Quotes from Classic Movies of the 1950s Quiz

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. The following is a two-way conversation from which movie? "That business before when that tall guy, what's-his-name, was trying to bait me? That doesn't prove anything. I'm a pretty excitable person. I mean, where does he come off calling me a public avenger, sadist and everything? Anyone in his right mind would blow his stack. He was just trying to bait me." "He did an excellent job."

Answer: Twelve Angry Men

"Twelve Angry Men" (1957) was directed by Sidney Lumet.

A claustrophobic, sweaty movie set almost entirely in a single room where twelve jurors are deciding their verdict in a murder case. From the very start, it's eleven jurors to one. The only one who doubts that the defendant is definitely guilty is played by Henry Fonda and gradually, through his argument and persuasion, others change their minds.

The quoted conversation takes place between two jurors just after another heated group discussion; neither of them are the Fonda character, but he is referred to in the quote as "that tall guy, what's-his-name".

2. The following is a quote from which movie? "There's no living with a killing. There's no going back from one. Right or wrong, it's a brand... a brand sticks. There's no going back. Now you run on home to your mother and tell her... tell her everything's alright. And there aren't any more guns in the valley."

Answer: Shane

"Shane" (1953) was directed by George Stevens.

Shane (Alan Ladd) is a mysterious drifter who stays for a while with homesteader Joe Starrett (Van Heflin), his wife Marian (Jean Arthur), and their boy, Joey (Brandon De Wilde). Shane helps out on the farm and tries to steer clear of trouble. But some local townies want to force the homesteaders off their land. When they hire gunslinger, Wilson (Jack Palance) to do their dirty work it's time for Shane to take a stand.

The above quote is Shane talking to Joey at the end of the movie, explaining why he must now move on.

3. The following is a two-way conversation from which movie? General: "You will apologize at once or I shall have you placed under arrest!" Colonel Dax: "I apologize... for not being entirely honest with you. I apologize for not revealing my true feelings. I apologize, sir, for not telling you sooner that you're a degenerate, sadistic old man."

Answer: Paths of Glory

"Paths of Glory" (1957) was directed by Stanly Kubrick.

Set in World War I, this is a blistering anti-war movie, starring Kirk Douglas as Colonel Dax, a French army officer. His superiors order Dax and his men to attack the German trenches in a foolhardy, suicidal onslaught, which is clearly unlikely to succeed. It doesn't; huge numbers of soldiers are needlessly lost, and the survivors forced to retreat. To save face, the Generals then arrange a court-martial for three infantrymen who are supposed to be selected at random (but instead are chosen for personal reasons). The allegation against them is cowardice and desertion; a firing squad awaits them should there be a guilty verdict.

The above exchange is heard near the end of this harrowing movie, when Dax reaches the end of his tether.

4. The following is a quote from which movie? "Real diamonds! They must be worth their weight in gold!"

Answer: Some Like it Hot

"Some Like it Hot" (1959) was directed by Billy Wilder.

A madcap farce about two guys who witness Chicago gangland executions, so they dress up as women musicians to escape the Mob. The two guys are played by Tony Curtis (Joe - 'Josephine') and Jack Lemmon (Jerry - 'Daphne'). Marilyn Monroe appears as Sugar Kane Kowalczyk.

Sugar Kane is a ditzy blonde who wasn't at the front of the queue when god was dishing out the brains. The above quote is her reaction when she receives a gift of a diamond bracelet.

5. The following is a two-way conversation from which movie? "A fella could mistake you for a half-breed." "Not quite, I'm eighth Cherokee, the rest is Welsh and English. At least that's what they tell me."

Answer: The Searchers

"The Searchers" (1956) was directed by John Ford.

What a great movie...surely the best acting display from John Wayne in his movie career!

Ethan Edwards (Wayne) and Martin Pawley (Jeffrey Hunter) spend most of the movie searching for Debbie (Natalie Wood) who was carried off by the Commanches as a young girl.

The above quote, which is early in the movie, occurs when the two main characters are meeting for the first time (in Martin's adult life). Ethan, a racist who despises anyone with Indian blood, has returned to his brother's ranch after fighting in the Civil War, and is eating with the rest of the Edwards family when Martin appears. Ethan can't resist trying to rile him.

6. The following is a two-way conversation from which movie? "A man takes a drop too much once in a while, it's only human nature." "Nature, Mr. Allnut, is what we are put in this world to rise above."

Answer: The African Queen

"The African Queen" (1951) was directed by John Huston.

