Quotes from "Best Picture" Movies, 9 Quiz

Answer: Argo

In this scene John Chambers (John Goodman) and Lester Siegel (Alan Arkin) are sitting at a table piled high with movie scripts. They are trying to find one that will suit the objective of their team, which is to create a fake movie company as a cover that will allow them to rescue six American diplomats trapped at the Canadian embassy in revolutionary Iran. After discussing the movie "Horses of Achilles" as a possible candidate, Siegel says this quote. Team member Tony Mendez (Ben Affleck) then suggests the science-fantasy adventure movie "Argo". When Chambers wonders if they can get the option for it and Mendez asks why they need that, Siegel has this great line: "You're worried about the Ayatollah? Try the WGA (Writers Guild of America)." These scenes were filmed at Zsa Zsa Gabor's Beverly Hills estate. This operation came to be called the Canadian Caper.

In the 2013 Academy Awards "Argo" won three Oscars, including Best Picture. Alan Arkin was nominated for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role, but the Oscar was won by Christoph Waltz in "Django Unchained". The fake movie "Argo" is named for the mythological Greek ship that Jason sailed in to retrieve the Golden Fleece (this story was told in the 1963 movie "Jason and the Argonauts"). I loved the special effects by Ray Harryhausen in this movie, especially when the Hydra's teeth were sown on the ground and fighting skeletons arose.

Historical note:
The six diplomats were successfully rescued by this operation on 27 January 1980, but 52 of their co-workers at the American embassy in Iran were not as lucky. US President Jimmy Carter authorized a helicopter rescue of these hostages (Operation Eagle Claw), but that failed. The hostages were finally released after 444 days of captivity (during the early days of US President Ronald Reagan's administration). After the six Americans were rescued, the Canadian embassy was closed that same day (to prevent any reprisals).

Answer: The Silence of the Lambs

Even though imprisoned cannibal Dr. Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins) is safely behind bars in this scene, it causes that sickening feeling (at least it did for me) that something bad is about to happen! FBI trainee Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster) has been sent by her boss, FBI supervisor Jack Crawford (Scott Glenn), to interview Dr. Lecter in jail and in this scene she is showing him her identification. Crawford's hope is Starling can gain some insight into the thinking of a psychopath that will help the FBI catch a killer currently on the loose. However, he cautions her with the advice, "You tell him nothing personal, Starling. Believe me, you don't want Hannibal Lecter inside your head."

In the 1992 Academy Awards "The Silence of the Lambs" won five Oscars, including Best Picture, Anthony Hopkins for Best Actor in a Leading Role, Jodie Foster for Best Actress in a Leading Role, and Jonathan Demme for Best Director. "The Silence of the Lambs" was only the third movie to win all five major Oscars: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Screenplay. The others were Frank Capra's "It Happened One Night" in 1934 and "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" in 1975. The moth cocoon found during autopsy in the throat of one of the victims of psychopath Buffalo Bill (Ted Levine) was made from a combination of Tootsie Roll candy and gummy bears, so it would be edible if she accidentally swallowed it.

Answer: The Sound of Music

In this scene Austrian Captain Georg von Trapp is addressing the audience at Salzburg, Austria Music Festival (also called the Kaltzberg Festival) just before singing the beautiful song "Edelweiss". Although most of this movie is based on fact, this scene was made up. Just before his family flees from Austria (to escape the Nazis), they sing in this festival. During the stage play tryouts of "The Sound of Music", a song was felt necessary so Captain von Trapp could express his feelings as he bids farewell to his beloved Austria. Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II decided to write the song "Edelweiss" that he would sing in the festival. One of the memorable lines from this song is, "Bless my homeland forever."

In the 1966 Academy Awards "The Sound of Music" won five Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director for Robert Wise. Julie Andrews (she played Maria von Trapp) was nominated for Best Actress in a Leading Role for her portrayal of Maria but that Oscar went to Julie Christie in "Darling". Peggy Wood (she played the Mother Abbess at the Salzburg convent) was nominated for Best Actress in a Supporting Role but that Oscar went to Shelley Winters in "A Patch of Blue". The real Maria von Trapp has a cameo appearance in this movie (she can be seen walking in the Salzburg square when Julie Andrews sings the song "I Have Confidence").

Historical note:
The von Trapp family almost wasn't admitted into the US. When they arrived they had temporary visas (for a singing tour), and an emigration officer suspected they might be Nazi spies. One family member (who had an Italian passport) was admitted, and he was able to make some contacts that vouched for them. The family eventually settled on a farm in the US state of Vermont because the terrain reminded them of their native Austria (they eventually turned it into a ski lodge). After the Nazis took over Austria in World War II, the family home became the headquarters of Heinrich Himmler.

Answer: The King's Speech

In this scene British Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin (Anthony Andrews) is tendering his resignation as Prime Minister to King George VI (Colin Firth) and informing him that Neville Chamberlain will take his place as Prime Minister. After King George VI expresses his regrets at this news, Baldwin adds this quote. This movie tells the true story of how George VI was thrust into being the king of England when his brother Edward VIII abdicated the throne in order to marry his mistress, Wallis Simpson. George VI had a bad stammer and dreaded public speaking, but he overcame that liability with the help of Lionel Logue, an Australian-born speech therapist (Geoffrey Rush).

