (with Gertrude Lawrence) in the Broadway production, which opened in 1951, and had a run of over 1,200 performances.

Interesting note: Every time you saw Ms. Kerr singing, you were actually hearing the voice of Marni Nixon, who has dubbed many stars in Hollywood musicals. Ms. Nixon was the voice of Natalie Wood in "West Side Story" (1961), and did the honors for Audrey Hepburn in "My Fair Lady" (1964).

2. "Cape Fear", a 1991 Universal production was a new version of the studio's 1962 film of the same name. In the remake, directed by Martin Scorsese, a terrifying Robert DeNiro plays Max Cady, a recently released convict. He is seeking revenge on the family of Sam Bowen (Nick Nolte), the man who was responsible for getting ol' Max tossed into the slammer for 14 years. Who got the nod to play Max Cady in the original "Cape Fear"?

Answer: Robert Mitchum

Max Cady knows that Bowen, his defense attorney, buried evidence that might have resulted in a not-guilty verdict, and he intends to get his revenge. Robert Mitchum's creepy performance as mad Max resulted in "Newsweek" magazine naming Cady as one of the top ten movie villains of all time (2007). Both films were based on John McDonald's 1957 novel, "The Executioners". Gregory Peck starred as Sam Bowen in the original, and in the last Hollywood film of his great career, played Cady's attorney, Lee Heller in the remake.
The original was a box office flop, while the remake was a box office hit.

Interesting fact: Robert Mitchum also appeared in the remake. This time instead of playing the ex-con, he was police lieutenant Elgart.

3. "3:10 to Yuma", a classic good guys vs. bad guys Western, was released in 2007, as a remake of the 1957 film of the same title. Both were adaptations of a 1953 short story (also of the same title), by the late, great Elmore "Dutch" Leonard. While others performed in it, "3:10 to Yuma" was centered mostly around the two main characters. One was convict Ben Wade, played by Russell Crowe, and Christian Bale played the good guy, Dan Evans. Which Hollywood stars portrayed Evans and Wade in the 1957 original?

Answer: Van Heflin and Glenn Ford

Canadian actor Glenn Ford played the murderous outlaw, Ben Wade, while Van Heflin was the down and out rancher, Dan Evans. In need of money to save his land, Evans, who was seeking the reward of $200, takes on the job of transporting Wade to Contention City. There they will wait until the 3:10 train to Yuma arrives. The "Iron Horse" will take them them both to Yuma, where Wade will be deposited in the federal hoosegow as he awaits trial. It sounds easy enough, however, Wade's gang is determined to stop Evans and free Wade. "3:10 to Yuma" is a tension-filled ride, well worth watching.

Interesting fact: The original 1957 version was inducted into the National Film Registry in 2012.

4. "The Jazz Singer" (1980) starred Neil Diamond as a young cantor named Yussel Rabinovitch, who wanted to take his singing talents to Hollywood, much to the consternation of his father (Laurence Olivier). He decided to go anyway, and thanks to the help of a manager played by Luci Arnez, he becomes a popular singer with the new moniker of Jess Robin. The original had the same title and story line, however, the cantor was named Jackie Rabinowitz and his stage name became Jack Robin. Who played the singer from the synagogue in 1927?

Answer: Al Jolson

"The Jazz Singer" was Hollywood's first movie musical. Many also consider it to be the very first "talkie". Both film versions were based on the Broadway production of 1925, which had a run of over 300 performances, and starred George Jessel.
Jessel wanted to do the film, but was rebuffed, while Eddie Cantor, who was offered the lead role, declined. Enter Al Jolson. His opening line of the movie, "You ain't heard nuthin' yet," was ranked number 71 on the American Film Institute's 2005 list of "100 Years...100 Quotes". The original film was inducted into the National Film Registry in 1996. The remake didn't fare so well with the critics (although it was a money-maker for EMI/United Artists), as Neil Diamond had the dubious "honor" of receiving The Razzie Award for Worst Actor.
Diamond's hugely successful album from the film featured a few of his biggest hits, "Love on the Rocks", "(They're Comin' to) America", and "Hello Again".

Interesting fact: If you look closely (and quickly) you might be able to spot Myrna Loy in a scene as a chorus girl. She would later go on to star with William Powell in "The Thin Man" series of comedy/mystery capers.

5. "Bram Stoker's Dracula", directed by Francis Ford Coppola, was released in 1992 by Columbia Pictures. It starred Gary Oldham as the transplanted Transylvanian Count/Vampire, who was looking to wreak death and worse in England. The film was a remake of one of the most iconic films/roles in Hollywood horror history, "Dracula" (1931). Who was the former Shakespearean actor who to many people (myself included), will always be, the one and only, "Dracula"?

Answer: Bela Lugosi

Both films were inspired by the 1897 Bram Stoker novel "Dracula". In the Tod Browning directed original from Universal Studios, Bela Lugosi was chilling as the bloodsucking vampire, with the menacing/alluring voice and deadly charm. He had sold his castle in the Carpathian Mountains and traveled to England to continue his bloodlust. The story comes down to a contest of wills between Dr. Abraham Van Helsing, (Edward van Sloan), a noted vampire hunter, and the Count himself.
Keanu Reeves as J. Harker and Winona Ryder as his fianc�e, Mina, co-starred in the remake, while the original featured David Manners and Helen Chandler in those roles.
When a drug-ridden Bela Lugosi died in 1956, he was buried in the cape he wore in his signature role.

Interesting fact: Bela Lugosi also starred in the Broadway production of "Dracula" which opened October 5, 1927, and ran for 261 performances. ("Dracula" had previously played on the London stage in 1924).