Set in World War I, drunkard Charlie Allnut (Humphrey Bogart) and uptight spinster, Rose Sayer, (Katherine Hepburn) find themselves at the mercy of the Germans in German East Africa. They take a boat trip down the river, through the swamps, fighting mosquitoes and leeches, in a courageous attempt to blow up a German gunship, the Louisa.

The above exchange occurs when Charlie explains to Rose why he got drunk, but she is decidedly unamused.

7. The following is a two-way conversation from which movie? "Why does everything you say sound like a threat?" "Maybe it's a mannerism - because I don't threaten friends, Harvey. But why furnish your enemies with ammunition? You're a family man. Someday, God willing, you may want to be President. Now here you are, Harvey, out in the open where any hep person knows that this one.... is toting THAT one.... around for you."

Answer: Sweet Smell of Success

"Sweet Smell of Success" (1959) was directed by Alexander Mackendrick.

This is one of my all-time favourite movies with sparkling script, brilliant camerawork, and great performances from Burt Lancaster and Tony Curtis in the lead roles. It's set in New York and explores the relationship between a powerful but brutal columnist, J.J. Hunsecker (Lancaster), and scheming, ambitious Public Relations man, Sidney Falco (Curtis).

In this scene, J.J. is in a bar giving Senator Harvey Walker some frank advice. The Senator is accompanied by a good time girl and her agent, and it's clear that some sexual favours are on offer. J.J., as usual, doesn't mince his words.

8. The following is a two-way conversation from which movie? "It's funny to think that just a year ago, I sat in that Knightsbridge pub actually planning to murder her. And I might have done it, if I hadn't seen something that changed my mind." "Well? What did you see?" "I saw you".

Answer: Dial M for Murder

"Dial M for Murder" (1954) was directed by Alfred Hitchcock.

Tony Wendice (Ray Milland) has lured C.A. Swann (Anthony Dawson) to his apartment under the pretence of buying Swann's car, however his real aim is to coerce Swann into murdering Wendice's wife, Margot (Grace Kelly). Wendice needs the money - Margot's a rich woman and her husband would be the beneficiary on her death.

Swann is a shady, untrustworthy character with a past. Wendice hopes that he can persuade Swann to murder Margo whilst Wendice is in a public place thereby providing him with a cast iron alibi. But, as usual, things don't go entirely to plan.

9. The following is a two-way conversation from which movie? "You know, I seen you a lot of times before. Remember parochial school, out on Paluski Street? Seven, eight years ago. Your hair, you had your hair..." "Braids." "Looked like a hunk of rope. And you had wires on your teeth and glasses and everything. You was really a mess." (Hint: think ex-boxer.)

Answer: On the Waterfront

"On the Waterfront" (1954) was directed by Elia Kazan.

This is terrific, brooding melodrama starring Marlon Brando as Terry ("I coulda been a contender") Malloy, a none-too-bright longshoreman who used to be a boxer. Terry gets caught up in a union dispute and falls afoul of evil Johnny Friendly (Lee J. Cobb).

Terry's love interest is Edie Doyle (Eva Marie Saint), and the quoted exchange occurs early in the movie when they meet for the first time as adults. Terry feels guilty because he was (unwittingly) instrumental in the recent death of Edie's brother.

10. The following is a two-way conversation from which movie? "I don't have to do anything I don't want to! Now, you keep forgetting the conditions on which I agreed to stay on living with you". "I'm not living with you! We occupy the same cage, that's all."

Answer: Cat on a Hot Tin Roof

"Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" (1958) was directed by Richard Brooks and was based on the play by Tennessee Williams.

It is a steamy, sultry melodrama set in New Orleans.

Maggie (Liz Taylor) and Brick (Paul Newman) have a sham, loveless marriage. Brick is an alcoholic, nursing a broken leg, and blaming himself for the death of his best friend, Skip. As usual, the couple are arguing. The first line is spoken by Brick, the stinging retort is by Maggie.

11. The following is a quote from which movie? "No. No, Mother, I have not been drinking. No. No. These two men, they poured a whole bottle of bourbon into me. No, they didn't give me a chaser".

Answer: North by Northwest

"North by Northwest" (1959) was directed by Alfred Hitchcock.

This is a classic Hitchcock spy/chase movie.

In this scene, Roger Thornhill (Cary Grant) is talking on the phone with his overbearing mother, explaining how the bad guys had forced him to drink alcohol before putting him, almost unconscious, behind the wheel of a car. The car had been set in motion, leaving Thornhill to wake up and attempt to drive down a mountain road. The bad guys wanted him out of the way so he would be prevented from thwarting their evil plans.

