The Directors: The Match Game Trivia Quiz

Answer: D. W. Griffith

In the perspective of a hundred years, this film is rampant with stereotypes and glorifications that would be considered politically incorrect today. But this silent film did prove that there was an interest in epic films that set a story amid historical events with sweeping venues. White actors in blackface were portrayed as unintelligent and sexually aggressive towards white women.

The Ku Klux Klan were the good guys. The film ran three hours with an intermission. The NAACP tried unsuccessfully to have the film banned. Membership in the KKK increased.

Answer: Orson Welles

"Citizen Kane" is widely regarded as one of the finest films of all time and Orson Welles' masterpiece. Loosely based on the life of William Randolph Hearst, it traces a young boy's emergence from a simple background to a newspaper magnet with immense political power. Camera techniques, editing, and acting all play a part. Kane's last vision is of his boyhood sled.

Answer: Paul Thomas Anderson

This multi-layered plot brought together many of the finest character actors of all time. Although Tom Cruise won Best Supporting Actor at the Golden Globe Awards, had the award gone to Philip Baker Hall, Philip Seymour Hoffman, William H. Macy, Alfred Molina, John C. Reilly, or Jason Robards - I don't think there would have been any debate as this was a repertorial effort without a true lead actor.

The diverse plots are brought together by a Biblical ending that did not satisfy all viewers (but I loved it).

Answer: Frank Capra

This breezy and whimsical romantic comedy was the first film to win what are generally accepted as the five most prestigious Academy Awards: Best Picture, Director (Capra), Actor (Clark Gable), Actress (Claudette Colbert), and Screenplay (Robert Risken). Gable plays a reporter trying to track down a missing heiress (Colbert). Of course they don't get along then fall in love.

The film is regarded as classic "pre-code" in that it was released just before the heavy handed Hayes Office restrictions were beginning to be enforced.

Answer: Charles Laughton

"Night of the Hunter" is one of the classic film noir starring Robert Mitchum as his sinister best. This was the first film directed by Charles Laughton and also the last. Although the film is regarded as one of the finest films of the 1950s, it was a critical and box office failure at its release so Laughton never directed again. The film has been evaluated by Rotten Tomatoes to 98%.

Answer: David Lean

Often regarded as one of David Lean's weakest epic films, none-the-less the rocky shores and beaches of Ireland may be the true stars. Rosy is the local pub-keeper's daughter who marries a sincere but dull school teacher but is lured into a romance with a post-traumatic British officer - a romance doomed to failure. Robert Ebert who gave a negative review but praised the acting and writing. John Mills won a Best Supporting Actor award for playing the village idiot.

Answer: James Cameron

The legend of the sinking of the Titanic had been the subject of films before but James Cameron elevated it to epic heights with the story of a lost romance amid spectacular special effects. It was only the second film to win 11 Academy Awards, mostly film craft people. I counted 20 films that had the Titanic as a theme or set. "A Night to Remember" (1952) is regarded as the most accurate historically but Cameron's "Titanic" the most spectacular.

Answer: Richard Attenborough

"Gandhi" was Richard Attenborough's dream project as he had pursued it since 1962. David Lean obtained the rights but decided to do "Ryan's Daughter" instead. Attenborough, through his political connections, was given the permits and funding to begin filming in late 1980.

It was an immediate success and resulted in Best Picture and Best Director for Attenborough and Best Actor for Ben Kingsley plus several technical Academy Awards. The film starts with Gandhi's assassination then back tracts through his life as an advocate for civil change through non-violence both in India and South Africa.

In the scene of Gandhi's funeral, Attenborough is said have hired 300,000 extras, believed to be a record.

Answer: Cecil B. DeMille

Cecil B. DeMille was the most recognized director of his time. Partly because of his directing skills and partly because he came into the nation's parlor through radio with adaptations of popular films.

This is a circus film starring Charlton Heston as Ringmaster, Betty Hutton and Cornell Wilde as trapeze artists, and James Stewart as a clown who never takes off his make-up. Many real circus stars appear doing their specialties.. Heston tries to sort out all the back tent issues while trying to save the circus from going broke. He also completes the love triangle with Hutton and Wilde.

Some have said that "The Greatest Show on Earth" was the worst film ever to win Best Picture. Probably only those who haven't seen "Birdman" (2016).

Hutton and Wilde compete for star billing.

Answer: William A. Wellman

In 1929 the first Academy Awards were presented and "Wings" was a recipient of one of two awards for Best Picture, the other being "Sunrise". The plot evolves around a love triangle among Mary Pickford, Richard Arlen, and Buddy Rogers. But the real element of the film was its realistic aerial sequences. Wellman was chosen to direct because his World War One flying experience but both Rogers and Arlen each were pilots.

Answer: Francis Ford Coppola

Mario Puzo's best selling novel became alive under Coppola's direction. We learn that inside ruthless business there exists what they perceive as a 'family' business to be sustained, if possible, for generations. Marlon Brando is the Godfather and Sonny, Fredo, and Michael are his sons. Sonny is in line to be the next Godfather but circumstances change and it is Michael who must lead to move the family to legitimate businesses.

Brando refused the Oscar as a matter of principle. Puzo and Coppola shared the screenwriting award, and, of course, Best Picture.

Answer: John Ford

Near the end of his life John Wayne accepted a Best Actor award for "True Grit" but probably his finest film was "The Searchers". Wayne plays a grizzled Civil War veteran who devotes years searching for his niece (Natalie Wood) who was abducted by the Comanche.

One critic summed up the film by writing: "a darkly profound study of obsession, racism and heroic solitude". It is highly regarded and perhaps by consensus is considered to be the best western of all time. Although the film takes place in west Texas, John Ford actually filmed it his favorite setting: Monument Valley in Arizona/Utah, a venue we see often in Ford's films.

Answer: Steven Spielberg

Probably there is a film showing in your town right now with an alien theme but few will have the charm of this little fellow who finds himself isolated on Earth and wanting desperately 'to phone home'. E.T. is the epitome of our imaginary childhood friend that we remember. Close your eyes and you can see his silhouette on the moon. Adults react with doubt and suspicion but the kids still have the ability of imagination.

Richard Attenborough, when he won the Academy Award for Best Picture for "Gandhi", was quoted as saying that he was rooting for "E.T.".

Answer: Quentin Tarantino

This was Quentin Tarantino first feature film that he wrote in three weeks, acted in, and directed. Tarantino was first a film fan and images of films he has seen are seen rapid pace through most of his movies. "Reservoir Dogs" is primarily a heist film but it is more dialogue driven than action.

The thieves come from all over and do not know each other hence they are assigned code names. Tarantino is Mr. Brown and Mr. Pink is Steve Buscemi. The 1940s star of "Dillinger" is brought in as the mastermind of the heist, Lawrence Tierney.

Many found the scenes too violet and realistic. It scored a 91% freshness rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Answer: Richard Linklater

Before Sunrise (2005) is the first of Linklater's triptych of finding, losing, and adapting to the chronicles of love and passion. Linklater filmed between 1995 and 2013 to achieve his goal. It was not meant to be a sequel but how love changes over the years. Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy age along with the story but not with make-up.

A couple meet on a train and spend the next 12 hours together. As one critic said: "Just once, for a single day, Jesse and Céline have given life the sort of shape and charge that until now they have found only in fiction, and may never find again". They resolve to meet in a year but a lot can happen in a year.