Payback (1999) Trivia Quiz

Answer: Donald E. Westlake

Donald E Westlake authored numerous books under a seemingly endless variety of pseudonyms covering such genres as soft-core adult works, science fiction, non-fiction and romance. However he is best known for writing witty and elaborately plotted crime fiction. One of Westlake's most often used non-de-plume's was Richard Stark. Stark books featured, for the most part, the exploits of a master-thief named Parker. Westlake (as Stark) wrote the novel "The Hunter" in 1964. This book was the basis for both the 1967 film "Point Blank" starring Lee Marvin as the Parker character (name changed to Walker) and 1999's "Payback".

In addition to "The Hunter" many other Westlake books inspired films and television shows, including the excellent 1972 film "The Hot Rocks" and 2013's "Parker". Westlake himself wrote numerous screenplays for films based on his books, other adaptive material and as original efforts. Westlake was nominated for an Oscar in 1991 for his adapted screenplay of "The Grifters" (He lost to Michael Blake who adapted "Dances With Wolves"). Westlake continued to write until his death from cancer in 2008. The other choices are fictional crime writing detectives.

Answer: Mel Gibson

Each of the actors mentioned appeared in a film based on a book written by Donald Westlake. Marvin played the Parker character (called Walker) in "Point Blank", Jim Brown played Parker (named McClain) in 1973's "The Split"; while Jason Statham appeared in 2013's "Parker".

However it was Mel Gibson who played the one named man Porter, changed from Westlake's Parker, in "Payback". In this story Porter is a thief out to get his share of the money from a successful heist after he was double-crossed, shot and left for dead by his best friend and his wife.

At the time of "Payback" Mel Gibson was one of the most bankable stars in the movie industry. From 1995 to 1999 Gibson starred in and won Best Director and Best Picture Oscars for "Braveheart", voiced Captain John Smith in Disney's mega-hit "Pocahontas" and starred in the blockbusters "Ransom " and "Lethal Weapon 4". "Payback" continued Gibson's successful streak earning over $160 Million in worldwide box office revenues. Gibson's run of hits continued into the 2000s with the "The Patriot" and "What Women Want" followed by his direction of the controversial but extremely successful "The Passion Of the Christ" in 2004.

Answer: Gregg Henry

Gregg Henry played the duplicitous sociopath who shoots his partner and takes the money to buy his way into a job as a hit man for the local crime syndicate. Henry is a staple of American television and movies having appeared in hundreds of episodes and movies, almost always playing a bad guy that oozes arrogance and smarmy malice. In addition to "Payback" Henry played a major role in Brian de Palma's fine 1984 thriller "Body Double".

Answer: The Outfit

Writer Donald Westlake often called the mafia-like criminal organization that would appear in his books the Outfit. "The Hunter" and "Payback" based on that novel were no different. Resnick (Gregg Henry) needed $130,000 to pay off a debt to the Outfit in order to rejoin the syndicate and reap the many benefits of being in the gang.

In one of the running themes of both Westlake's books and "Payback" the Outfit is run as a profitable business that offers excellent benefits to its employees. Company paid housing, medical and dental benefits are all predominately mentioned in the film.

Answer: Maria Bello

Rosie was the prostitute who worked for the Outfit that Porter turned to for help in learning the whereabouts of Resnick and getting his money back. In the course of the story we learn that while serving as her driver Porter had fallen in love with Rosie and she with him and each had wanted the other to act. Together again they team to earn Porter's revenge and rekindle their passion during their fight for survival.

"Payback" was the raspy-voiced blond Maria Bello's first major movie role following her breakout performance as Dr. Anna Del Amico on the top rated US television show "ER". Since "Payback" Bello has starred in "Coyote Ugly" "The Cooler" the highly acclaimed "A History of Violence" and "The Sisters" amongst other television and movie roles.

Answer: William Devane

Each of these actors played US President John F Kennedy in movies or television at one time or another. In "Payback" William Devane plays the stylized "corporate" boss of hit man and former Porter partner, Val Resnick. When Porter kills Resnick he seeks out Carter as the man to pay him his money. After killing or injuring a slew of Outfit thugs, Porter demands Carter pay him his due. Carter refuses and amusingly cites "company" policy. Porter demands Carter contact the "man in charge" and Carter calls the head of the Outfit, Mr. Bronson. Bronson tells Porter he will not pay him and derisively says to go ahead and kill Carter. Porter obliges and shoots Carter who dies in disbelief.

What makes the scenes with Carter so interesting is that Devane uses his trademark "Bostonian" accent to come across sounding like a senior level corporate executive discussing a normal demand by a customer or vendor for payment. The conversation is pleasant and Carter is almost amused by Porter's demands for the $70,000. In a running gag in the movie everyone thinks Porter is seeking the entire $140,000 and appear even more condescending towards him when he states his demand is only for $70,000. Carter's nonchalance and feeling of invulnerability as a member of the Outfit leadership remains up to his death.

