Showgirls Quiz Challenge - How Much Do You Know? | Movies

Answer: Las Vegas

Still several hundred miles out from the lights of Vegas, Nomi gets a ride from the driver of a pick-up truck and proves to be a bit antisocial, especially when she pulls out a knife to protect herself at a moment's notice. A lot of swerving on the road ensues; it's all really dangerous. Nomi gives her name (it's Italian...) and says that she's going to Vegas to become a dancer. They're there by that night.

When they stop off to visit a casino - the Riviera - Nomi gets her things stolen by her driver who leaves her in front of the slots. This event proves weirdly traumatic. She starts hitting someone's car (who arrives to tell her) before she vomits all over the sidewalk and wanders into oncoming traffic. This bonding experience allows her to fall into the car owner's (Molly's) arms and cry. After a cryptic conversation at a nearby restaurant, Molly decides to let her live with her. Because that's what happens in real life.

Answer: The Cheetah

Six weeks after her arrival in Vegas, Nomi lives with Molly in her trailer. Molly asks Nomi to come with her to work before heading off to her own recently-acquired job, even if only to show off her nails. Molly works for a major Vegas show, specifically in costume design, and it's a popular one - one Nomi aspires to be a part of.

When they arrive, Molly is immediately called to work while Nomi watches the elaborate choreography. Also, there's a lot of nudity. Despite being one of the biggest shows in all of Vegas, advertized on billboards, most of it is performed in next to no clothing.

This is Nomi's cup of tea. She's already getting the moves down at this point. When the new star, Cristal Connors, arrives onstage, it's clear that Nomi idolizes her.

After the show, Molly brings Nomi in to meet Cristal; unfortunately, Cristal turns out to be a bit mean, insulting Nomi's current place of employment, the Cheetah, a local strip club. She does, however, compliment her nails, so there's that. Nomi, however, is already going off in the parking lot. Drop of a hat, eh? To ease the tension, Molly brings her to a hip dance club where she flails a whole lot. James, a bouncer, tries to dance with her (or maybe alongside her; her moves are extremely aggressive for a leisure dancer).

She ends up being responsible for starting a fight, spending the night in jail; James bails her out.

Answer: Penny

Nomi ends up at work the next night where she's introduced to a new girl, the shy and naive Hope. The boss, Hal, has renamed her; her real name is Penny (but, allegedly, no one wants to sleep with a 'Penny'; they want class). Her story alone is enough for a sequel. Oh wait... that happened. (See: "Showgirls 2: Penny's From Heaven"... yeah.)

Soon, Nomi takes to the stage with her nonsensically angry dance style, all to the music of Prince. It's surprising she doesn't take someone's eye out. That's when she discovers Cristal and her boyfriend, Stardust Casino's entertainment director, Zack, in the crowd. Cristal asks Zack if he likes Nomi; she decides to buy her for him. That's how people talk in Vegas. The cost? $500 and a bit of dignity. Cristal watches creepily from the sidelines as Nomi flails around her boyfriend for a few minutes. The magic of Vegas.
The bouncer from the dance club, James, is there too, but in the background, watching from a doorway - because that's allowed apparently.

Answer: Versace

James finds out where Nomi lives (not creepy), tells her that she can't go around sleeping with people ("Er'rybody got AIDS..."). He has high hopes for her and wants to teach her how to dance. She won't have any of this though; her outbursts on the dance stage will get her to the top. He leaves.
Molly and Nomi later go out shopping and Nomi buys herself a brand new dress with her extra income - it's a Versace. During their trip out, Molly admits how much she likes singer-songwriter Andrew Carver who, as it turns out, is also coming to Vegas. Lucky her. This pertinent fact only makes sense about two hours into the movie.

That night, Nomi is approached at the Cheetah by a talent scout for the Stardust; she believes that Cristal sent the scout to have her audition for their chorus line. She's likely not wrong.

Answer: Goddess

Nomi heads to the audition the next day, taking off her clothes and presents herself to the hypercritical jerk who produces the show at the Stardust, 'Goddess'. Making it through the preliminary cuts (consisting of insulting the dancers for a few moments), the choreographer has the girls 'run through' some dance moves, which is a bit absurd since they haven't actually been shown a routine. Cristal comes out to watch the performances and the field is narrowed down to three. Taking off their outfits (of course, the crux of the show), the girls dance yet again and Nomi is criticized for her body (while Cristal watches). She decides to run off the stage in disgust, as one probably should've done hours earlier, and Cristal admits to getting her the audition because she actually LIKES the way she dances. I guess there's a type for everyone.

On her way out of the Stardust, Nomi runs into James, now a bellhop (though not for long), and he tries to encourage her to aspire to a higher dream. They head to his place and start dancing together - apparently he wrote a dance number about her, and they can put it on at a new club. She leaves almost immediately after, angry again. It never takes much.

When Nomi gets home, it turns out that she's gotten the job in "Goddess". She quits the Cheetah job ASAP, mainly by sarcastically burning bridges. When she goes to tell James, it turns out he's sleeping with Penny/Hope. It's probably her name.

Answer: A Japanese tour group passes through

Nomi shows up at the Stardust offices in her Versace dress (claiming, "It's a Ver-sayce") and meets the production team. She's given her table and all of the info she needs; she'll be in the show six times a night (which seems like a tiring amount of stripping). Immediately after she's required to give some personal information, something she's leery on doing. She's also reintroduced to Zack, who has enough courtesy to tell her how to pronounce Versace.

