"If They Move...Kill 'Em!" "The Wild Bunch" Part 1 Quiz

Answer: The bank robbery/massacre

Holden's line was the first used by a major character in the film, and was spoken at the beginning of the bank hold-up. The shoot-out/massacre sequence following the bank robbery (or railroad office robbery, depending on the reference) gave the audience its first taste of what would become Peckinpah's trademark; multiple camera angles, regular and slow motion shots intertwined, and precise, complex editing. Peckinpah started developing this technique while filming "Major Dundee", but it was not fully realised and perfected until "The Wild Bunch", and would serve as an inspiration for scores of future action-film directors.

It took Peckinpah quite a few edits to trim the scene down to five minutes, but the results would set the standard for the remainder of the film.

A quick side note: "If they move...kill 'em!" was the first line spoken by a major character in the film, and was voted Number 72 of "The 100 Greatest Movie Lines" (Premiere, 2007). The "Battle of Bloody Porch" was the nickname given by the crew to the final, climatic shoot-out.

Answer: Steel washers

It was during this sequence that the "Bunch" realized that they were set up to be ambushed during the robbery. It included Freddie's memorable dialogue ("They? Why, they is the plain and fancy they, that's who they is. Caught you, didn't they? Tied a tin can to your tail...Oh my, what a bunch...

They? Who the hell is they?"). Bishop also revealed that Deke Thornton was a part of the posse who ambushed them. According to "The Wild Bunch: An Album in Montage", the special DVD which is included in the "Directors Cut" version of the film, it was during this scene that several of the principal actors came to work unrehearsed and unprepared. Peckinpah, in typical quiet fury, gave the entire group 20 minutes to basically get their act together, or "you will be replaced." All concerned found secluded spots to go over their lines, and the scene was filmed without further delay.

Answer: He was being threatened by the railroad company with prison.

It was made clear, during the exchange between Thornton and Harrigan (after the bank robbery massacre), that Thornton was being forced to lead the posse to go after the "Bunch". Later flashbacks also revealed how Thornton was captured, (and later tortured in prison), as well as Bishop's escape.

It was also very obvious that Thornton despised not only Harrigan, but his "posse" as well, and would much rather have been riding with Pike and the boys. The flashback scenes were not in the original American release, but were restored for the 1995 "Final Cut".

Answer: Clarence Lee and Freddie Sykes

Freddie Sykes (Edmond O'Brian, 1915-1985) was Clarence "Crazy" Lee's (Bo Hopkins) grandfather. After leaving Angel's village, Freddie asked Bishop if Crazy Lee "pulled his weight" during the bank robbery (Lee was left behind guarding the hostages while the rest of the "Bunch" made their escape, and was killed by Harrigan), and revealed to Bishop, for the first time, their relationship. Bishop recalled Lee's final words ("I'll hold 'em here 'til Hell freezes over or you say different") and assured Freddie that Lee did "just fine".

Answer: In a wine vat

This scene was really the only one in the film with any substantial nudity involved (tame by today's standards, it was viewed as fairly graphic in 1969). It was considered as a contributing factor, (along with Angel's torture scene) as well as the film's themes and graphic violence, for the decision of the newly created MPAA (Motion Picture Association of America) to originally give "The Wild Bunch" an "X" rating (later amended to an "R" after the torture scene was cut from the original release).

This sequence also led into a rather humorous bit with an obviously intoxicated Lyle introducing the boys to his "fiance".

Answer: Lyle

This very lighthearted scene (at least for "The Wild Bunch") ended with Lyle (Warren Oates) holding on to the empty bottle, and the rest of the men sharing a good laugh at his expense. While it was never really specified, I believe this scene gave the audience a chance to take a deep breath and recover somewhat from the carnage it had been viewing, as well as to prepare for the visual onslaught still to come. Warren Oates' (1928-1982) film credits, along with the "Bunch", included "Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia" (also directed by Peckinpah), "Dillinger", "There Was a Crooked Man", "Stripes", as well as an impressive body of television work.

Answer: He tipped his hat.

I'm not sure if this gesture was one of recognition, respect, or farewell, but it was beautifully timed with the explosion, and the posse's fall into the river. There was a very interesting (and somewhat humorous) sidebar regarding this scene that was documented by Peckinpah biographer Marshall Fine, concerning Bud Hulburd, the special-effects supervisor. Evidently, Hulburd did not achieve his position on the strength of his experience, but on the basis that there was no one left to do the job, as Peckinpah had fired the previous bosses. Obviously, the stuntmen who would be risking their lives were fairly concerned about this situation, enough so that Joe Canutt, one of the stuntmen involved, recruited screenwriter Gordon T. Dawson as a backup safety plan. Canutt ordered Dawson to stand behind Hulburd with a club while Hulburd was setting off the charges. If Hulbred miscalculated the timing of the explosions while the stuntmen were filming the scene, Dawson was to use the club to knock Hulbred out and prevent the final charge from going off. Luckily for all concerned, everything went according to plan, and the scene was filmed in one take (with the loss of one camera in the river).

Answer: A case of rifles

Angel was against joining Bishop and the men to steal the rifles for Mapache, as he knew the rifles would be used against his village, but "with guns, my people could fight! If I could take guns..I would go with you." It was Dutch who suggested that they give Angel a case of rifles in lieu of his share of gold. Bishop agreed, and included a case of ammunition as well.

Unfortunately, Mapache was informed of this arrangement by Teresa's mother (although Mapache believed Angel stole the rifles from Bishop), and later captured and tortured Angel as punishment. Angel's capture, and the subsequent rescue attempt by the surviving members of the "Bunch" (leading to the final battle) was, in Peckinpah's view, probably the most important theme of the film.

As explained in "The Wild Bunch: An Album in Montage", he wanted to tell a story about a group of bad men risking everything, even their lives, in a hopeless attempt to help a friend. "What kind of men would do that?" Peckinpah asked in the documentary, and by his own admission, the primary theme of the film was the attempt to answer that question.

Answer: He slit Angel's throat.

At the beginning of the confrontation, Bishop informed a drunken Mapache and his men of their intentions ("We want Angel!"). Mapache appeared to agree to the demand, and dragged a beaten and bloody Angel to his feet and took hold of a knife, seemingly to cut the ropes that bound Angel's hands.

However, instead of freeing Angel, Mapache grabbed Angel by the hair and slit his throat. Bishop instantly responded by killing Mapache. Mapache's soldiers were frozen in shock, and there was a long pause before Dutch, Tector and Lyle actually started laughing. Bishop then turned around and killed Commander Mohr, Mapache's arrogant German advisor, which lead to the final, epic blood-bath.

Answer: "It ain't like it used to be, but it'll do."

Actually, all of these quotes were Freddie's. After the final gun-fight, Thornton and his men rode in to Mapache's stronghold, where the bounty hunters quickly collected the bodies of the "Bunch" and rode off again, eager to collect the reward money. Thornton took Bishop's pistol, and simply sat outside of the compound while survivors of the battle streamed by. Before long, shots were heard in the distance, and afterwards Freddie and a band of the rebel villagers rode up to Thornton. Freddie, surprised at seeing Thornton there, informed him that the "posse" didn't get far, a fact that Thornton was not surprised about. Freddie asked Thornton of his plans, and invited him to ride along with himself (Freddie) and the rebels.

This was simply a beautiful, bittersweet line to end the film. Thank you very much for playing, please rate if you have time.