Hurry, Will You? Trivia Quiz

Answer: Bolt

"Bolt" (2008) is an animated feature about a dog by that name (voiced by John Travolta) who believes he has superpowers, because he plays a superhero on television. During a cross-country adventure with a cat and a hamster as companions, he finds out the truth about himself. The rest of the cast includes Miley Cyrus as Bolt's co-star Penny, Malcolm McDowell and Greg Germann.

Bolt, in its guise as a synonym for 'hurry' brings to mind a runaway horse who bolts at the sound of a gun, or the extremely fast runner, Usain Bolt.

Answer: The Light Brigade

Two movies are covered here, both with the title "The Charge of the Light Brigade". The 1936 version stars Errol Flynn and Olivia de Havilland and takes place mostly in India, with only a tiny portion of the action involving the historic charge during the Crimean War. The 1968 version at least attempts to tell the story of the actual event, with Hemmings playing Captain Nolan who tries to stop the lemming-like charge. Trevor Howard appears as Lord Cardigan, with John Gielgud and Harry Andrews as Lords Raglan and Lucan.

The word charge in its speedy sense evokes an action such as the one seen in these films, or perhaps an angry bull charging at some interloper in its field.

Answer: The Chase

In "The Chase" (1966), Redford's character, Bubber Reeves has escaped from jail and is hiding near his home town while trying to convince the sheriff (Marlon Brando) that he hasn't committed a murder. The rest of the town believes he has and a chase is instigated. The blubbering might happen as the ending is not altogether a happy one. Others in the cast include Jane Fonda, Angie Dickinson and James Fox.

One probably thinks of a car chase or a western posse chasing a bad guy on horseback when thinking of a rapid version of the word chase.

Answer: Frank Sinatra

The movie is "Von Ryan's Express" (1965), and Sinatra plays American flyer Joseph Ryan, who becomes a prisoner of war (POW) of the Italians, right around the time Italy is looking to get out of the fighting in World War II. He gains the sobriquet "Von Ryan" when the British POWs with whom he is incarcerated think he is working against them. Eventually they work together to hijack the train that is transporting them to Germany, and as the train is about to cross into neutral territory, Ryan has to run for it. Does he make it? If you have seen the movie you know the answer, but if not I won't spoil it for you.

Trevor Howard and John Leyton play British prisoners. Sergio Fantoni plays a sympathetic Italian officer.

Though Ryan is hurrying to catch the train, the word in the title that evokes rapidity is "express". In the case of trains this usually means a non-stop run from one place to another. The Pony Express is the name given to a fast relay system to expedite the delivery of the mail in the old west of the United States.

Answer: Mongo

In the 1936 movie serial "Flash Gordon" based on the comic book hero of that name, Flash and his companions have to go to the planet Mongo, which the evil Ming the Merciless (Charles Middleton) has taken out of its orbit and sent hurtling towards Earth. Will Flash be able to stop the destruction of Earth? Come back next week and find out... at least that's what you might hear at the end of an episode.

Buster Crabbe (1908-1983) is also known as an Olympic gold medallist in swimming, and for playing Buck Rogers and Tarzan (once).

The incorrect choices are from "Superman" (Krypton), "Star Wars" (Hoth) and "Star Trek" (Vulcan).

A flash is something that happens quickly and probably doesn't last long, like a flash of lightning or a flash in the pan.

Answer: Richard Carlson

"Fly-by-Night" (1942) is a noir-like thriller in which Carlson plays a doctor who is wrongly believed to have committed a murder. The plot revolves around his attempts to clear his name by exposing a Nazi espionage cell.

Richard Carlson (1912-1977) also appears in such movies as "The Creature from the Black Lagoon" (1954) and "The Little Foxes" (1941), as well as numerous television appearances in the 1950s, '60s and '70s.

The word "wartime" in the question was meant as a hint to steer players away from the more recent stars listed as incorrect choices.

Flying, whether by a bird or in an aeroplane is usually a swift movement, in order to stay aloft.

Answer: Murder at the Gallop

"Murder at the Gallop" (1963) is set at The Gallop, a boarding house cum riding school at which a murder has occurred. Agatha Christie's little old lady sleuth, Miss Jane Marple sets out to find the murderer, using her usual methods. Promotional posters for the movie show Margaret Rutherford as Miss Marple, perched on a rocking horse with co-star Robert Morley hanging on behind her.

The incorrect choices all feature Christie's other great sleuth, Hercule Poirot.

Gallop usually brings to mind a horse moving at a very fast pace, possibly in a race, or chasing after something or someone.

Answer: Land

The plot of "Hurry Sundown" revolves around Caine's attempts to put together a big land deal with a cannery company, which hinges on his obtaining two parcels of land from current owners played by John Phillip Law and Robert Hooks, by fair means or foul. Set in post-World War II Georgia the story attempts (but does not necessarily succeed) to look at race relations in the American South at that time.

