Great Movie Exchanges 19 Trivia Quiz

Answer: The Insider

In this scene, TV show "60 Minutes" producer Lowell Bergman (Al Pacino) is talking to Brown & Williamson research chemist, Dr. Jeffrey Wigand (Russell Crowe), while sitting in a car. Bergman is using Wigand's expertise anonymously in explaining some scientific documents for a future "60 Minutes" story, but Wigand is suspicious Bergman has identified him (he hasn't). When the conversation turns to responsibility in business, Wigand says he admires the CEO of Johnson & Johnson, who voluntarily pulled Tylenol off the shelves of every store in America when he found out that somebody had put poison in a few Tylenol bottles. He then sarcastically adds, "Not like the Seven Dwarfs." When Bergman appears puzzled and asks the question in line one, Wigand starts to reply with line two. Bergman suddenly understands and completes Dr. Wigand's sentence with, "Oh, yeh, yeh, yeh, ...and swore under oath that they know nothing about addiction, disease..." This movie tells the true story of whistleblower Dr. Jeffrey Wigand, who agreed to appear on "60 Minutes" and expose Big Tobacco's cynical and deliberate attitude on the addictive drug nicotine in cigarettes, and the resulting power play between Big Tobacco and CBS News (producer of "60 Minutes"). This is also a gut-wrenching story of how the lives of Wigand and his family are affected. As Bergman says later in the movie, "These are ordinary people under extraordinary pressure, Mike."

In the 2000 Academy Awards "The Insider" received seven nominations, including Best Picture (but lost to "American Beauty"). A state lawsuit against 13 tobacco companies was filed in Mississippi in 1994, demanding cigarette manufacturers reimburse the state for the cost of health care related to tobacco-caused illnesses. The lawsuit allowed Wigand (who appeared as a witness) to get his testimony on record without violating the confidentiality agreement he had signed (this case resulted in the tobacco companies paying a $246 billion settlement to Mississippi and the other states who joined this lawsuit). Michael Moore, the Attorney General of Mississippi at the time, plays himself in those scenes. On-air interviewer Mike Wallace is played by Christopher Plummer and the resemblance is remarkable.

Answer: Titanic

In this scene, six first-class passengers on the passenger liner RMS Titanic are at a lunch table when the discussion turns to how the ship was named. When White Star Lines chairman J. Bruce Ismay (Jonathan Hyde) says he chose the name Titanic to convey the image of size and power, Rose Bukater (Kate Winslet) says, "Do you know of Dr. Freud, Mr. Ismay? His ideas about the male preoccupation with size might be of particular interest to you." Molly Brown (Kathy Bates) and Thomas Andrews (Victor Garber) try to stifle a smile at that comment and her mother (Frances Fisher) looks aghast. When Rose excuses herself from the table, Molly says line one to Rose's fiancé, Caledon 'Cal' Hockley (Billy Zane), and he replies with line two. The movie "Titanic" tells the true-life story of the luxurious White Star ocean liner RMS Titanic that sank in 1912 on its maiden voyage, told through the lives of two main fictional characters, Jack Dawson (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Rose Bukater (played as a young woman by Kate Winslet and as an old woman by Gloria Stuart).

In the 1998 Academy Awards "Titanic" won 11 Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Original Song (for "My Heart Will Go On" sung by Celine Dion). Both Gloria Stuart and Kate Winslet were nominated for Oscars, but neither won. The magnificent Grand Staircase in the movie was built slightly larger than the original design, which was a surprise to me, given director James Cameron's attention to historical accuracy. This was done because people today are larger than they were in 1912 and would have looked too large on a staircase with the original dimensions. The ornate wood carvings on Titanic were also used on sister ship RMS Olympic, and many (but not all) of those were saved when the Olympic finished service in 1935. They can be seen at the White Swan Hotel in Alnwick, England, which is about 300 miles north of London, in Northumberland between Newcastle-upon-Tyne and Berwick-upon-Tweed.

Answer: Lucky Numbers

In this scene TV weatherman Russ Richards (John Travolta) and TV lottery girl Crystal (Lisa Kudrow) are sitting at the bar in the strip club owned by shady character Gig (Tim Roth) and are discussing with Gig the things they will need for a scam of the Pennsylvania State Lottery (those three are the only ones there). Gig says line one and Crystal, who is taking notes, replies with line two. Russ is basically a good guy who gets backed into this situation, thanks to some bad investments and then because of a botched robbery whose goal was to fake an insurance claim. "Beard" is a slang term for an individual who falsely represents himself. When TV station manager Dick Simmons (Ed O'Neill) figures out how they did it, things get sticky!

"Lucky Numbers" won one award in 2001 (a Razzie, although I thought it was pretty entertaining). This movie was loosely based on a true story of a 1980 scandal in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania involving the Pennsylvania State Lottery. The winning numbers in that case (666) are still referred to as a "Nick Perry" (the mastermind of that scheme). Many of the participants in that case served jail time, but this movie has a happy ending for Russ Richards. If you liked "Waking Ned Devine" (a.k.a. "Waking Ned" in the UK), you would probably like "Lucky Numbers" (the one released in 2000). Don't confuse with "Lucky Numbers" released in 2008 or "Lucky Number" with no "s."

