Musical Films Trivia Quiz

Answer: Cabaret

In 1973 "Cabaret" swept to ten Academy Award nominations, winning eight. They included Best Director, Bob Fosse; Best Lead Actress, Liza Minnelli; and Best Supporting Actor, Joel Grey. Certainly this film is Minnelli's finest piece of work, Grey is creepy as the MC, and Fosse's talent as a choreographer shines through. In the middle of the film a chorus of young Nazis sing "Tomorrow Belongs to Me" which sends shivers up your back as you know the horrors to come. It was based on the play "I Am a Camera".

The film deals with the era in Germany just before the World War Two. The cabaret is a microcosm of society and change foreshadowing the horror and the holocaust.

Highlights:Joel Grey's "Willkommen" and "Money, Money". Liza Minnelli's "Maybe This Time" and, of course, "Cabaret".

Answer: Dan Aykroyd

"The Blues Brothers' (1980) arose from skits aired on "Saturday Night Live". Although it is a comedy, it also is a venue for such artists as James Brown, John Lee Hooker, Cab Calloway, Ray Charles, and Aretha Franklin. Aykroyd and Belushi display some diverse talent as well. The plot evolves around the brothers trying to reorganize their blues band after Jake gets out of jail.

Aykroyd emerged from "Saturday Night Live" and has become a movie star of some note. Films include "Trading Places" (1980), "Dragnet"(1987), and "Driving Miss Daisy"(1986). He has also directed, written,and done voice-overs and is regarded as a UFO expert.

Highlights: Belushi and Aykroyd's rendition of "Soul Man" and the classic soul and blues music by the rest of the cast.

Answer: Bye Bye Birdie

"Bye Bye Birdie" opened on Broadway in 1960 and emerged on film in 1963. Loosely based on Elvis Presley being drafted, the name was changed to Conrad Birdie after rockabilly singer Conway Twitty. Dick Van Dyke starred in both productions as did Paul Lynde. The film made a star of ingenue Ann-Margret.

Highlights: Singable, hummable songs such as "Bye Bye Birdie", "How Lovely to Be a Woman", "Put on a Happy Face", "One Last Kiss", and "Got a Lot of Livin' to Do".

Answer: Doris Day

Day got the role after Betty Hutton got pregnant and Judy Garland and Jane Powell turned down the opportunity. It won two Oscars. One for best song "It's Magic" and for best film musical score. Doris Day went on to establish herself as a dependable box office draw in a variety of roles. Doris Day plays Georgia Garret, a travel agent, whom those on board the ship think is Elvira Kent.

Highlights: Doris Day with "It's Magic" and "It's You or No One".

Answer: "Paint Your Wagon" (1969)

"Paint Your Wagon" was a Broadway musical in 1951 but did not come to the big screen until 1969. Although neither is regarded as an outstanding singer, Lee Marvin's rendition of "Wand'rin' Star" hit the charts in the UK, US, and Australia. In 1963 Eastwood released an album of cowboy songs. Also, his voice is heard with such singing stars as Merle Haggard and Ray Charles on single issues from movie soundtracks.

The film takes place in a mining camp and features a tri-romance among Eastwood, Marvin, and Jean Seberg.

Highlights: Eastwood's "I Talk to the Trees", Marvin's "Wand'rin' Star" and Harve Presnell "They Call the Wind Maria" that can be compared to Paul Robeson's "Old Man River" from "Show Boat".

Answer: Busby Berkeley

"42nd Street" was an early musical that had an impact on all to follow. Berkeley said that his goal in each film was to 'top himself' which he did from "Whoopie" (1930) to "Billy Rose's Jumbo" (1962).

Highlights: "Your Getting to Be a Habit with Me", "Shuffle Off to Buffalo", and "42nd Street".

Answer: The Commitments

A young Dubliner wanting to make a splash in show business, conceived the idea of an Irish band that plays American soul music. The songs are not original to the film but re-makes of soul classics. The sub-context is that such bands have an ephemeral life when they are not able to deal with their internal conflicts.

Highlights: The reinterpretation of soul music classics such as "Mustang Sally", "Dark End of the Street", "Take Me to the River", and "Try a Little Tenderness".

Answer: "Pennies from Heaven" (1981)

"Pennies from Heaven" got a bad deal from some critics and some Steve Martin fans who expected to see "The Jerk", part two, but instead found a somewhat downbeat musical set during the great depression. Martin plays a sheet music salesman who falls in love with a school teacher played by Bernadette Peters with tragic consequences.

Highlights: Many of the songs are mimed rather than sung but that does not decrease their impact. Two of the best dances ever filmed are Vernal Bagneris doing "Pennies from Heaven" and Christopher Walken's striptease to "Let's Misbehave".

Answer: "An American in Paris" (1951)

"An American in Paris" featured Gene Kelly and Leslie Caron. It won the 1951 Best Picture Oscar, and was directed by Vincent Minnelli It featured many tunes of Gershwin, and an extensive, elaborate dance sequence built around Gershwin's symphonic poem of the same name.

Kelly is an American expatriate painter in Paris who has a patron (Nina Foch) who cares more for him than his art. Kelly's character meets and falls in love with Lise Bouvier (Leslie Caron), thereby touching off several plot twists.

Highlights: "Our Love Is Here to Stay", "I Got Rhythm", "I'll Build a Staircase to Paradise", "Embraceable You", and the grand climax the "An American in Paris" ballet number.

Answer: Jerome Kern

The 1936 black and white version featured Irene Dunne as Magnolia Hawks, Allan Jones as Gaylord Ravenal, Charles Winninger as Cap'n Andy Hawks, Paul Robeson as Joe, and Helen Morgan as Julie LaVerne. The 1951 Technicolour featured
Kathryn Grayson as Magnolia Hawks, Ava Gardner as Julie LaVerne, Howard Keel as Gaylord Ravenal, Joe E. Brown as Cap'n Andy Hawks, and Paul Warfield as Joe. The film deals with not only the romance between Maggie and Gaylord but also with racial issues in the old South.

Jerome Kern's vita on Broadway productions either as doing an entire score or contributing a melody is too long to repeat here. He was nominated for an Oscar eight times, winning two for "The Way You Look Tonight" (1936) and "The Last Time I Saw Paris" (1941).

Highlights: So many songs have become 'standards'. "Make Believe", "Why Do I Love You", "Can't Help Lovin' That Man of Mine", and "Old Man River",the latter a classic by Paul Robeson from the 1936 film.