Fibonacci's Films Trivia Quiz

Answer: Capricorn One

The film's tagline, "Would you be shocked to find that the greatest moment of our recent history may not have happened at all?", plays on the popular myth that the moon landings of 1969 had been faked. "Capricorn One" (1978), directed by Peter Hyams, the conspiracy is deepened by extending the cover-up into murderous territory. Having undertaken a real blast-off with the now empty spacecraft with the intention of placing the astronauts back on board to complete the illusion of a successful campaign, when the capsule burns up on re-entry to earth's atmosphere, NASA know that their subterfuge is unsustainable if the astronauts are ever discovered.

The penny drops for the astronauts and they begin to fight to save their lives.

Answer: One False Move

"One False Move" (1992) was a low budget thriller that was intended to go straight to video. However, previews got such a good response that a limited theatrical run was arranged. Further positive reviews from respected film critics helped to extend the run and the film proved a surprise success.

Thornton plays Ray, a criminal who, with his two associates Fantasia and Pluto, is responsible for the death of six people as they search for a stash of cocaine. When they flee L.A., the L.A.P.D. pursue them, leading to Star City, Arkansas where Fantasia had grown up. There they encounter Sheriff Dixon, played by Bill Paxton, who has history with Fantasia and dreams of moving to L.A. to become a real cop. The three criminals head for Star City after more violent mayhem in Texas, where their attempts to sell the cocaine had gone awry. Dixon's attempts to ensnare the criminals show that, despite the L.A. cops' concerns, he has the ability to do "real police work".

Answer: The Two Jakes

"The Two Jakes" (1990) was written by "Chinatown" scriptwriter, Robert Towne, and again starred Jack Nicholson as Jake Gittes. This time, however, Roman Polanski was no longer at the helm as director.

The second Jake of the title is Jake Berman (played by Harvey Keitel), Gittes's client who shoots his love rival dead at the surveillance scene. Gittes subsequently discovers that the dead man and Berman had been business partners. As Gittes begins to investigate his own client, he is slowly drawn back into Chinatown in an attempt to clear his own name.

The film had a troubled history; Towne was originally scheduled to direct with producer Robert Evans starring as Berman. However, Towne didn't believe Evans was up to the job and tried to replace him. Evans took umbrage and tried to sue Towne and fellow producer, Jack Nicholson. Eventually after a year of legal wrangling, and a lot of lost money, the film was re-scheduled with Nicholson as director.

Answer: The Three Faces of Eve

"The Three Faces of Eve" (1957) told the story of a woman with dissociative identity disorder. Eve White, a quiet and shy housewife, has been suffering from blackouts and is sent to see a psychiatrist. In the course of his examinations of her, he uncovers Eve's alter ago, Eve Black, a wild party girl with no sense of responsibility. Once released from her prison within Eve White, Eve Black takes over and drives Eve's husband away. She is committed to an asylum after an attempt on the life of her daughter.

Whilst at the asylum, the third face of Eve is discovered. Jane, a relatively stable personality, provides her doctor with the means to uncover the truth about Eve's past and repair the damaged, fractured personality into a whole person again.

The film is loosely based on a true story. The real Eve revealed herself in a book entitled "I'm Eve" in 1977, in which she stated that she had had no fewer than 26 different personalities, rather than the three that the film portrayed.

Answer: Five Fingers

"Five Fingers" (1952) was directed by Joseph L Mankiewicz and earned him an Oscar nomination for his efforts along with screenwriter, Michael Wilson.

Mason plays Ulysses Diello, a character based on the real-life Bazna. Diello is a spy who is driven by money rather than ideology and offers his services to the German embassy in return for significant remuneration. His partner in crime is the nouveau pauvre Countess Anna, played by Danielle Darrieux, whose desire for money matches Diello's and whose social standing enables his treachery.

A tale of daring espionage, shady dealing, double dealing, trust, mistrust and taut suspense hangs on the deeds of Diello and the British investigators who are trying to unmask him as the source of the embassy's leaks. As well as the British, the Germans have significant doubts about Diello, never quite believing he is as good as he promises, which leads them to disregard the vital information that he provides them with regarding the D-Day landings.

Answer: Dinner at Eight

Adapted, from the play by George Kaufman and Edna Furber, by "Citizen Kane" co-author Herman Mankiewicz, "Dinner at Eight" (1933) explored themes of power, loss (emotional and financial) and love at the time of the Great Depression in America. The plot revolves around the high society couple, Oliver and Millicent Jordan, as they host a dinner party to show off their acquaintance with Lord and Lady Ferncliffe from England.

As they host the party, Oliver's business is collapsing and his social standing is endangered as a consequence. Meanwhile, his guests are intertwined in matters of love and business and, as the party progresses, the secrets unravel.

Answer: Thirteen Days

"Thirteen Days" (2000) stars Bruce Greenwood as John F. Kennedy, US President at the time of the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962. The crisis stemmed from the discovery, by a U2 surveillance plane, of Soviet plans to place nuclear missiles on the island of Cuba, just 90 miles from the shores of the USA.

The film is based on the memoir of Robert F. Kennedy of that period of thirteen days from the discovery of the Soviet plans to the diplomatic solution between the two cold-warring nations that diffused the tension that the entire world had been feeling during that time. Set entirely in the confines of the White House, the film considers the strategic decisions that the President and his closest members of staff had to make to avoid the cold war becoming much hotter.

Answer: 21 Grams

"21 Grams" (2003) takes its name from research conducted by American physician, Duncan MacDougall, in the early part of the 20th century, which suggested that the human body loses 21 grams of mass upon death. Therefore, he argued, the human soul weighed 21 grams.

The movie is heavily concerned with death and the soul. Ex-convict Jack, played by Benicio Del Toro, kills the husband and children of Cristina, played by Naomi Watts. Paul, an academic played by Sean Penn, acquires the husband's heart by transplant. When his own marriage fails due to a perceived betrayal by his wife, Paul seeks out the source of his new heart. On finding Cristina, Paul falls for her and they begin a relationship. Jack, meanwhile, is wracked with guilt and has lost his prison-found faith in God. When Cristina asks Paul to kill Jack, Jack is as willing for him to do it.

Suffice to say, the film is not the happiest you will ever see.

Answer: Miracle on 34th Street

"Miracle on 34th Street" was first made in 1947, starring Edmund Gwenn as Kris Kringle, a role for which he won the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for that year. It also claimed two Oscars for writing. Kringle gets hired as Santa for New York store, Macy's, after the previous tenant is dismissed for drunkenness. His claim to be the real Santa leads him to conflict with fellow employees and after an argument with one he is committed to an asylum. In the subsequent court case to establish whether Kris is sane or not, the defence's case depends entirely on its ability to prove that Kris really is the one and only Santa Claus.

The film was remade with Richard Attenborough as Kris Kringle in 1994.

Answer: 55 Days at Peking

The Boxer Rebellion was an uprising against Christian missionaries and forces of foreign imperialism that the Boxers, a group initially formed by highly trained Chinese villagers from Northern China, blamed for floods and failing harvests.

In the summer of 1900, the Boxers besieged the city of Beijing, massacring both Chinese and foreign Christians. The foreign powers set up a compound near to the Forbidden City to defend their citizens against the massacres. Enter Charlton Heston (in the 1963 movie, not real life) to lead the defence. In concert with the British ambassador, David Niven, and Heston's lover, the Russian Ava Gardner, the defensive forces kept their charges alive long enough for the forces of the Eight Nation Alliance to arrive and lift the siege.