Nomi fits right into the dance crowd, picking up on the choreography after about 12 seconds, as one does. She's told that she'll be in the show that night. Practice is overrated it seems. The antics backstage are almost too zany to be plausible (then, what is?). On her first show night, monkeys in tutus and suits race through, almost as if it's an everyday thing. The chaos of a striptease! Half of the other dancers are in constant catfights.

When Nomi finally hits the stage, everything is perfectly fine. Her flailing almost seems to lend itself to the show. Good for her, finding a niche.

Answer: Dog food

After her very first night, James tries to reclaim Nomi in front of the Stardust. It doesn't go so well; Nomi is becoming a big star, you see, and an unemployed former-bouncer isn't good enough. Obviously.

Nomi ends up getting called in to practice the next day, but it's Cristal, snorting cocaine, who decides to spend time with her. Cristal says that they should start their relationship fresh so she takes Nomi to Spago for lunch (it's next to "Ver-sayce"). Nomi decides to be combative, not that Cristal is any better. Fortunately, they're able to bond over the fact that they both used to eat doggie chow. There's a bit of sexual tension between the two of them. At one point Cristal calls Nomi a hooker, but that seems to be where she draws the line (you know - the stripping down for money isn't a clue or anything). In a broad stroke, Cristal foreshadows that Nomi is exactly like her. When the two finally dance, Nomi realizes that Cristal is a bit evil and decides to stop spending time with her.

Answer: True

Nomi is offered $1,000 to represent the Stardust, on Crystal's recommendation, at a boat show. It seems almost too good to be true; Molly, however, tells her it's a horrible idea. She goes anyways, despite any real warning, and discovers that she's been unknowingly been set up to be a prostitute. That Cristal is a sneaky one.

Nomi decides to have a chat with Zack who hops onto his phone and calls those responsible. Nomi gets her apology, but it's later determined to be a fake. She speaks to Cristal, cattily thanking her for her recommendation. That night, one of the other dancers ends up breaking her knee when another drops beads on the floor. Only Nomi sees the obvious sabotage as it's played out (you know - in front of a live audience). Nomi then discovers that the girl was Cristal's understudy. The position is open.

That night, Zack takes Nomi for a ride down the strip and to his house in his convertible. After a saucy evening flopping around in the swimming pool and wasting bottles of champagne (mainly by dumping them into the water, which can't be good) she indulges in her first line of coke. Zack suggests that she be Cristal's understudy.

Answer: By pushing her down a flight of stairs

Molly warns Nomi not to get sucked into the horrible, glamorous world of showgirlery but it doesn't stop her from applying to be Cristal's understudy. Zack puts in a good word for Nomi; so do the choreographers. Cristal and the others immediately realize that Zack has been sleeping with Nomi. It doesn't stop her from getting the part. Her and Cristal's relationship continues to be strained. That's what happens when you're both uncompromising and cruel.

Elsewhere, James and Hope/Penny perform their show at the Crave Club. Nomi discovers that they're getting married because he knocked her up. It's a good thing Nomi's life is perfect.

It's not. Nomi gets a letter saying that she can't be an understudy. Apparently Cristal got her lawyers involved. Luckily they can take out their anger for each other on stage during a metal, semi-nude, duel-themed performance. On the way back down the stairs to the dressing room, however, Nomi decides to make one fast shove, forcing the star of the show to take a tumble down the stairs. Cristal is sent to the hospital with a concussion and a hip fracture; Nomi lies about pushing her (though Molly knows). Fortunately, Cristal has a replacement in her wake - Nomi is her understudy so she gets the role.

Answer: Molly

Thankfully, everything is looking up for Nomi Malone. The show continues to be a success as Nomi takes the lead role. Eerily she starts following in Cristal's footsteps (now who called THAT?). When she finds out that Andrew Carver is coming to her launch party, Molly decides to forgive and forget and come along to see her celebrity crush. Ah... star power.

At the party, things take a turn for the worst. Nomi is asked to consider a girl for her new understudy, even while her name is showing up in lights, leading her to believe that the sabotage could continue. That's not the worst of it. Nomi introduces Molly to Andrew Carver and he takes her friend up to the bedroom and into a gruesome sexual assault, landing her in the hospital. Nomi, angry with Zack's lack of a handle on the situation, ends up discovering that he knows her entire past. Her name is Pollyanna and her father killed her mother before killing himself. She ran away from foster homes and got arrested several times for possession and assault. Realizing what she's become, Nomi quits the show.

Before she leaves, however, she decides to get back at Andrew Carver. Sharpening her nails, slicking back her hair, and sliding into a sleek dress, she wanders over to Andrew Carver's hotel room claiming to be there to seduce him. Instead she gets revenge by holding him at knifepoint and beating him within an inch of his life. She heads to Molly's bedside to tell her the good news though it's clear she's still in a drug-induced haze.

Before leaving she stops into Cristal's room for a quick chat. As it turns out, Nomi doesn't want to be like her. Too late though; Cristal also pushed someone down a flight of stairs to get the lead role. In fact, everything is alright - Cristal is getting a huge settlement. Looks like everything is working out.

Cristal heads back to the road and leaves Vegas bound for Los Angeles. Oddly, the same guy who picked her up in the beginning is back again. On the way out they pass a billboard for 'Goddess' starring Nomi Malone.