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Fail-Safe Trivia Quiz

This spare, taut Cold War thriller of 1964 remains one of the most chilling doomsday movies, with one of the most surprising and innovative endings.

A multiple-choice quiz by wjames. Estimated time: 5 mins.

Author
wjames

Time
5 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
355,070

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
7 / 10

Plays
221

Awards
Top 35% Quiz

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. "Fail-Safe" begins with the hero, Gen. Black, suffering a recurring nightmare that takes place at a certain type of sporting event. Where is this event "played"? Hint

Bull fighting ring

Football field

Boxing ring

Golf course

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Question 2 of 10

2. Walter Groeteschele is a Washington think-tank genius who believes nuclear war is winnable. During the crises he advances some radical courses of action that, thankfully, aren't acted on by the President. Who plays this smug intellectual? Hint

Walter Pidgeon

Larry Hagman

Dan O'Herlihy

Walter Matthau

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Question 3 of 10

3. A young Larry Hagman plays "Buck", a new guy on the job that ends up providing valuable service and advice to the President. What is Buck's job? Hint

Military aide

Translator

Secret Service agent

Press secretary

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Question 4 of 10

4. A tour of the command center in Omaha provides a thrilling show for a Congressman and defense contractor, when a possible threat is detected approaching the US. After quickly elevating the tension and DEFCON level, this threat is found to be something benign. What causes this false alarm? Hint

Flock of birds

Off-course airliner

Radar "ghost" image

Canadian air force bomber

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Question 5 of 10

5. Upon being ordered to cooperate with the Soviets to help them shoot down the errant American bombers, Colonel Cascio refuses and later has a breakdown. His assistant, a Sergeant, provides the needed information to the Soviets. Which actor plays this Sergeant? Hint

Frank Sutton

Shecky Green

Dom Deluise

Phil Silvers

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Question 6 of 10

6. The President and Gen. Black have been friends for a long time, having attended school together. The President asks Gen. Black to remember a particular Bible story often preached by their school pastor. Which Bible story is this, that will later be played out by the President and Gen. Black? Hint

Daniel in the lion's den

David and Goliath

The sacrifice of Abraham

Joshua and the battle of Jericho

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Question 7 of 10

7. The lead pilot of the attacking bombers, Col. Grady, ignores voice radio communications from the President, having been trained that the President's voice could easily be mimicked. However, another person talks to Col. Grady and proves more persuasive, but the Colonel struggles to overcome emotion and carry on with his mission. Who comes closest to preventing the bombing of Moscow? Hint

General Black

Grady's WW2 buddy

Colonel Cascio

Mrs. Grady

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Question 8 of 10

8. The President gets the US Ambassador to the USSR on the Hot Line and tells him of the approaching attack. The President orders him to stay put in Moscow, which the Soviets misinterpret as an inadequate gesture, sacrificing the Ambassador to compensate for the loss of Moscow. Actually, the President uses the Ambassador to quickly provide critical information. What information does the Ambassador's phone call provide? Hint

The mood of the Soviet Premier

Confirms Moscow was bombed

Gives secret information to the Soviets

Convinces the Soviets the attack is a mistake

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Question 9 of 10

9. After the loss of Moscow, the President orders Gen. Black, airborne in a nuclear-armed bomber, to sacrifice an American city in hopes this will convince the Soviets to not launch a retaliatory nuclear strike. Which city is bombed by Gen. Black? Hint

Washington, DC

Omaha

Los Angeles

New York

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Question 10 of 10

10. As Gen. Black carries out his orders, he solves the puzzle of his nightmare. He realizes that he is one of the key players in the nightmare sport, just not the one he originally thought. What is Gen. Black's role in his nightmare? Hint

The referee

The matador

The quarterback

The caddy

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. "Fail-Safe" begins with the hero, Gen. Black, suffering a recurring nightmare that takes place at a certain type of sporting event. Where is this event "played"?

Answer: Bull fighting ring

Gen. Black comes to understand his true role in the dream and in reality is different than he first believes. He awakes from the nightmare as if he were the loser: tired, bloodied, taunted. He later learns that his fate is to be the "victor" in a rigged match.

Answer: Walter Matthau

Walter Matthau was known as a dramatic actor on stage and screen early in his career, including his appearance in "Fail-Safe". Soon after this thriller, Matthau had his first big comedic role in "The Odd Couple" and may be better know to younger viewers as a "grumpy old man".

3. A young Larry Hagman plays "Buck", a new guy on the job that ends up providing valuable service and advice to the President. What is Buck's job?

Answer: Translator

Russian Translator Buck (Hagman) and the President (Henry Fonda) have all of their scenes in a featureless underground bunker.

Answer: Off-course airliner

The unidentified threat at first appears routine, until it seems to take evasive action from responding fighter jets and is found to not be an "air breather". After the US bombers reach Fail-Safe, the threat is identified as an airliner off course and suffering engine failure. While at Fail-Safe, an electronic glitch gives one group the "go" code.

Answer: Dom Deluise

Dom Deluise is mainly remembered as a comedic actor in films such as "The Cannonball Run" and "Blazing Saddles". This part in "Fail-Safe" early in his career shows another side, and more of a range to this expressive actor.

Answer: The sacrifice of Abraham

Like Abraham, Gen. Black and the President will be asked to sacrifice much and will make the difficult decision to do so. Unfortunately, unlike Abraham, they will have to carry through with the sacrifice.

Answer: Mrs. Grady

Col. Grady and his buddy begin the movie complaining about how the humanity has been removed from flying, orders being issued and executed by machines, not like the colorful characters of their WW2 adventures. Col. Grady's training has included the possibility that the Soviets may try to imitate the President to issue false verbal orders.

His training obviously didn't include the possibility that his wife would try to talk him out of his mission.

Answer: Confirms Moscow was bombed

The Ambassador's phone gives a characteristic high-pitch squeal when it melts from the nuclear blast. This technique is used again later to confirm the nuclear bombing of another major city.

Answer: New York

Gen. Black's family and the First Lady are in New York, and the President doesn't take any action to warn them or any of the city's millions of inhabitants.

Answer: The matador

Gen. Black orders his crew to have nothing to do with the nuclear release, doing it all on his own, then commits suicide with a poison pin. In his death throes, he realizes that rather than being the tormented bull, he is the matador, the executioner.

Source: Author wjames

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor jmorrow before going online.
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