Odd One Out Trivia Quiz

Answer: Easy Living

The common link here is Preston Sturges, who did write all four of the films.
However, the delightful "Easy Living" was directed by Mitchell Leisen, and starred Jean Arthur, Edward Arnold and Ray Milland. A classic screwball comedy.

Answer: Bringing Up Baby

The great Katharine Hepburn links these four films. (George Cukor was her favourite director, and she worked with him a number of times.)
"Bringing Up Baby", however, was directed by Howard Hawks, and co-starred the marvelous Cary Grant, who was also her co-star in "The Philadelphia Story". In "Adam's Rib" and "Pat And Mike" she co-starred with Spencer Tracy.
"Bringing Up Baby" was one of several great comedies directed by Howard Hawks, and the only outright farce to star Katharine Hepburn. It was remade after a fashion as "What's Up Doc?" by Peter Bogdanovich. The original is infinitely superior.

Answer: Man of The West

All four of the films were directed by Anthony Mann.
Mann and Stewart collaborated on five westerns during the 1950's: "Winchester 73", "Bend of the River", "The Far Country", "The Man From Laramie" and "The Naked Spur", which are looked upon today as being among the greatest ever made.
"Man of The West", which is their equal, starred Gary Cooper in one of his finest roles. His role is reminiscent of the roles Stewart played in the other films, that of an embittered loner, who eventually stands up for what is right.

Answer: Andy Hardy's Private Secretary

Mickey Rooney is the star who links these four films. He and Judy were an enormously popular team in the 1930s, and appeared in a number of films together, including three of the Andy Hardy series.
Mickey's co-star in "Andy Hardy's Private Secretary", however, was Kathryn Grayson. The Andy Hardy films were among M.G.M.'s biggest money makers in the 1930s. With their emphasis on wholesome family values, they struck a chord with Middle America. "Andy Hardy's Private Secretary" was one of the better ones.

Answer: Charade

The link here is, of course, Cary Grant, who starred in a number of Hitchcock's films.
In "To Catch A Thief" he co-starred with Grace Kelly, in "North By Northwest" with Eva Marie Saint, in "Notorious" with Ingrid Bergman and in "Charade" with Audrey Hepburn.
"Charade", although very much in the Hitchcock style, was directed by Stanley Donen. Audrey Hepburn plays a young woman whose husband is murdered, after which she finds that he was far from the man she thought he was. Cary Grant plays the mysterious stranger she becomes involved with, who may or may not be one of the good guys.

Answer: Brigadoon

The glorious Cyd Charisse is the link here. She and Fred starred together in "The Band Wagon" and "Silk Stockings" and both appeared in "The Ziegfeld Follies" although in that Fred was partnered by Gene Kelly.
And it was Gene Kelly who was Cyd's partner in "Brigadoon", definitely not one of the great M.G.M. musicals. From a stage musical by Lerner and Loewe, for me the only thing it has going for it is the dancing and the performance of Van Johnson, who brings a nice, sarcastic edge to what is otherwise a rather cloying, sickly sweet film.

Answer: The Three Faces of Eve

During his career Paul Newman co-starred a number of times with his wife, Joanne Woodward. He even directed her in a couple of films.
However, for her Oscar winning role in "The Three Faces of Eve", she appeared without him. She plays a young woman who suffers from multiple personalities, and her performance is convincing in what is virtually three separate roles. Lee J. Cobb plays her therapist.

Answer: Red River

It is quite appropriate to link the greatest director of Westerns with the greatest Western star. The star is, of course, John Wayne, who was Ford's collaborator many times.
However, it was Howard Hawks who directed Wayne in "Red River", and also my favourite Western of all time, "Rio Bravo". "Red River" tells the story of a cattle drive and deals with the conflict between Wayne and a young Montgomery Clift in his first starring role. The wonderful Walter Brennan also starred.

Answer: Passport To Pimlico

It's a studio which links these four films. They are all Ealing comedies.
Guinness starred in "The Man In the White Suit", "The Ladykillers" and most notably "Kind Hearts and Coronets", in which he played an entire family.
"Passport To Pimlico" is most fondly remembered for the delightful performance of the marvelous Margaret Rutherford. The film is based on the premise that a document is discovered which proves that the suburb of Pimlico is actually a part of Burgundy. The residents decide to secede from England and set up their own sovereign state.

Answer: Plein Soleil

Melville's favourite actor, Alain Delon, is the link here. They made three films together, "Le Cercle Rouge", "Le Samourai" and "Un Flic".
"Plein Soleil" was adapted from Patricia Highsmith's novel "The Talented Mr. Ripley", and starred Delon as Tom Ripley. It was directed by Rene Clement.