Answer: Absence of Malice

In this scene Assistant U.S. Attorney General James A. Wells (Wilford Brimley) is chairing a meeting of the main characters, in this movie about trying to unravel what looks like a case of political corruption. Several newspaper articles, written by naïve but well-meaning reporter Megan Carter (Sally Field), have tarnished the reputation of liquor warehouse owner Michael Gallagher (Paul Newman), caused his girlfriend to commit suicide and caused his warehouse workers to be confronted by a union picket line. In order to get even, he cooks up an ingenious scheme. When Wells says to Gallagher, "I seem to wanna ask if you set all this up. If I do, you ain't gonna tell me, are you?" and then answers his own question with, "No." Wells then says line one and Gallagher responds with line two.

In the 1982 Academy Awards "Absence of Malice" was nominated in three categories, including Paul Newman for Best Actor in a Leading Role (but he lost to Henry Fonda in "On Golden Pond"). Wilford Brimley's role as Assistant U.S. Attorney General James A. Wells is the most realistic role I have ever seen him play. His portrayal of a plain-talking, snuff-dipping lawyer who wears suspenders fits him to a "T." Brimley's comment on his acting technique: "I just try to be myself."

Answer: Gone with the Wind

In this scene Scarlett O'Hara (Vivien Leigh) and Mammy (Hattie McDaniel) are discussing where Scarlett should temporarily move to when the widowed Scarlett wanted to move because she is bored at home (because of the stringent mourning rules in the South at that time). When Mammy says line one, Scarlett pretends to not understand what she means and says line two. Mammy says, "You know what trouble I's talkin' 'bout. I's talking 'bout Mr. Ashley Wilkes. He'll be comin' to Atlanta when he gets his leave, and you sittin' there waitin' for him, just like a spider. He belongs to Miss Melanie." "Gone with the Wind" tells the story of a fictitious strong-willed, manipulative woman and a devilish but realistic man, set against the backdrop of the U.S. Civil War and Reconstruction.

In the 1940 Academy Awards, "Gone with the Wind" won nine Oscars, including Best Picture, Vivien Leigh for Best Actress in a Leading Role, and Hattie McDaniel for Best Actress in a Supporting Role. Clark Gable and Olivia de Havilland were nominated for Oscars but did not win. With her win, Hattie McDaniel became the first African-American to win an Academy Award. When some critics objected that she frequently played maids or housekeepers, she said, "I'd rather play a maid than be one." The actor Gary Cooper turned down the role of Rhett Butler (played by Clark Gable) saying, "Gone with the Wind is going to be the biggest flop in Hollywood history."

Answer: 'Breaker' Morant

In this scene, Australian soldier Lt. Harry 'Breaker' Morant (Edward Woodward) has refused an offer to speak to a padre just before he is to be executed for killing Boer POWs and says he is a pagan. When fellow Australian prisoner Lt. Peter Handcock (Bryan Brown) wants to know what a pagan is, Morant explains with line one. Handcock then says line two to the execution detail guard. Morant says he wants the Bible verse Matthew 10:36 as an epigraph, and the minister looks it up: "And a man's foes shall be they of his own household." This movie tells the true story of three Australian soldiers in the Boer War (1899-1902) who are put on trial for shooting Boer prisoners. Though they acted under orders, the General Staff, who hopes to distance themselves from the irregular practices of the war, is using them as scapegoats. The trial does not progress as smoothly as expected by the General Staff, as the defense puts up an exceptionally strong fight in the courtroom.

In the 1981 Academy Awards "'Breaker' Morant" was nominated in the category of Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium, but lost the Oscar to "Ordinary People." The third Australian soldier who was court martialed was Lt. George Witton (Lewis Fitz-Gerald). He received a life sentence, but was released after three years, and eventually wrote the book "Scapegoats of the Empire: The True Story of Breaker Morant's Bushveldt Carbineers." The term "Breaker" in the title is the nickname given to Lt. Harry Morant for his occupation, in civilian life, of taming (breaking) wild horses.

Answer: Erin Brockovich

In this scene, Ed Masry (Albert Finney) has just presented Erin Brockovich (Julia Roberts) with a bonus check for her work in bringing a very lucrative class-action lawsuit into their law office and then working on all the client interviews. She had given Masry a figure she thought she deserved, but Masry told her he had changed her suggested figure. She thought his figure would be less and immediately launched into a tirade, "Ya know why everyone thinks that all lawyers are back stabbing, blood sucking, scum bags? 'cause they are!" Masry is usually on the defensive when Brockovich goes ballistic, but his check is for a larger figure than she has suggested and she is dumfounded at the amount. Masry (clearly loving the moment) says line one and Brockovich, suddenly at a loss for words, meekly replies with line two. This movie tells the mostly-true story of how legal assistant Erin Brockovich uncovered and then documented a huge class-action lawsuit against power company Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E). They had been polluting ground water with the carcinogenic cleaning agent chromium-6, which adversely affected most citizens in the small town of Hinkley, California.