In the 2011 Academy Awards "The King's Speech" won four Oscars, including Best Picture, Colin Firth for Best Actor in a Leading Role and Tom Hooper for Best Director. Geoffrey Rush was nominated for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role but the Oscar was won by Christian Bale in "The Fighter". Helena Bonham Carter (she played Queen Elizabeth) was nominated for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role, but the Oscar was won by Melissa Leo in "The Fighter".

Historical note:
The three wrong answers are set during the wrong war. "Apocalypse Now" and "Platoon" are set during the US-Vietnam War. "All Quiet on the Western Front" is set during World War I. Both "Platoon" and "All Quiet on the Western Front" won a Best Picture Oscar (and "Apocalypse Now" was nominated for one but didn't win). Wallis Simpson was disliked by the royal family and no family member attended her wedding, on 3 June 1937, to Edward. The couple further alienated the British public when they toured Nazi Germany after their wedding and were received by Adolf Hitler. Queen Elizabeth in the movie is the Queen Mum of Queen Elizabeth II.

Answer: Out of Africa

In this scene African adventurer Denys Finch-Hatton (Robert Redford) is poking gentle fun at his good friend Danish Baroness Karen Blixen (Meryl Streep) when their touring car unexpectedly stops in the Maasai Mara and they are surrounded by a herd of curious African water buffalo. Denys is referring to when they first met (Karen had used the word "shoo" to scare away natives scrambling over her crates of crystals and Limoges in an open train car when the natives were loading some elephant tusks from Denys). This movie tells the mostly-true story of Karen. She had gone to British East Africa (now called Kenya) in 1913 to be married to her Swedish friend Bror (Klaus Maria Brandauer), but it was a marriage of convenience and she grew to love Denys. Meryl Streep's wonderful English-Danish accent is the best she has ever done (in my opinion).

In the 1986 Academy Awards, "Out of Africa" won seven Oscars, including Best Picture and Sydney Pollack for Best Director. The majestic John Barry music won the Oscar for Best Music, Original Score (the wonderful main theme is one of my all-time favorites). Meryl Streep was nominated for Best Actress in a Leading Role (Geraldine Page won for "The Trip to Bountiful"). Klaus Maria Brandauer was nominated for Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Don Ameche won for "Cocoon"). This is one of those movies that should be seen on a wide screen TV with a good sound system to be fully appreciated.

Historical note:
The international trade in ivory was banned in 1990. "Out of Africa" was set in approximately 1913-20, so Denys hunting for elephant tusks would have been legal at the time.

Answer: Rocky

In this scene the trainer (Tony Burton) of heavyweight boxing champion Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers) has made this comment to Creed after watching television footage of Philadelphia club fighter Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone). Creed replies, "Southpaw nothing! I'll drop him in three." He has just agreed with Philadelphia boxing promoter Jergens (Thayer David) to fight Balboa and the two are discussing details of the fight. This unlikely matchup came about when the regularly-scheduled opponent to Apollo has to withdraw at the last minute and promoter Jergens has to scramble to find a suitable opponent. When none of the obvious choices are available, Apollo suggests giving a local underdog a shot. Even though this is a boxing movie, it is also a love story between Rocky and meek pet shop clerk Adrian (Talia Shire), and many girls like this movie. The famous line from this movie "Yo, Adrian" was voted as the number 80 all-time best movie quote by the American Film Institute (AFI).

In the 1977 Academy Awards, "Rocky" won three Oscars, including Best Picture and John G. Avildsen for Best Director. Sylvester Stallone, Burt Young, Burgess Meredith, and Talia Shire were all nominated for acting awards but didn't win. Sylvester Stallone was also nominated for Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen, but that Oscar was won by Paddy Chayefsky for "Network". Stallone wrote the script for "Rocky" in just three days, after he saw a match between boxing great Muhammad Ali and an unknown club fighter named Chuck Wepner in which Wepner went the distance. The theme song "Gonna Fly Now", played by Bill Conti, was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Music, Original Song, but the Oscar was won by the song "Evergreen" from the movie "A Star Is Born". The song "Gonna Fly Now" was a big hit in the late 1970s and is still frequently heard at sporting events.

Answer: The Hurt Locker

This is the opening quote in the movie, made by contractor Chris Hedges (Barrie Rice). This movie tells the story of a squad of soldiers during the US-Iraq War who have the dangerous job of disarming live bombs during the heat of combat. When Sergeant First Class William James (Jeremy Renner) takes over the unit, he displays an unsettling attitude of recklessly endangering the squad members, almost as if he has grown indifferent to death. The expression "the hurt locker" is a slang term, probably originating in the US-Vietnam War for a situation involving trouble or pain. In the US-Iraq War, it is the soldiers' way of speaking of explosions, as "sending you to the hurt locker."