12. The following is a two-way conversation from which movie? "What do you take me for?" "I don't know that I'd take you for anything." "Is it possible, even conceivable, that you've confused me with that gang of backward children you play tricks on, that you have the same contempt for me as you have for them?"

Answer: All About Eve

"All About Eve" (1950) was directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz.

This is a marvellously, literary movie about life in the theater, starring Bette Davis as ageing actress, Margo Channing.

In this scene, sardonic theater critic Addison DeWitt (George Sanders) is dismissively telling ambitious, scheming actress Eve Harrington (Anne Baxter) that he's a smart guy, who singularly hasn't fallen for her many deceptions. His reference to a "gang of backward children" alludes to the other characters in the story (including Margo Channing) who have been duped by Eve's pretences.

13. The following is a quote from which movie? "No. You're a smart boy, but I know how to take care of smart boys. I hate your guts, you smart college guys! I've been seeing your kind around since I was ten years old... working as a busboy. "Oh busboy, it seems my friend has thrown up on the table. Clean up that mess, boy, will you?" And then when I went to sea as a steward... people poking at you with umbrellas. "Oh, boy!", "You, boy!", "Careful with that luggage, boy!" And I took it. I took it for years! But I don't have to take it any more. There's a war on, and I'm captain of this vessel, and now YOU can take it for a change! The worst thing I can do to you is to keep you right here, Mister, and here is where you're going to stay. Now, GET OUT!"

Answer: Mister Roberts

"Mister Roberts" (1955) was directed by John Ford and Mervyn LeRoy.

This movie is a tragi-comedy set on a ship in wartime, however the ship is not on active combat. This suits most of the characters, especially Ensign Pulver (Jack Lemmon) who is only interested in women, and keeping out of sight of tyrannical Captain Morton (James Cagney). Everyone hates the Captain, who treats the men with utter disdain, caring more for his beloved palm tree. The only man brave enough to stand up to him is the ship's second-in-command, Mister Roberts (Henry Fonda), who is aching to get a transfer to a warship to see some action before the war is over. However, Captain Morton relies too heavily on Mister Roberts for the day-to-day running of the ship, therefore refuses to approve a transfer.

The quoted scene is when Roberts has put in yet another transfer request, sending Captain Morton into a blinding rage. A great performance by Cagney in this farcical scene.

14. The following is a two-way conversation from which movie? "Isn't there anybody in this town that's not afraid of Craig Belden?" "Sure! Graveyard's full of them!"

Answer: Last Train from Gun Hill

"Last Train from Gun Hill" (1959) was directed by John Sturges.

Marshall Matt Morgan (Kirk Douglas) and Craig Beldon (Anthony Quinn) are old friends, but when Morgan's wife is murdered he discovers that the murderer is Beldon's wayward son (played by Earl Holliman). Morgan arrests the son and attempts to get him out of town on the last train from Gun Hill. However, Beldon and his men are out to stop him, and the townspeople are too fearful to provide assistance.

The quoted scene is where Morgan is talking to a bartender in the Horseshoe saloon.

This movie has some plot similarities to "3:10 to Yuma".

15. The following is a quote from which movie? "I told you boys that I'm no escape artist. For the first time, I like the odds, because now I've got me a decoy - Price. When I go, I want you to give me five minutes - exactly five minutes - to get Dunbar out of that water tank. And then you throw Price out onto the compound, nice and loud. He'll draw every light from every goon tower. It's our only chance to cut through".

Answer: Stalag 17

"Stalag 17" (1953) was directed by Billy Wilder.

This is a classic prisoner-of-war movie.

Sefton (William Holden) is explaining to the other inmates of Stalag 17 how he plans to escape, using Nazi spy, Price (Peter Graves) as a diversion. The Germans are searching for a missing prisoner, Dunbar, who Sefton plans to collect on the way out.
Up to this point, Sefton has been the outsider, the man suspected of being the spy, hence mistrusted by the other men. But finally he has been able to prove to them that it is Price who has been passing messages to the Germans, using a hollowed chess piece. Price ends up as the fall guy - mistakenly shot by his own side.

Source: Author Charlie58

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor skunkee before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.

I'll give you a quote or a snatch of conversation, and all you have to do is name the movie it comes from. All these movies are personal favourites of mine. To make it more interesting, I don't pick the most obvious quotes.

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