In the 2001 Academy Awards "Erin Brockovich" was nominated for Best Picture but was beaten out by "Gladiator." Julia Roberts won an Oscar for Best Actress in a Leading Role for her portrayal of Erin Brockovich. Erin won the beauty pageant title "Miss Pacific Coast" in 1981 (at age 21). This is what Ed Masry was referring to in the first quote. His quote is also a response to her saying, "Do they actually teach lawyers how to apologize - because you all suck at it," after her failed automobile lawsuit in the beginning of the movie. The real Erin Brockovich-Ellis had a small part in this movie (she played the waitress when Erin took her children out to eat in the beginning of the movie).

Answer: The Bourne Identity

In this scene (near the end of the movie) U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) operative Jason Bourne (Matt Damon) has finally recovered from his temporary amnesia and has pieced together his real identity from numerous passports with different names, all with his picture. He is confronting his CIA supervisor for the Treadstone Project, Alexander Conklin (Chris Cooper), about his assignments as an assassin. Jason says line one and Conklin replies with line two. Conklin tells Jason, "You're a malfunctioning $30 million weapon!" This movie has quite a few fast-paced and exciting action sequences and is fun to watch. "The Bourne Identity" spawned these sequels so far: "The Bourne Supremacy" (2004) and "The Bourne Ultimatum" (2007).

"The Bourne Identity" won several minor awards in 2003, but no Oscars. The first sequel, "The Bourne Supremacy" (2004), also won several minor awards, but no Oscars. There is a great quotes exchange at the very end in "The Bourne Identity." Jason's girlfriend Marie (Franka Potente) is running a cycle rental shop in Greece and Jason appears when her back is turned. He pretends he wants to rent a cycle and she asks him, "Do you have ID?" Jason replies, "Not really."

Answer: The Godfather

In this scene, mob boss Virgil Sollozzo (Al Lettieri), Police Capt. Mark McCluskey (Sterling Hayden) and Corleone family member Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) are in a small Italian restaurant in the Bronx (part of New York City) and are preparing to order. Capt. McCluskey asks Sollozzo line one and he replies with line two. This meeting had been set up by Sollozzo, for what Capt. McCluskey and Sollozzo think is going to be a discussion over dinner, to clear up any misunderstanding with Michael. However, Sonny Corleone (James Caan) learns where the meeting is to be held and asks some other Corleone family members if they know anything about the place. "Sal" Tessio (Abe Vigoda) says, "It's perfect for us. A small family place, good food. Everyone minds his business. It's perfect. Pete, they got an old-fashion toilet -- you know, the box, and - and - and - ah the chain-thing. We might be able to tape the gun behind it." At dinner, after Michael retrieves a gun taped behind a toilet water tank in the bathroom (hidden there by family member Pete Clemenza), he shoots both Capt. McCluskey and Sollozzo. "The Godfather" follows the lives of a fictional American crime family, but many of the incidents in the story are based on incidents from real life. For example, the wedding of Vito Corleone's daughter Connie (Talia Shire) to gangster Carlo Rizzi (Gianni Russo) was supposedly modeled on the real-life wedding of mobster Bill Bonanno (son of Brooklyn Mafia don Joe Bonanno) in 1956 to Rosalie Profaci, niece of one of the heads of another of the five New York crime families.

In the 1973 Academy Awards "The Godfather" won three Oscars, including Best Picture. Marlon Brando won Best Actor in a Leading Role, but refused to accept the award. Al Pacino, James Caan, and Robert Duvall were all nominated for Best Actor in a Supporting Role, but none of them won the Oscar (won by Joel Grey in "Cabaret"). The first sequel ("The Godfather: Part II") is the first sequel ever to have won Best Picture in the Academy Awards.

Answer: The Shawshank Redemption

In this scene (at the beginning of the movie), young banker Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins) is being tried in court for the murder of his wife and her lover and is in the witness chair. The District Attorney asks him line one and he replies with line two. The jury convicts him and he is sent to Shawshank Prison (but he is later seen to be innocent). While there he is brutalized and meets prisoner Ellis Boyd "Red" Redding (Morgan Freeman), and the two inmates become good friends. Andy later escapes (in a very ingenious way) and at the same time exposes the corruption of Shawshank Warden, Samuel Norton (Bob Gunton). When Red is finally released, he finds a note left for him by Andy and then joins him in Mexico. The word "Redemption" in the title refers to the friendship between the two men and the movie's tagline: "Fear can hold you prisoner. Hope can set you free.

"In the 1995 Academy Awards, "The Shawshank Redemption" was nominated in seven categories, including Best Picture (but lost to "Forrest Gump"). It was just modestly successful financially in its theatrical release, but it then became one of the most popular video rentals of all time. Both Tom Hanks and Kevin Costner were considered for the role of Andy Dufresne, but Hanks had scheduling conflicts with "Forrest Gump" and Costner turned down the role (a decision he later regretted).