Hurry almost always makes us think of speed or trying to go faster that we are at present, in order to reach a goal or put something unsavoury behind us.

Answer: Stephan James

"Race" (2016) follows African-American sprinter Jesse Owens (James) through the lead-up to his triumphs in the 1936 Berlin Olympics which so disturbed Adolf Hitler with his ideas of a so-called master race. Much is made of Jesse's relationship with his trainer, Larry Snyder (Jason Sudeikis) and what becomes a friendly rivalry with German athlete Luz Long (David Kross).

Stephan James was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada in 1993 and also appears in such films as "Selma" (2014) and "If Beale Street Could Talk" (2018).

Race can mean to run a race against opponents, or simply to hurry to get somewhere or to get something done.

Answer: Michael York

Michael York plays the title character of this 1976 sci-fi film, and Logan is approaching the age of 30, at which all members of his society are required to participate in a ceremony which is effectively a suicide ritual. His job has been catching "runners" who try to avoid this fate, but now he has to become a runner himself if he wants to continue living. Other members of the cast are Michael Anderson Jr., Jenny Agutter and Roscoe Lee Browne.

Michael York was born in England in 1942 and also has such movies as "Cabaret" (1972), "The White Lions" (1981) and the "Austin Powers" movies (1997-2002) on his resume.

To run is to move faster than a walking pace, but can also mean to escape (or try to do so).

Answer: Bicycle

Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays bicycle courier Wilee in this 2012 movie set on the streets of New York City. It's a very competitive line of work, and Wilee takes chances by riding without brakes, and taking on a very valuable, very dangerous delivery that puts his life in danger. The cast also includes Michael Shannon, Aasif Mandvi and Dania Ramirez.

Rush is a synonym for hurry, with possibly more urgency attached to it, as in the case of the deliveries in this movie.

Answer: Dennis Hopper

Howard Payne (Hopper) may not actually think he's wise, but he does think he has bested policeman Jack Traven (Keanu Reeves) with the bomb on the bus that is set to explode if the bus goes under a certain speed. Sandra Bullock plays bus passenger Annie who is forced to drive the bus when its driver is incapacitated, and Alan Ruck plays another passenger in this 1994 film. The good guys win this time, and Bullock sticks around for a 1997 sequel.

Fonda and Nicholson are Hopper's travelling buddies from "Easy Rider" (1969).

Speed is what drivers do if they want to get tickets, unless they are behind the wheel of this bus, or maybe a racecar!

Answer: Gene Wilder

In "Silver Streak" (1976) Wilder plays George, who thinks he sees a murdered man being thrown off the titular train. Because George is a bit drunk he isn't believed. As the story progresses things get complicated and George finds himself a murder suspect. He teams up with car thief Grover (Richard Pryor) who tries to help him. Laughter ensues.

Gene Wilder (1933-2016) is well-known for such movies as "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" (1971), "Young Frankenstein" (1974) and "Blazing Saddles" (1974).

Streak is another word that can be applied to the brief appearance of a flash (streak, bolt) of lightning, and also makes one think of the lines drawn behind a quickly moving cartoon character to denote speed.

Answer: Roller derby

"Whip It" (2009) stars Ellen Page and Drew Barrymore, as two members of a Texas roller derby league who each have their own reasons for taking part in the sport. Bliss (Page) wants to break away from a mother (Marcia Gay Harden) who sees her daughter as a pageant queen, and Smashley Simpson (Barrymore) is an established star of the game. Drew Barrymore also directs, and others in the cast are Kristen Wiig, Zoe Bell and Jimmy Fallon.

Whip in the sense of speed could be used in the phrase "whip up a batch of cookies" or "whip off a quick quiz for the Sprint".

Answer: Richard Todd

"The Hasty Heart" (1949) takes place in Burma right at the end of World War II. Scottish corporal Lachlan MacLachlan (Todd) is wounded the day the war ends, and it later transpires that his only good kidney is destroyed by the wound. Kidney transplants still being a few years in the future, Lachie is thus doomed to die. Patricia Neal plays the nursing sister who cares for him and the other soldiers in his ward, including Yank (Ronald Reagan), Blossom (Orlando Martins) and Tommy (Howard Marion-Crawford). The other men try to befriend him, but Lachie is something of a dour Scot who prefers the company of his bagpipes.

Richard Todd (1919-2009), who was actually born in Ireland, received an Oscar nomination for Best Actor for this role. His other credits include "The Dam Busters" (1955), "A Man Called Peter" (1955) and "The Longest Day" (1962) amongst many others.

Hasty usually has the connotation of having done something a bit too quickly, perhaps without enough thought or consideration.