Film Noir 1940-1949: Part 1 Trivia Quiz

Answer: Double Indemnity

Starring Barbara Stanwyck, Fred MacMurray, Edward G Robinson and superbly directed by Billy Wilder, "Double Indemnity" is considered one of the best examples of Film Noir.

Answer: This Gun For Hire

"This Gun for Hire" also starred Veronica Lake, Laird Cregar and Robert Preston. Ladd and Lake were so good together that they were teamed in three other films, namely, "The Blue Dahlia", "The Glass Key" and "Saigon".

Answer: The Killers

Burt Lancaster stars as 'Swede' Anderson in this great 1946 classic. It was Lancaster's first movie and Ava Gardner's second starring role. The supporting cast is superb, featuring, Edmond O'Brien, Albert Decker, Sam Levene, Charles McGraw and William Conrad.

This film was remade by Don Siegel in 1964, starring John Cassevetes, Angie Dickinson, Lee Marvin and in his last film role, Ronald Reagan. The script by Anthony Veiler is from a short story by Ernest Hemingway.

Answer: I Walk Alone

Burt Lancaster plays Frankie Madison, Kirk Douglas plays 'Dink' Turner, Lizabeth Scott plays Kay Lawrence. Throw in Wendell Corey, Mike Mazurki and Marc Lawrence and you have a cast worthy of any Film Noir. Interestingly, Wendell Corey appeared in his first five movies during 1947 and 1948; in three of which he co-starred with Burt Lancaster.

Answer: Out of The Past

Released in 1947, also starring Kirk Douglas, Jane Greer and Rhonda Fleming, "Out of the Past" is a great movie. Robert Mitchum was at this time a movie veteran, having appeared in 35 movies since 1943.
"The Big Steal" also starred Mitchum and Greer. "Detour" and "Roadblock" are other fine examples of film noir. Interestingly when Warner Brothers made the TV series, "77 Sunset Strip", they paid homage to this story by naming the lead characters JEFF Spencer and Stuart BAILEY.

Answer: Crossfire

Starring the Roberts, namely, Robert Mitchum, Robert Ryan and Robert Young, "Crossfire" is a very suspenseful film, Film Noir or message picture - maybe both. Also featured are, Gloria Graham, Paul Kelly, Sam Levene and Steve Brodie. I recommend this very enthralling movie, which was nominated for five Academy Awards. The film was named, Best Social Film at the 1947 Cannes Film Festival.

Answer: Criss Cross

Another great piece of Film Noir, "Criss Cross" has it all. Starring Burt Lancaster, Dan Duryea and the beautiful Yvonne DeCarlo. Also featured are Stephen McNally, Richard Long and, in his third appearance before the camera, Tony Curtis, in a very small part as a gigolo.

Answer: Thieves' Highway

Richard Conte and Valentina Cortese star in this tight drama about the little man against the big combine. The film also features, Lee J. Cobb, Jack Oakie and Margaret Lawrence. Valentina Cortese is brilliant as Richard Conte's girl.

Answer: The Naked City

"There are eight million stories in The Naked City". The film was shot on location in New York City, which was used to great effect. Starring Barry Fitzgerald as the old time detective and Don Taylor as the newly promoted detective. This was a great film and the basis for the long running TV Series of the late fifties through the early sixties. "Night and the City" was filmed on location in London, "D.O.A." in Los Angeles and "The Naked and The Dead" a 1958 WW2 movie filmed in Panama to depict a Pacific Island.

Answer: The Maltese Falcon

Bogart, Greenstreet, Lorre and Astor - these actors are just part of this marvellous movie about a bird. "The Maltese Falcon" was the first movie directed by John Huston. Huston's father, Walter Huston, makes an uncredited cameo in the film. "The Roaring Twenties", "To Have and Have Not" and "Bullets or Ballots", all featured Humphrey Bogart.