Down to the Sea in Ships Trivia Quiz

Answer: Trevor Howard

In 1932, Charles Nordhoff and James Norman Hall co-wrote the novel, which was based on true events and filmed three years later. Howard faced a difficult task of playing the role so identified with Charles Laughton but he was an outstanding character actor for over 40 years. Howard was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor for "Sons and Lovers" (1960) and had numerous BAFTA, Golden Globes, and Emmy nominations.

The 1935 version had eight Academy Awards nominations but only won for Best Picture. The 1962 version had a few nominations but no wins and is generally considered a critical and financial failure. In 1984 another version, with the title shortened to "The Bounty", with Mel Gibson as Christian and Anthony Hopkins as Bligh, is considered the most historically accurate. There was a silent version in 1915 and a 1933 version which did not have wide release starring Errol Flynn. If one looks very, very closely at the 1935 film, one might spot James Cagney and David Niven in uncredited appearances.

Answer: Errol Flynn

Errol Flynn was during the 1930s, '40s, and '50s the epitome of the hero in adventure films not only at sea but in westerns, costume films, and drama. His personal life was notorious, even for Hollywood. His swashbuckling roles did not require great acting skills but he was praised for his dissipated middle aged ex-patriot in Spain in "The Sun Also Rises" (1957), which, ironically, was where he was in his personal life.

Answer: Odessa

"Battleship Potemkin" has been studied quite extensively, particular in film schools. For instance, the scene where a baby carriage tumbles out of control on the Steps of Odessa has been replicated in William Friedkin's "French Connection" (1971) and in Brian De Palma's "The Untouchables" (1987).

The film was banned by the Stalinist regime but gained international acclaim. The rebellion on the Potemkin was based on real events but the slaughter of innocents on the Steps of Odessa is fiction.

Answer: USS Reluctant

The cargo ship Reluctant roams the seas, safely delivering its cargo due not to the Captain (James Cagney) but to the efficiency and leadership of Mr. Roberts (Henry Fonda). Roberts wants a transfer to a combat zone but is denied by the Captain due to his importance on the ship. It was William Powell's last film; he played the ship's doctor. Jack Lemmon earned an Oscar for his Supporting Role as Ensign Pulver.

The crew makes alcohol out of what it has on board but something is missing as it doesn't taste like scotch. The Doctor adds a few drops of iodine and the drink is perfect.

Answer: Brian Donlevy

In typical Hollywood fashion, the star of the film is Alan Ladd. Dana becomes a friend of Charles Stewart (Ladd), who has been shanghaied to be a member of the crew. Dana enlisted as a merchant seaman but that wasn't dramatic enough for the Hollywood suits who sold the film with the star power of Ladd.

Dana kept a diary of his voyages which he later adapted as "Two Years Before the Mast". It is an eloquent, almost poetic book that inspired writers of sea stories to this day, most notably Herman Melville.

Brian Donlevy was a strong character actor. He was once nominated for an Oscar for his role in "Beau Geste" (1939) but his best performance was in Preston Sturges' "The Great McGinty" as a bum who voted 30 times in a rigged election to rise to become the mayor himself.

Answer: Moby Dick (1956)

"Moby Dick" is perhaps one of Hollywood's better attempts to work symbolism into the plot. The whale, of course, is the symbol of evil in the world. In college, the novel was split up with different chapters. I got the chapters that dealt with the systematic evisceration of the whale - not the most pleasant part of the book.

Gregory Peck starred as the crazed Captain Ahab. John Huston directed and co-wrote the script with Ray Bradbury. Orson Welles has a dramatic cameo. The movie site Rotten Tomatoes gave it an 84% rating which is quite high. They said that previous versions had dwelt too much on non-existent romantic subplots and happy endings. This version was most true to its source.

Answer: Spencer Tracy

No one on the rescue boat believes that he is the son of rich parents so they say he must work on the boat until it returns to port. Spencer Tracy during his long film career was noted for his versatility and competent performances. He had nine Oscar nominations and won two, the other being for "Boy's Town" (1938).

He was noted for his long association with Katharine Hepburn, with whom he starred in his last film "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner". Although he was nominated for Best Actor for that film, he lost to Rod Steiger's bigoted sheriff in "In the Heat of the Night".

Answer: The Boat

Since the filming took over two years, it was filmed deliberately in sequence so such things as the growth of beards and the skin pallor of months spent under the sea were realistic elements. The cast were for the most part German, although Robert Redford was considered for the role of Captain of the boat. Unused footage was later used in a mini-series and the film has had releases of varying lengths. The film is neither pro or anti Nazi, but was about men trying to do what they perceive as their duty and matter of honor.

A friend of mine who saw it on its release recommended it and said he could almost smell the hanging meat in the boat's pantry and the sweat on the brows of the sailors.

Answer: Perfect

"The Perfect Storm" (2000) depicts the sea as its more vicious self. A 'perfect storm' is often defined as a low pressure system coming in one direction, a high pressure system coming in another direction, and winds of hurricane force.

The film is based on Sebastian Junger's non-fiction book on an actual incident out of the fishing town of Gloucester, Massachusetts. The Andrea Gail sets out in these dangerous waters and the entire crew is lost. The film was praised for its special effects but the screenplay lacked characterization but the cast was a strong acting ensemble.

Answer: Lt. Keefer (Fred MacMurray)

"The Caine Mutiny" was based on Herman Wouk's novel of the same name. Queeg's (Humphrey Bogart's) aberrant behavior causes distrust as to his compulsions and cowardliness. A rebellion arises among the officers and Queeg is displaced. Finally, there is a trial to determine if the mutiny was justified. Although the officers are found innocent, José Ferrer, their attorney, through his brilliant cross examination of Queeg, is unhappy with the result. The United States Navy had never had a mutiny. The military principles of honor and discipline are called into question. Keefer, as the arrogant conspirator, is exposed. As Jack Nicholson said in another film, "You can't handle the truth!"

"The Caine Mutiny" won seven Academy Award including Best Picture and acting awards for Bogart and Tom Tully.

In case you did not figure it out, the stewards ate the strawberries.