Devane is best known for his excellent portrayal of JFK in 1974's "Missiles of October" a US television movie detailing the run up and aftermath of the Cuban Missile Crisis. Devane has been a sought after and highly visible actor for nearly 50 years appearing on stage, in film and television continuously.

Answer: James Coburn

James Coburn takes a fun (if uncredited) turn as the Outfit's number two in "Payback" treating the demand by Porter as almost too insignificant to get excited about. Porter demands that Fairfax call Bronson again and threatens to kill Fairfax. When Bronson again refuses to pay Porter, Porter shoots holes in Fairfax's luggage (conveniently being held by two of Fairfax's guards). Only after Porter shoots the bags does Fairfax (Coburn) show any emotion, producing my favorite dialogue in the movie. When Bronson asks if Fairfax was shot he responds "No, no, it's all right, he's just killing my alligator bags and shooting holes in my suits. Man, that's just MEAN. That's MEAN, man."

Coburn was a fixture on movies and television from his debut in 1957 until his death in 2002. Early in his career Coburn was a staple in US western television shows and seemed destined to follow the career path of Clint Eastwood or Lee Van Cleef within that genre. Coburn had key supporting roles in such early 1960s' classics as "The Magnificent Seven" and "The Great Escape". In 1966 Coburn took his turn as leading man starring in "Our Man Flint" and the sequel 1967's "In Like Flint" slightly more tongue in cheek spy movies from the James Bond mold before settling back into character roles. Coburn's role as the abusive aging alcoholic father of Nick Nolte's small town sheriff in 1997's "Affliction" earned Coburn the Academy Award for best supporting actor in 1999.

Answer: Lucy Liu

All of these fine actresses are of Chinese descent but only Lucy Liu played Pearl in "Payback" and was one of the film version of "Charlie's Angels". While it is nice that a Chinese actress was cast to play the key role of the dominatrix call-girl who works for the Chinese mob that Resnick and Porter robbed, strange casting is ever a threat in Hollywood films. Ms. Liu herself played a Japanese Yakuza leader named O-Ren Ishii in 2003's classic "Kill Bill Volume 1". Interestingly bending both gender and national origin, in 2012 Ms. Liu took on the role of playing Dr. Joan (John) Watson opposite Jonny Lee Miller as Sherlock Holmes in the US television's "Elementary".

In addition to her busy acting schedule Ms. Liu is a fine artist whose works have been showcased in New York, London and Berlin. She is a tireless worker for the UNICEF charity and was named a UNICEF ambassador in 2004.

Answer: Kris Kristofferson

All these actors started as singers or songwriters. Kris Kristofferson was a huge hit maker in Nashville during the late 1960s penning such classics as "Me and Bobby McGee" and "Help Me Make it Through the Night" for which he won a Grammy and Country Music Award for Best Song. Kristofferson took his gravelly voiced good looks to movies in the early 1970s and appeared in "The Sailor Who Fell from Grace with the Sea" and "Cisco Pike" to name a few. However it was a remake of the "A Star is Born" in 1976 that vaulted Kris' career. Playing the aging rock star Svengali to Barbra Streisand's young talent earned Kristofferson a Golden Globe Award and the movie big box office success and an Oscar for best song.

Kristofferson has continued to make movies and records for the past 40 years. In 1998 Kris starred along side Wesley Snipes as the greybeard vampire killer in "Blade". Kristofferson's role as the head of the Outfit in "Payback" was followed by more "Blade" sequels and a steady stream of voice and other acting parts.

Answer: Brian Helgeland

"Payback" was Helgeland's first major movie directorial job. However Helgeland was already an award winning writer having penned the 1997 Mel Gibson starring "Conspiracy Theory" and 1997's "LA Confidential". "LA Confidential" garnered Helgeland the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay. Ironically Helgeland also received the "Razzie" award for worst screenplay the same year for his script for the Kevin Costner directed "The Postman". Despite Helgeland's rising status in the film industry the version of "Payback" Helgeland turned into the studio was rejected as too dark and bleak in spirit. Helgeland was fired and though his name appears as the credited director the last 30% of the movie was re-shot by production designer John Myhre. In 2006 Helgeland and Icon Productions released his version as "Payback: Straight Up".

Helgeland's career has continued to soar. He followed "Payback" by writing producing and directing the highly successful and DVD favorite " A Knight's Tale". He wrote "Mystic River" for Clint Eastwood's highly acclaimed movie; as well as "Man on Fire", "The Green Zone" 2010's "Robin Hood" and the acclaimed "42", the story of how Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in US baseball.