Favorite Movies of 1961 Trivia Quiz

Answer: One Hundred and One Dalmatians

One of Disney's most popular films, "One Hundred and One Dalmatians" is the tale of a litter of 17 Dalmatian puppies who, along with 82 other pups found in pet shops, are set to be made into a fur coat for fashion maven Cruella De Vil. The film features the voices of Rod Taylor and Cate Bauer.

Answer: The Absent-Minded Professor

Fred MacMurray plays the title character in this Disney comedy. The professor invents a substance he calls "Flubber", which absorbs energy when struck. He misses his own wedding (for the third time) while demonstrating his invention, and tries to interest the government in purchasing his invention.

Answer: Master of the World

Based on two of author Jules Verne's novels, "Master of the World" stars Vincent Price as Robur, an inventor who uses his airship to force the leading powers of the time to disarm under threat of total destruction. The film also features Henry Hull and Charles Bronson.

Answer: Yojimbo

Akira Kurosawa directed this powerful film in which a ronin (a masterless samurai) hires himself out to one faction in a gang war. He plays both sides, using trickery and cunning to eventually destroy both factions and return peace to the town. The film stars Kurosawa favorite Toshiro Mifune.

Answer: The Guns of Navarone

Based on the book by Alistair Maclean, "The Guns of Navarone" stars Gregory Peck as an Allied soldier who takes command of a commando unit when the leader is injured. Their mission is to destroy a pair of German guns that are preventing the Royal Navy from evacuating British troops from a nearby island. The film also stars David Niven and Anthony Quayle.

Answer: A Raisin in the Sun

Featuring great performances from both Ruby Dee and Sidney Poitier, "A Raisin in the Sun" details the problems an African-American family has with spending the insurance money from the father's death. Through all of their hardships, they decide that faith and family are the most important things.

Answer: King of Kings

Narrated by Orson Welles, "King of Kings" stars Jeffrey Hunter as Jesus Christ. The film is mainly set during Jesus' ministry in Jerusalem just prior to his execution. It was derided by critics on its release as "I was a Teenaged Messiah".

Answer: Judgement at Nuremberg

Starring Spencer Tracy, Burt Lancaster, Montgomery Clift, Richard Widmark, and Maximilian Schell, this film is a fictionalized version of the "Judges Trials" in Nuremberg, Germany in 1948.
Four German judges and prosecutors stand trial for crimes committed under the Nazi government. Tracy plays an American judge who tries to understand how such things could have happened.

Answer: One, Two, Three

James Cagney gives a great comic performance as a Coca-Cola executive whose boss's daughter marries an East German communist. Cagney tries to turn the young man into a capitalist with an aristocratic background, hoping his boss will then give him a promotion and a coveted move to London.

Answer: El Cid

Based on the life of Rodrigo Diaz de Vivar, a Spanish nobleman famous for his honor, "El Cid" stars Charlton Heston in the title role and Sophia Loren as his wife. Diaz was instrumental in the Spanish attempt to retake southern Spain from Moorish invaders.