Holiday Movies Trivia Quiz

Answer: Ocean's 11

This is the original version, starring several members of the 'Rat Pack', notably Frank Sinatra as Danny Ocean. The plot involves an elaborate plan to rob five casinos in Las Vegas at the same time, with the break-ins taking place on New Year's Eve. Things go wrong when one of the gang dies unexpectedly, leading to the loss of the proceeds when the widow decides to have the body cremated, not buried.

The other 'Rat Pack' actors involved are Dean Martin, Joey Bishop, Sammy Davis Jr. and Peter Lawford.

The film inspired the remakes of the early 2000s, starring George Clooney as Danny Ocean.

Answer: Picnic at Hanging Rock

Based on a novel of the same name, written by Joan Lindsay, the film was directed by Peter Weir. Set in 1900, the film begins on Valentine's Day when a group of girls from a private school in Victoria, Australia, accompanied by two teachers, set out for a picnic at a local landmark.

Some of the girls, and one of the teachers, fall under a mysterious spell and disappear. The remaining girls and teacher return to the school but searches fail to discover the others and, ultimately, no explanation for their disappearance is offered by the film. Stars include Rachel Roberts, Helen Morse and Dominic Guard.

Answer: The Poseidon Adventure

This disaster film is based on a novel by Paul Gallico published under the same name in 1969. The SS Poseidon is near the end of its useful life and is carrying passengers to Athens from New York. On New Year's Eve it is hit by a tsunami, caused by an underwater earthquake, and capsizes.

A small group of survivors manage to reach the hull near the propeller shaft and are rescued. The film's director was Ronald Neame and starred Gene Hackman, Shelley Winters and Ernest Borgnine. A sequel was made but met little success.

Answer: Arsenic and Old Lace

The film is classed as a comedy despite having three serial murderers - the aunts mentioned in the clue and one of the hero's brothers. Cary Grant is the star, playing Mortimer Brewster, who marries his next door neighbour on 31 October. Visiting his aunts, who raised him, to break the news, Brewster discovers a hidden body and finds out that his aunts regularly poison elderly men who they believe need to be put out of their misery. Brewster's brothers include another serial killer and one who believes he is Theodore Roosevelt. Amidst this mayhem, Brewster decides he must end his marriage as he can't risk passing on the family genes (madness and murderous impulses). Luckily, he finds he is not a blood relation at all.

The film also stars Raymond Massey and Peter Lorre.

Answer: When Harry Met Sally

This romantic comedy was directed by Rob Reiner and written by Nora Ephron. There is a bit more to the film than the famous restaurant scene, as Harry (Billy Crystal) and Sally (Meg Ryan) spend several New Year's Eves together over a twelve year period before realising that they are destined to be together.

Their declaration of their love for each other takes place on another New Year's Eve, although the wedding takes place in March.

Answer: Looking For Mr Goodbar

Diane Keaton stars in the film as a teacher, named Theresa Dunn, in New York. The plot is based on a novel by Judith Rossner who had loosely based the story on a real life murder. Theresa frequents bars at night, where she meets men with the evening often ending with casual sex.

The man she picks up on New Year's Eve proves to be her undoing, though. The film also stars Richard Gere, William Atherton and Tom Berenger.

Answer: The Hudsucker Proxy

This comedy film is one of the Coen brothers' creations and has a star cast including Tim Robbins and Paul Newman. Robbins plays a business graduate named Norville who takes the only job he can find as a mail room assistant for Hudsucker Industries. Following the suicide of the founder of the business, one of the remaining directors (Newman) installs Norville as the new president as part of a scam to make money.

The film's climax is on New Year's Eve when Norville, who has been sacked, is saved from suicide in an unlikely way and regains ownership of the company.

Answer: Hocus Pocus

Since witches are involved, you probably won't be surprised to know that Halloween was the holiday setting for this film. Three witches from 1693 are brought back to the twentieth century by a teenage boy lighting a candle. As this is a Disney film, the horror elements aren't too serious and the witches are thwarted by the children in the film.

The three witches are played by Sarah Jessica Parker, Bette Midler and Kathy Najimy. The film wasn't too successful on the big screen, but is now something of a cult classic regularly appearing on the Disney channel during October.

Answer: Sleepless in Seattle

One of the best known romantic comedies, 'Sleepless in Seattle' stars Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan. Hanks plays Sam, a widower with a son (aged eight at the beginning of the film). After hearing Sam on a radio programme, Annie (Ryan) contacts Sam by letter offering sympathy. Eventually, she writes a letter to Sam suggesting a meeting on Valentine's Day at the top of the Empire State Building but decides against posting it.

Her friend sends it instead, Sam's son replies and, after further complications, the pair eventually meet on Valentine's Day. Directed by Nora Ephron, who also part wrote the script, the film also stars Bill Pullman, Rob Reiner and Rita Wilson.

Answer: Peter's Friends

The film features two New Year's Eves, ten years apart. Peter (Stephen Fry) and his friends perform at one New Year in 1983, when they are still at Cambridge and reunite on New Year's Eve 1992 at Peter's invitation as he has inherited the family mansion where the previous gathering had taken place. Few of the friends are happy, and Peter himself reveals that he is HIV positive - at the time, still an apparent death sentence.

The film stars Kenneth Branagh, who also directed and produced it, Hugh Laurie, Emma Thompson and Imelda Staunton.

Despite the big reveal at the end, the film is classed as a comedy.