"Die Hard: With a Vengeance" - Part I Quiz

Answer: Simon Says

"Said Simple Simon to the pie man, give me your pies. Or I'll cave your head in." These are the first words Simon Gruber (Jeremy Irons) says when he phones Inspector Cobb (Larry Bryggman). He informs Cobb that he has planted several explosive devices throughout New York, and unless McClane (Bruce Willis) plays 'Simon Says' (where Simon tells him what to do, and he must do it), Simon will set off another bomb.

Answer: Department store

Bonwit-Teller's department store is destroyed at the very start of the film. According to Simon, it was blown up "to make sure I had your attention", because he wanted them to know he was serious. In case you didn't notice what kind of building it was at the time, Lambert (Graham Greene) later wonders what reason anyone would have to "blow up a department store". Connie's (Colleen Camp) reply to this is, "Ever seen a woman miss a shoe sale?".

Answer: New York

McClane had a fight with Holly (his wife) over the phone, a year ago. He's now living in New York, and he's in pretty bad shape. As he puts it, "I was working on a nice fat suspension, smoking cigarettes and watching Captain Kangaroo". If you didn't recognise the city, and didn't know that McClane lives in New York, there are still clues.

The most obvious one is that McClane has to wear a racist sign in Harlem. Harlem is in New York. This is where he first meets Zeus.

Answer: Chester A. Arthur

The numbers refer to the Presidents of the USA. At one point, McClane yells at a woman, "Who do you think you are, lady? Hillary Clinton?". It then clicks with Zeus (Samuel L. Jackson) that there have been 42 Presidents to date (when this film was made). Later, they work out that the 21st President was Chester A. Arthur.

This is the name of a school. Simon told them there was a bomb in a school, so they all rush to the Chester A. Arthur Elementary School. True to his word, this is where Simon has hidden the bomb.

Answer: Schools

It finally dawns on him why Simon placed a bomb in a school. Every police officer in the city has gone to look for the bomb. However, since there are no schools in Wall Street, there are no cops. This is part of Simon's plan. He can now carry out nefarious deeds in Wall Street without being caught.

Answer: Gold

The real reason Simon was setting off bombs was not for revenge, but to break into the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. According to Lambert, the Federal Reserve is "the biggest gold reserve in the world". While the police are running all over the city looking for a bomb, Simon can simply stroll into the bank. Eventually, McClane works this out.

However, by the time he reaches Wall Street, all the gold has already been cleared out.

Answer: Katya

There are few clues as to who Katya (Sam Phillips) is. She never speaks, although she is involved with Targo (Nicholas Wyman). Although the film doesn't make it clear, there are hints that she is his wife. However, she falls in love with Simon instead. When Targo accuses Simon of betraying him, Katya has to choose between the two men. She shoots Targo, and leaves with Simon.

Answer: Electrician

We first see him in his workshop in Harlem. His expertise comes into play later in the film, when he and McClane steal a car and he starts it. McClane asks, "You know how to hot-wire this thing?" and Zeus replies, "Of course, I'm an electrician." He then sticks his pliers into the ignition, and turns it on. He adds that the only problem is that it "takes too long".

Answer: Red

This can been seen at several points in the film, where we witness the two liquids mixing in various bombs. Lambert investigates and finds that Simon stole the chemicals from a lab. Then there is the revelation that Simon actually stole 2000 pounds of the stuff. Now they realise that Simon means business.

Answer: To make everyone think he blew up the gold

At first, everyone thinks that the bomb is in a school. That is all part of Simon's plan - to distract them while he steals 140 billion dollars. He then announces on the radio that he is going to blow the gold up. McClane sees through this, however. He says, "I know the man, I know the family.

The only thing better than blowing up a $100 billion worth of gold bullion is making everyone think that you did.". Although he wanted to kill McClane as well, Simon says that it is merely a bonus.