Lost in Mistranslation Trivia Quiz

Answer: Caddyshack

In the 1980 film "Caddyshack", Bill Murray played the part of Carl Spackler, assistant to the golf course greenskeeper. The hilarious character spends most of his time chasing and trying to eliminate a pesky, destructive gopher. The humorous sideline to the main story (a golf contest based on a wager) ends up culminating in an explosive ending when Spackler uses plastic explosives to try to kill off the gopher (it doesn't work).

The movie spawned a sequel, "Caddyshack II" (1988), that Bill Murray did not appear in.

Answer: Ghostbusters

Bill Murray played the part of parapsychologist Dr. Peter Venkman in the 1984 film "Ghostbusters" (and its 1989 sequel "Ghostbusters II"). Finding himself fired from his job at Columbia University, Venkman convinces his friends Dr. Raymond Stantz (Dan Aykroyd) and Dr. Egon Spengler (Harold Ramis) to form the "Ghostbusters" - a team that can solve your paranormal pest problem.

Answer: Little Shop of Horrors

The 1986 "Little Shop of Horrors" was adapted from the 1982 off-Broadway musical of the same name, which was itself based off of the 1960 film of the same name. In the 1986 version, Rick Moranis played Seymour Krelborn, the owner of the flesh-eating plant he named Audrey II.

He gives the plant that name because he likes Audrey (played by Ellen Greene). Unfortunately, Audrey is dating a sadistic dentist, played by Steve Martin. Where does Bill Murray come in? He played the part of Arthur Denton, a masochistic man who comes to see the dentist for 'a long, slow root canal'.

Answer: Groundhog Day

Bill Murray played arrogant weatherman Phil Connors in 1993's "Groundhog Day", opposite Andie MacDowell. After spending a day in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania being generally unhappy with his lot in life and miserable to everyone around him, Phil and his crew get stuck in town due to a snowstorm.

When he wakes up in the morning, Phil discovers that it is Groundhog day all over again... and again...and again...

Answer: The Man Who Knew Too Little

"The Man Who Knew Too Little" (1997) starred Bill Murray as Wallace Ritchie, a man who accidentally gets involved in plot to reignite tensions between the US and Russia - and he thinks it's all part of an improv theatre act. The film was based on the novel "Watch That Man" by Robert Farrar, who was also involved in writing the screenplay.

The title of the film also parodies the 1934 Alfred Hitchcock film "The Man Who Knew Too Much".

Answer: The Royal Tenenbaums

"The Royal Tenenbaums" (2001) included an all-star cast the likes of Gene Hackman (family father named Royal Tenenbaum), Angelica Huston (his wife Etheline Tenenbaum), Ben Stiller (gifted son Chas), Luke Wilson (gifted son Richie), Gwyneth Paltrow (adopted and gifted) daughter Margot), Owen Wilson (family friend Eli Cash), Danny Glover (accountant Henry Sherman), Alec Baldwin (narrator), and last, but not least, Bill Murray (neurologist husband of Margot named Raleigh St. Clair).

The movie begins with Royal explaining to his three successful, genius children that he and Ethel are separating. Flashbacks show how the kids are successful, and also how horrible a father Royal is and has been. From there, the action moves to 22 years later, with all of the previously successful kids now leading very unsuccessful lives. Relational complications ensue.

Answer: Lost in Translation

"Lost in Translation" features Bill Murray as Bob Harris, an aging movie star who meets Charlotte (Scarlett Johansson) while in Tokyo filming a commercial. The story revolves around this unlikely couple and themes of alienation and loneliness. Bill Murray received his first Oscar nomination for Best Actor for this role, losing out to Sean Penn ("Misty River").

Answer: Get Smart

Bill Murray played a small role in 2008's "Get Smart", which starred Steve Carell as Maxwell Smart and Anne Hathaway as Agent 99. Based on the television series of the same name, Bill Murray played Agent 13 (a role originally played by Dave Ketchum) who, like in the TV series, is found disguised as an unlikely object. In Bill's case, he was disguised as a tree.

Answer: City of Ember

Bill Murray played Mayor Cole, the main (self-serving) antagonist in "City of Ember". Set in a dystopic future, the underground city of Ember is losing power, and soon everyone will be in the dark. Mayor Cole, supposedly leading the people in this difficult time, in reality is doing everything he can to set himself up to survive what comes.

The film was based on the 2003 Jeanne DuPrau novel "The City of Ember".

Answer: Moonrise Kingdom

"Moonrise Kingdom" (2012) is a story set in 1965 in a picture-perfect New England town. The two main characters are youngsters Sam (an orphan who is there attending a Boy Scout camp) and Suzy (a local girl), who decide to run away together and make their way to a secluded cove they call the Moonrise Kingdom. Bill Murray plays the part of Suzy's father, Walt Bishop. Once the kids are tracked down, Walt forbids Suzy from seeing Sam again, but the kids find a way.