In the 2010 Academy Awards, "The Hurt Locker" won six Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Achievement in Directing for Kathryn Bigelow. She became the first woman to win an Academy Award for Best Director. "The Hurt Locker" was also nominated in three other categories but it didn't win. Jeremy Renner was nominated for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role, but the Oscar was won by Jeff Bridges in "Crazy Heart". James Cameron (Director of "Titanic") made this statement about his ex-wife's film: "I think this could be the "Platoon" for the Iraq War."

Answer: The Sting

In this scene con men Johnny Hooker (Robert Redford) and Henry Gondorff (Paul Newman) are in a train station looking for gangster Doyle Lonnegan (Robert Shaw). They plan to run a horse racing betting scam on him (because he authorized the killing of their friend). When they spot Lonnegan, Hooker makes the observation in this quote, but Gondorff cautions him with the line, "Neither are we." Much of the music in "The Sting" is ragtime written by African-American composer Scott Joplin around the beginning of the 20th century (with musical adaptations for this movie by Marvin Hamlisch). If you have not yet seen this movie, keep watching until the *very* end!

In the 1974 Academy Awards "The Sting" won seven Oscars, including Best Picture, George Roy Hill for Best Director and Marvin Hamlisch for Best Music, Scoring Original Song Score and/or Adaptation. Robert Redford was nominated for Best Actor in a Leading Role, but the Oscar went to Jack Lemmon in "Save the Tiger". Paul Newman did not win any awards for this movie, but either won or was nominated for 10 Oscars in other Academy Awards shows. This was the second movie Paul Newman and Robert Redford made together (the first was the 1969 film "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid"). Although the two actors had hoped to co-star in a third movie, Newman's advanced age by then made that unlikely. Newman died in 2008 at age 83.

Answer: Lawrence of Arabia

In this scene T.E. Lawrence (a.k.a. Lawrence of Arabia), the eccentric British officer who united the desert tribes of Arabia against the Turks during World War I (played by Peter O'Toole), has just entered an officers' club in Cairo, Egypt with his Arab child servant Farraj (Michel Ray). Even though Lawrence is a British Lieutenant, in this scene he is dressed in Arab clothing and both are dusty and dirty. The indignant bartender exclaims, "This is a bar for British officers!" British General Allenby (Jack Hawkins) appears at that moment and vouches for them and they are then served. After Farraj gulps down his lemonade, Lawrence makes this comment to the bartender. Lawrence and Farraj (and Arab child Daud, who died in quicksand on the way) have just walked through the Sanai dessert to report to an incredulous General Allenby that the Arabs have successfully crossed the Nafud Desert and captured the port city of Aqaba by attacking it from the rear. The Turks' artillery pieces were intended to defend Aqaba against a sea attack and could not be turned inland.

In the 1963 Academy Awards, "Lawrence of Arabia" won seven Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director for David Lean. Peter O'Toole was nominated for Best Actor in a Leading Role, but the Oscar went to Gregory Peck for "To Kill a Mockingbird". Omar Sharif was nominated for Best Actor in a Supporting Role, but that Oscar went to Ed Begley in "Sweet Bird of Youth". It was quite a coup for the relatively-unknown actor Peter O'Toole to get such a major part. Actress Katharine Hepburn is credited with urging producer Sam Spiegel to cast Peter O'Toole (Hepburn and O'Toole would later star together in the 1968 movie "The Lion in Winter"). This is one of those movies that should be seen on a wide screen TV with a good sound system to be fully appreciated. The desert vistas are breathtaking in their beauty. Based on a true story.

Answer: My Fair Lady

In this wonderful scene linguistics professor Henry Higgins (Rex Harrison) is explaining to Cockney flower girl Eliza Doolittle (Audrey Hepburn) how he plans to improve her diction. Eliza wants to be a lady in a flower shop but "...they won't take me unless I can talk more genteel." Higgins explains his intended procedure as, "Eliza, you are to stay here for the next six months learning to speak beautifully, like a lady in a florist's shop. At the end of six months you will be taken to an embassy ball in a carriage, beautifully dressed," but then adds this ominous quote! This all came about when his colleague, Colonel Hugh Pickering (Wilfrid Hyde-White), asks, "What about your boast that you could pass her off as a duchess at the Embassy ball, eh? I'll say you're the greatest teacher alive if you can make that good. I'll bet you all the expenses of the experiment that you can't do it." Professor Higgins realizes he has his work cut out for him when he asks Eliza to say, "The rain in Spain stays mainly in the plain." Eliza's first attempt sounds like, "The rine in spine sties minely in the pline."

In the 1965 Academy Awards, "My Fair Lady" won eight Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Actor in a Leading Role for Rex Harrison, and Best Director for George Cukor. Stanley Holloway was nominated for Best Actor in a Supporting Role (he played Eliza's father Alfred), but didn't win (Peter Ustinov won for "Topkapi"). Gladys Cooper was nominated for Best Actress in a Supporting Role (she played the mother of Professor Higgins), but didn't win (Lila Kedrova won for "Zorba the Greek"). This movie was based on a 1912 play by Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw called "Pygmalion" (the title came from a character in Greek mythology who fell in love with one of his sculptures that came to life).