Silent Films of the 1920s Trivia Quiz

Answer: Zorro

"The Mark of Zorro" (1920) was adapted from the 1919 novel "The Curse of Capistrano". Douglas Fairbanks portrayed the title character in the 90 minute film, as well as Zorro's alter ego, Don Diego Vega. Set in Spanish-ruled California, Zorro battles the corrupt colonial governor. Directed by Fred Niblo, the film co-starred Noah Beery and Marguerite De La Motte.

The stick figure in the picture has a mask similar to the one that Zorro wore and has been caught partway through tracing out the trademark "Z" that was the sign of Zorro.

Answer: Rudolph Valentino

Rudolph Valentino (1895-1926) starred as Sheik Ahmed Ben Hassan with Agnes Ayres as Lady Diana Mayo. Valentino would become identified with the film's character, later trying not entirely successfully to play characters against type in other films. "The Sheik" was based on a 1919 best-selling novel of the same name, although the film downplays the forced seduction/rape that is an element in the novel. Douglas Fairbanks, though an actor in many swashbuckling roles, was not in this film, nor were Errol Flynn or Jackie Coogan, who were both children at the time of its release.

The picture shows a pink heart, a valentine that might be associated with Valentino.

Answer: Buster Keaton

Buster Keaton (1895-1966), who was the star of this short film, was well known in the Hollywood of the 1920s as an actor and director. In the film, Keaton's character plays a man who keeps getting unintentionally caught in situations that draw the attention of the police. Though Chaplin, Lloyd, and Arbuckle did not appear in the film, it was filmed during the time period when Arbuckle was in a real-life trial of his own - and in which he was declared not guilty.

The picture shows a bust, which might suggest Buster Keaton.

Answer: A giant clock

The image of Harold Lloyd hanging from the clock is one of the iconic images in silent film. While he did most of his own stunt work, a circus performer was used in some of the shots. In the story, his climbing of the building and hanging from the clock was done in order to win a prize for attracting people to a store.

The picture shows an image of an hour glass, an early and primitive form of clock.

Answer: Mars

The film was also known as "Aelita: Queen of Mars". When edited for release in the United States, the film was known as "Aelita: Revolt of the Robots". Directed by Yakov Protazanov, the set up is the daydream of an engineer named Los who has heard a comment that a message on the radio has come from Mars. An interesting feature of the film is how the aristocrats in this hierarchical society put their servant into cold storage when they are not needed.

The picture shows a red circle. Mars is sometimes known as the red planet.

Answer: He has remarried.

In the film, after his wife has died, Pierre (the father) marries a widow (Jeanne) who has a daughter of her own (Arlette). Jean (Pierre's son) takes this very poorly at first although his sister (Pierrette) is more accepting. The film was very popular with the critics (the European press named it the best film of 1925) but not so much with the movie going public. The film is thought to depict a realistic sense of the tensions that could exist in a blended family. Jacques Feyder directed the film and Jean Forest starred as the son, Jean.

The picture shows a gold circle which might be the wedding ring used in a wedding ceremony.

Answer: Greta Garbo

Greta Garbo (1905-1990) was a popular actress both in her native Sweden and in the United States before retirement from the film industry in the 1940s. The film deals with a wealthy woman who tries to block a romance between her son and the daughter of an orange farmer (Garbo). The title "Torrent" refers to a flood that takes place in the small town during the film. "Variety" would describe Garbo in the film as "a girl with everything, looks, acting ability and personality". Of the other actress, Carmen Miranda was born in Portugal, Una O'Connor in Ireland, and Anna May Wong in the United States.

The picture shows a group of people in one corner and a single person in another corner. Greta Garbo is often associated with a line from "Grand Hotel": "I want to be alone."

Answer: Metropolis

This early feature-length science-fiction film is set in an urban dystopian future. Conflicts between the working class (the hands) and the wealthy business owners (the head) drive the plot of the story. The film, almost universally adored by critics today, was largely panned at its release. The film is also well-known for a robot duplicate of the main character Maria, both portrayed by Brigitte Helm. Though the early career of Fritz Lang (1890-1976) was in Germany, he would emigrate to the United States after the rise of the Nazis.

The picture shows images of skyscrapers that might be part of a metropolis. Fritz Lang would later say that a 1924 visit to New York City helped inspire the movie "Metropolis".

Answer: John Wayne

"Four Sons" was released with a Movietone soundtrack and sound effects, but no spoken dialogue. The film tells the story about a family with four sons in Germany. One son emigrates to the United States. Later, during World War One, the other three sons have enlisted or were drafted into the Germany Army, while the fourth son enlists in the US Army. John Wayne (1907-1979) has an uncredited role as an officer in the film.

The picture shows an image of an outhouse. "John" is sometimes used as slang for an bathroom or toilet.

Answer: Fishing

An early maker of documentaries, John Grierson (1898-1972) is believed to have coined the term documentary in about 1926. "Drifters" is about the North Sea Herring fishery. Running at about 61 minutes, the film was made on a budget of about 3,000 British pounds (1929 money). The film was successful critically and commercially and began Grierson's long career in documentaries.

The picture shows a the image of a simple outline that might suggest a fish.