Movie Battle Scenes: Gunpowder Quiz

Answer: The Last Valley

Based on a novel by James Clavell, "The Last Valley" is a dark and brutal account of the horrors of the last major European religious war, albeit on a small scale. The mercenary soldiers take whatever they want from the helpless villagers, who cannot defend themselves, but later on have to defend the same villagers against other soldiers.

Answer: Cromwell

Though historically inaccurate in most areas, "Cromwell", with Richard Harris in the title role, gets enough right to be a very watchable film. The depictions of the battles of Naseby and Edgehill are colorful and well choreographed, with a fairly accurate representation of the weaponry and tactics used. The film includes an excellent performance by Alec Guinness as King Charles I.

Answer: Northwest Passage

In my opinion, this film was deceptively named, as the search for the Northwest Passage isn't even mentioned until the end of the movie. Still, it is a good depiction of frontier warfare between the French, British, and their respective Native American allies, who are inaccurately portrayed, in true 1940's style, as brutal, untrustworthy, and almost childlike.

It starred Spencer Tracy, Robert Young, and Walter Brennan.

Answer: Flesh and Blood

"Flesh and Blood", made in 1985, is a gritty, violent film that depicts the violence and inhumanity of the wars between the Italian city-states in the early 16th century, when standing armies were small or nonexistent and mercenaries made up most of the fighting forces.

The film features very accurate depictions of siege warfare and graphic scenes of the sacking of a conquered town. The movie features Rutger Hauer, Tom Burlington, and Jennifer Jason Leigh.

Answer: The Buccaneer

A remake of a Cecil B. De Mille film from the 1930s, "The Buccaneer" was directed by his then son-in-law Anthony Quinn. The movie has action, conflict, betrayal and redemption. A key plot point is the love affair (fictional) between the pirate Lafitte, played by Yul Brynner (with hair!) and the governor's daughter, played by Inger Stevens. Charlton Heston stars as Andrew Jackson.

Answer: The Alamo

This film, released in 1960, stars John Wayne, Richard Widmark, and Lawrence Harvey as Texas rebels defending the Alamo from Mexican general Santa Ana and his army. The battle sequences are violent and gory, if mostly inaccurate.

Answer: Waterloo

A sweeping, epic, and accurate portrayal of one of the most famous battles in world history, "Waterloo" was directed by Sergei Bondarchuk and released in 1970. This film has some of the largest battle sequences ever filmed and, in the days before CGI, required thousands of extras.

While some fans and critics have lamented the lack of depictions of the preliminary battles of Ligny and Quatre Bras, who would sit through a five hour movie?

Answer: Unconquered

"Unconquered" is a 1947 film directed by Cecil B. Demille and starring Gary Cooper and Paulette Goddard. The story is set during the 1763 colonial conflict known as Pontiac's Rebellion, a Native American uprising against the British. The film depicts scenes of the siege of Fort Pitt, and the Battle of Bloody Run. The film is also notable for featuring Boris Karloff as a Seneca chief.

Answer: Barry Lyndon

Directed by Stanley Kubrick and released in 1975, "Barry Lyndon" is a beautifully filmed story starring Ryan O'Neal as Redmond Barry, an Irish lad determined to better his lot in life by any means necessary. Redmond's exploits include impersonating a British officer, cheating at cards, and buying a noble title with his wife's fortune.

The film includes some great scenes of unnamed battles when Redmond was in both the British and Prussian armies.

Answer: Taras Bulba

A story of peoples and places not usually portrayed in Western culture, "Taras Bulba" stars Tony Curtis and Yul Brynner as Cossacks nominally allied with the Poles. However, they are treated as subjects by most Polish people and their leaders. The Cossacks revolt instead of participating in a Polish war against the Ottoman Empire, and lay siege to the Polish city of Dubno.

The film features action-packed scenes of contemporary siege warfare and lots of calvary charges.

Answer: The Last of the Mohicans

Based on the novel by James Fenimore Cooper, "The Last of the Mohicans" has been made and remade several times since the beginning of motion pictures. While this adaptation is not quite true to the novel, it nevertheless has epic battle scenes, the love story between very different people, and features Wes Studi as an almost perfect villain.

The film also stars Daniel Day-Lewis and Madeline Stowe.

Answer: The Patriot

The film stars Mel Gibson as an American Colonial colonel, a veteran of the French and Indian War who regrets what he did in that conflict. It also stars Heath Ledger as Gibson's eldest son, who can't wait to join the Continental Army. "The Patriot" is a watchable film, with some good battle scenes. Tom Wilkinson also stars as British General Cornwallis, the ultimate professional, and Jason Isaacs as a fictional but deliciously evil British cavalry commander.

Answer: Drums Along the Mohawk

This 1939 film, made in color when most were black and white, tells the fictional story of a community of American farmers in New York's Mohawk River valley during the American Revolution. The people are subjected to near constant raids by Loyalist-led Native Americans.

The settlers retreat to a local fort in times of danger. The men of the settlement later take part in the Battle of Oriskany, a savage struggle during the 1777 Saratoga campaign.

Answer: One Man's Hero

This 1999 film, starring Tom Berenger as John Riley, the leader of the deserters, tells the little-known story of the San Patricio Battalion, a unit of the Mexican Army during the Mexican-American War.
The battalion was made up of Irish and Irish-American soldiers who deserted from the American army because of persecution due to their Catholic faith. These men fought with distinction, but those who were captured by the Americans were executed if they deserted after the war had begun, and branded as deserters if they left before hostilities began.

Answer: The Charge of the Light Brigade

Released in 1968 and starring David Hemmings, Trevor Howard, and John Gielgud, "The Charge of the Light Brigade" is an accurate portrayal of the events leading up to the famous charge. The production and costumes are excellent, as is the main battle sequence.