Chick Flicks and Their Directors Quiz

Answer: Arthur Hiller

This movie was released in the US in December, 1970. Starring Ali MacGraw and Ryan O'Neal, the tear-jerker is based on the book "Love Story" by Erich Segal. It has been rated as one of the most romantic movies of all time. One of the most famous quotes from the movie is "Love means never having to say you're sorry".

The director of the film, Arthur Hiller was born in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. He started his career working in television in Canada, then in the US, including directing episodes of "Thriller", "Alfred Hitchcock Presents", "The Rifleman", "Gunsmoke", "Naked City", and "Perry Mason".

Besides "Love Story", Hiller also directed over thirty other feature films.

Answer: Rob Reiner

"When Harry Met Sally..." is a romantic comedy that was released in the US in July, 1989. Rob Reiner directs Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan as they move from a pair of often-disagreeing friends sharing a ride, to a full-fledged romantic pair who marry when they both realize that they share love for one another. On a side note, at one point on their drive, they stop at a diner where they argue about whether women can fake orgasms. Sally fakes one fully clothed at their table then goes back to eating. It draws the attention of everyone else in the diner. An older female patron who has seen it turns to her waitress and says, "I'll have what she's having".

The older woman was actually Rob Reiner's mother who had been hired to work as an extra on the movie. Rob Reiner is an actor and a director.

He played Michael "Meathead" Stivic on "All In the Family" in the 1970s. He has gone on to direct many movies, including this one, plus "This Is Spinal Tap", "The Princess Bride", "A Few Good Men", "Stand by Me", "Misery" and "The American President".

His father was comedy great Carl Reiner.

Answer: Garry Marshall

"Pretty Woman" was released in the US in March, 1990. The romantic comedy starred Julia Roberts and Richard Gere where he plays a high-flying executive, and she plays a prostitute who he tries to "train" to act the part of an elegant girlfriend. The director, Garry Marshall, had lots of experience with comedy.

He created "Happy Days", "Laverne & Shirley" (starring his sister Penny), and "Mork & Mindy". He also worked as a writer on "The Dick Van Dyke Show", "The Joey Bishop Show", "The Danny Thomas Show", and "The Lucy Show".

Answer: Nora Ephron

This movie hit US theatres in December, 1998. It has Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan playing a couple who are business rivals face-to-face, but who develop an electronic romantic relationship without knowing who they actually are. Nora Ephron directed this movie that is based on the 1937 Hungarian play "Parfumerie" by Miklós László.

Besides directing, she was also a very well-respected writer, having received three Academy Award nominations for Best Original Screenplay for "Silkwood" (1983), "When Harry Met Sally..." (1989), and "Sleepless in Seattle" (1993).

Unfortunately, she did not win these awards, but did receive other honours during her career.

Answer: Nick Cassavetes

This movie, that hit theatres in the US in 2004, is a romantic movie staring Ryan Gosling, Rachel McAdams, James Garner and Gena Rowlands. It shows the older man played by James Garner reading a story to his wife (Rowlands) about the romance of a young couple played by Gosling and McAdams.

The film's director Nick Cassavetes is an accomplished film and television actor. He also directed several other films, including "John Q", "Alpha Dog", "She's So Lovely", "Unhook the Stars", and "My Sister's Keeper".

The older woman star of the movie, Gena Rowlands, is Cassavetes mother. No spoilers here, but if you haven't seen it, be sure to pack some tissues because it is a real tear-jerker!

Answer: Sam Taylor-Johnson

"Fifty Shades of Grey" stars Dakota Johnson, Jamie Dornan, Jennifer Ehle, and Marcia Gay Harden. The movie was based on the novel of the same name by E. L. James. It was released to theatres in the US in February, 2015. The erotic drama received a very poor response from critics, but did extremely well at the box office.

Its original budget was $40 million, but made over $560 million in theatres. The film's director, Sam Taylor-Johnson, was nominated for a Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Director.

She has directed other films that received a more positive response from critics, including "Nowhere Boy", a biopic about John Lennon that she directed in 2008.

Answer: Sharon Maguire

This movie was released in the US, the UK, and France in 2001. It stars Renée Zellweger, Colin Firth, and Hugh Grant. The romantic comedy is loosely based on Jane Austen's 1813 novel "Pride and Prejudice", and is about a young woman who keeps a diary while two men vie for her love.

The director, British-born Sharon MacGuire, started out in television. She directed a number of documentaries for the BBC before movie into feature films. "Bridget Jones's Diary" was MacGuire's feature film debut.

Answer: David Frankel

"The Devil Wears Prada" is a comedy that was released in the US in 2006. It stars Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway, and is based on the 2003 novel by Lauren Weisberger. It features the competition that goes on behind the scenes in the fashion world. David Frankel, the director of this film, has directed many other feature films including another chick flick "Marley & Me" (2008), "Hope Springs" (2012), and "The Big Year" (2011).

He also won the Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film for his short film "Dear Diary" (1996).

Answer: P. J. Hogan

This film features Julia Roberts, Dermot Mulroney, Cameron Diaz and Rupert Everett. The romantic comedy has the character played by Julia Roberts trying to break up the wedding of her best friend (played by Dermot Mulroney) because she thinks that she is in love with him despite the fact that he is about to marry another woman.

The film, that was released in the US in 1997, had a budget of $38 million, and made almost $300 million at the box office. The film's director is from Queensland, Australia.

He had some success directing some minor films in the early 1990s. Then, in 1994, he had a hit with the Australian film "Muriel's Wedding". The success of this film brought him to the attention of Julia Roberts, who then asked him to direct "My Best Friend's Wedding".

Answer: Emile Ardolino

"Dirty Dancing" was released in the US in 1987. The film stars Jennifer Grey and Patrick Swayze. It is the story of a young woman who falls in love with a dance instructor. The song from the movie called "(I've Had) the Time of My Life" by Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes won the Golden Globe and Academy Awards for Best Original Song and a Grammy Award for best duet in the year that it was released.

The director, Emile Ardolino, spent his career documenting dancing and dancers in many films. He won an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature for the 1983 movie "He Makes Me Feel Like Dancin'".

He also directed "Chances Are" (1989), "Three Men and a Little Lady" (1990), "Sister Act" (1992), and "The Nutcracker" (1993).