6. "The Manchurian Candidate" (2004) was a new edition of a film of the same name from 1962. It deals with brainwashed American prisoners of war who have been programmed to become assassins. One in particular is Ray Shaw, a Medal of Honor recipient and the son of a vice-presidential candidate. His superior officer during the war, now Major Ben Marco, becomes suspicious of Shaw's past and future actions. That's about all I can tell you since this political thriller has many side plots which I won't reveal. Liev Schreiber portrays the troubled Ray Shaw in the remake. Who had that role in the 1962 original?

Answer: Laurence Harvey

In the original film, directed by John Frankenheimer for United Artists, the soldiers were veterans of the Korean conflict, while in the 2004 Jonathan Demme directed edition, they were returning from the Gulf War. The remake had Denzel Washington playing Ben Marco, while the original featured Frank Sinatra in that role.
Both were based on "The Manchurian Candidate", a novel by Richard Condon (1959).
Angela Lansbury was nominated for an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her portrayal of Ray Shaw's manipulative mother in the 1962 film. That original picture was inducted into the National Film Registry in 1994.

7. In 2001, Warner Brothers released director Steven Soderbergh's updated version of "Ocean's Eleven". Brad Pitt and Julia Roberts co-starred in this comedy/drama about a gang looking to made some money in Las Vegas the easy way. By stealing it. The leader was an ex-con named Danny Ocean, played by the dashing George Clooney. The earlier film of the same name was released in 1960. What big name star played Danny Ocean in that original film?

Answer: Frank Sinatra

Danny Ocean and ten of his pals, who were all in the same paratroop unit during WWII, planned to knock over several of Sin City's casinos on the same night.
Danny recruited his former members of the 82nd airborn division, after more than a dozen years had passed since they served together. His partners in crime included "rat packers" Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Peter Lawford, and Joey Bishop. Angie Dickinson was the femme fatale. Check out the film to see if they pulled it off as planned, it's a hoot.

8. "D.O.A." (Dead on Arrival) is the 1988 remake of the black and white, noir mystery/thriller of the same title, from 1950. Dennis Quaid stars as English Professor Dexter Cornell, who learns he has been poisoned and will likely go toes up within days. The film centers around his attempt to discover who would want him dead and why. Meg Ryan co-stars as his love interest, Sydney Fuller, a smitten student admirer of his. Who stars as the dead man walking in the original picture?

Answer: Edmond O'Brien

In the original picture a guy walks into the local precinct and promptly tells the coppers that he wants to report a murder. Needless to say, they are wee bit surprised when he responds to their question of who the victim was, by saying, "me". In the original film Edmond O'Brien is an accountant named Frank Bigelow who awakens the morning after a night of copious imbibing with, not surprisingly, a stomachache.

He is, however, quite surprised to learn he has been given a dose of poison. Pamela Britton plays his fianc�e and secretary, Paula Gibson. Both Beverly Garland and Neville Brand made their first Hollywood appearances in the original version of "D.O.A."

9. "The Taking of Pelham One Two Three" (1974) is the harrowing ride under the sidewalks of New York on a subway train that has been commandeered by a gang of four hijackers. They are looking for a huge ransom for the safe return of those aboard, and threaten to begin killing the strap-hangers one by one if they don't get it, and soon! The gang of four all have code names, and their leader uses the sobriquet of Mr. Blue. (The others are Messers Gray, Green and Brown). Vincent D'Onofrio was Mr. Blue in the '98 remake. Who played Mr. Blue in 1974's original?

Answer: Robert Shaw

English actor Robert Shaw, ("Jaws", 1975), was the ringleader of the colorful gang. Walter Matthau (Zachery Garber) and Jerry Stiller (Rico Patrone) are New York City Transit Authority Police lieutenants trying to capture the colorful cons, and at the same time prevent bloodshed on board the train.
The story of the subway was a runaway success at the box office, bringing in over $16 million, at a cost of just $5 million.
Yet another remake showed up in 2009, starring Denzel Washington as Lt. Garber and John Travolta was the dastardly Mr. Blue.

Interesting fact: The filming of the 1998 remake was shot in Toronto, Canada. The original was filmed beneath the Big Apple.

10. "The Postman Always Rings Twice" (1981) is an exotic romantic thriller about a classic love triangle. Nick Papadakis, a small California town restaurant owner, hires a drifter named Frank Chambers to be his handyman. Just one problem: Frank is attracted to Nick's wife, Cora, and the feeling is very mutual. What to do? Together Cora and Frank agree to murder the cuckolded hubbie, and to make sure it looks like an accident. Once the plan is hatched, the pulse-pounding suspense begins and grows. Jack Nicholson and Jessica Lange play the conniving couple of would-be murderers. Who was the hot blond wife and her partner in crime when the original film was released in 1946?

Answer: Lana Turner and John Garfield

Thirty-five years earlier, MGM released the original version with John Garfield as the love-struck Frank Chambers, and the sultry Lana Turner portraying Cora. In this edition the not-so-happily-married couple have the surname Smith, and Cecil Kellaway plays Cora's husband Nick. The torrid love scenes caused quite a bit of controversy among audiences not yet used to seeing such erotic goings on.
Both films were based on James M. Cain's novel of the same name (1934).
"The Postman Always Knock Twice" had also been a Broadway show for a few months in 1936.
Meryl Streep declined the role of Cora in the remake, and in the original, Joel McRae said, "No, thanks", to the role of Frank Chambers.

Source: Author paulmallon

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

Over the years Hollywood has chosen to remake many films with a new cast of stars. Not all of them are "classics", but some are. I'll give you the names of the remakes and the actors in them. See if you can recall who starred in the originals.

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>