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Quiz about These Inspired The Great Escape
Quiz about These Inspired The Great Escape

These Inspired 'The Great Escape' Quiz


Another quiz on the movie 'The Great Escape', and the real events which inspired it.

A multiple-choice quiz by jeffa. Estimated time: 6 mins.
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Author
jeffa
Time
6 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
62,601
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
15
Difficulty
Difficult
Avg Score
7 / 15
Plays
3232
Awards
Top 35% Quiz
Last 3 plays: Guest 96 (9/15), Guest 98 (10/15), angostura (15/15).
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Question 1 of 15
1. His accent could use some work, but what nationality does James Coburn play in the film? Hint


Question 2 of 15
2. One of the minor figures from the movie, Haynes, is supposed to be which nationality? Hint


Question 3 of 15
3. When MacDonald brings Hendley the 'X' food stocks, he calls the American by his first name. What is it? Hint


Question 4 of 15
4. James Donald, who plays Ramsey, the SBO, also appeared as a POW in two other excellent war movies. Which two? Hint


Question 5 of 15
5. During the July 4th booze-up, MacDonald refers to Ives by which nickname? Hint


Question 6 of 15
6. Who tells Ramsey, 'Present from Tom, sir!' before depositing sand at the SBO's feet? Hint


Question 7 of 15
7. What hymn (or song) is Cavendish, the surveyor, singing as he greets Hilts, who has just removed his bed boards? Hint


Question 8 of 15
8. When Bartlett meets the SBO for the first time in the movie, Ramsey offers him tea. From whom did he scrounge it? Hint


Question 9 of 15
9. The characters in the movie are amalgamations of the real participants in the escape. Two members of the escape committee, however, seem to be based more closely than others on real characters. Bartlett is clearly Roger Bushell, the real mastermind of the escape, while Ashley-Pitt seems to be based closely on the real dispersal chief. What was his name? Hint


Question 10 of 15
10. In the movie, two Americans (and four American actors) get out through the tunnel. How many Americans got away in the real escape? Hint


Question 11 of 15
11. Which member of the real escape committee served as technical advisor to the movie? Hint


Question 12 of 15
12. James Clavell, one of the screenwriters, later wrote a novel inspired by his experiences as a prisoner of war in Singapore during World War II. What was the name of the book? Hint


Question 13 of 15
13. Clavell was one screenwriter credited in 'The Great Escape'. Who was the other one? Hint


Question 14 of 15
14. How many Oscars did 'The Great Escape' win? Hint


Question 15 of 15
15. Some of the actors in the movie brought some real-life experiences to their roles. Bronson, for example, had been a coal miner, while some of the German actors (including Hannes Messemer -- the Kommandant) had been POW's in the war. So too had one of the British actors. Which one? Hint



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Most Recent Scores
Nov 08 2024 : Guest 96: 9/15
Nov 05 2024 : Guest 98: 10/15
Nov 04 2024 : angostura: 15/15
Oct 24 2024 : Guest 136: 10/15

Score Distribution

quiz
Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. His accent could use some work, but what nationality does James Coburn play in the film?

Answer: Australian

Maybe it's because his accent is so bad, but at one point Bartlett calls Coburn's character 'Bluey' (a common nickname for Australians)to let the audience know from where he hails. War buffs may also be able to tell his nationality from his battledress jacket, which is the dark blue of the Royal Australian Air Force.
2. One of the minor figures from the movie, Haynes, is supposed to be which nationality?

Answer: Canadian

In the fake fight sequence at the beginning of the movie, Sedgwick refers to Haynes' Canadian nationality. Not really played up in the film is the fact that many escapees - if not the majority - were not British, but were Canadians, Australians, New Zealanders, South Africans, Poles, French, Belgian, Norwegian, Greek, Czechs, Dutch, and even Lithuanian.
3. When MacDonald brings Hendley the 'X' food stocks, he calls the American by his first name. What is it?

Answer: Bob

Admittedly, it's heard very briefly, and never heard again after this scene.
4. James Donald, who plays Ramsey, the SBO, also appeared as a POW in two other excellent war movies. Which two?

Answer: 'The Bridge on the River Kwai' and 'King Rat'

Donald gave two of the best performances of his long career, first as Major Clipton in 'The Bridge on the River Kwai', and then as the weary Dr. Kennedy in 'King Rat'.
5. During the July 4th booze-up, MacDonald refers to Ives by which nickname?

Answer: Piglet

Ives' character in the movie was probably very loosely based on Henry 'Piglet' Lammond, who originated the original mole tunnel idea.
6. Who tells Ramsey, 'Present from Tom, sir!' before depositing sand at the SBO's feet?

Answer: Nimmo

Another minor character. While he appears in many scenes, this is practically his only line in the movie (although at the end he does ask if Haynes was among those shot).
7. What hymn (or song) is Cavendish, the surveyor, singing as he greets Hilts, who has just removed his bed boards?

Answer: 'The Twelve Days of Christmas'

'Bloody singing. I never worked so hard in all my life.'
8. When Bartlett meets the SBO for the first time in the movie, Ramsey offers him tea. From whom did he scrounge it?

Answer: Sedgwick

9. The characters in the movie are amalgamations of the real participants in the escape. Two members of the escape committee, however, seem to be based more closely than others on real characters. Bartlett is clearly Roger Bushell, the real mastermind of the escape, while Ashley-Pitt seems to be based closely on the real dispersal chief. What was his name?

Answer: Peter (Hornblower) Fanshawe

Fanshawe was moved to another compound just before the actual escape. Ashley-Pitt shoots a Gestapo agent, and then is shot himself, in one of those parts of the movie which is pure Hollywood.
10. In the movie, two Americans (and four American actors) get out through the tunnel. How many Americans got away in the real escape?

Answer: One

Major John Dodge ('The Dodger'), an American-born officer in the British army, was captured in 1940, was sent to Sachsenhausen concentration camp after the escape (along with several other survivors). He escaped from there as well, but was recaptured, and was released by the Germans just before the war ended, in an abortive peace attempt.
11. Which member of the real escape committee served as technical advisor to the movie?

Answer: Wally Floody

Floody, a Canadian who served as chief tunnel engineer, was moved to another compound just before the escape, along with 18 others, including key escape committee members Peter Fanshawe (dispersal) and the American George Harsh (security). They didn't appreciate it at the time, but this transfer probably saved their lives.
12. James Clavell, one of the screenwriters, later wrote a novel inspired by his experiences as a prisoner of war in Singapore during World War II. What was the name of the book?

Answer: King Rat

He did not, however, contribute to the movie version, which was written and directed by Bryan Forbes and starred George Segal, James Fox and Tom Courtenay.
13. Clavell was one screenwriter credited in 'The Great Escape'. Who was the other one?

Answer: W.R. Burnett

14. How many Oscars did 'The Great Escape' win?

Answer: None

Not only did it not win any Academy Awards, it only garnered one nomination -- for best film editing. By way of comparison, 'Braveheart' won 5 Oscars. So much for the Academy.
15. Some of the actors in the movie brought some real-life experiences to their roles. Bronson, for example, had been a coal miner, while some of the German actors (including Hannes Messemer -- the Kommandant) had been POW's in the war. So too had one of the British actors. Which one?

Answer: Donald Pleasence

Pleasence, a wireless (radio) operator on a British bomber, was shot down over France on August 31, 1944, and sent to a POW camp in Germany (but not to the actual camp from where the real escape took place).
Source: Author jeffa

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