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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.

Author
jeffa

Time
6 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
62,601

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
15

Difficulty
Difficult

Avg Score
7 / 15

Plays
3230

Awards
Top 35% Quiz

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 15

1. His accent could use some work, but what nationality does James Coburn play in the film? Hint

Australian

American

South African

New Zealander

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Question 2 of 15

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

British

Canadian

Australian

American

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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

Brett

Bob

Bill

Jim

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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

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

'The Colditz Story' and 'The Wooden Horse'

'The Colditz Story' and 'King Rat'

'The Bridge on the River Kwai' and 'The Wooden Horse'

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Question 5 of 15

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

Piglet

Shorty

Jocky

Gunner

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Question 6 of 15

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

Nimmo

Willie

Hendley

Ashley-Pitt

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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

'The Twelve Days of Christmas'

'O Little Town of Bethlehem'

'Silent Night'

'Away in a Manger'

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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

Ashley-Pitt

Sedgwick

Willie

Blythe

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

Johnny Marshall

Peter (Hornblower) Fanshawe

Conk Canton

Crump Ker-Ramsey

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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

None

Three

One

Two

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Question 11 of 15

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

Johnny Marshall

Wally Floody

Crump Ker-Ramsey

Conk Canton

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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

Changi

The Naked Island

Shogun

King Rat

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Question 13 of 15

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

John Sturges

W.R. Burnett

Paul Brickhill

Ferris Webster

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Question 14 of 15

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

One

Four

None

Two

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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

James Donald

Donald Pleasence

Gordon Jackson

Richard Attenborough

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Today : angostura: 15/15
Oct 24 2024 : Guest 136: 10/15

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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

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.

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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