Classic British Movies of the '60s, Take 2 Quiz

Answer: Sean Connery

A very solid ensemble cast, namely Sean Connery, Harry Andrews, Ian Bannen, Ian Hendry, and Michael Redgrave, enhance this gripping movie which was directed by Sidney Lumet.

Ian Hendry is Sergeant Williams, a strict disciplinarian with sadistic tendencies, who enjoys tormenting the prisoners. Michael Redgrave is a senior officer who turns a blind eye. Sean Connery is Roberts, a prisoner with a rebellious streak. But it's Harry Andrews who steals the movie; he is superb as Regimental Sergeant Major Wilson, the man in the middle who sees what's going on but doesn't do enough to keep Williams in check.

Sean Connery is best known for playing James Bond between 1962 and 1971 (with a brief comeback in 1983). During this tenure, he did find time to do other films, such as "The Hill"; indeed, his portrayal of Roberts is a far cry from the suave 007 Bond persona, which cinema audiences of the time had become accustomed to seeing him play.

Answer: Alfie talks directly to camera

"Alfie" is based on the novel and play written by Bill Naughton, and stars Michael Caine, Shelley Winters, Millicent Martin and Vivien Merchant.

Alfie is a selfish, egocentric womaniser moving from woman to woman, leaving a trail of broken hearts behind him. There is a kind of poetic justice near the end of the film when he decides he'd like to settle down with the Shelley Winters character (an older, American lady), only to discover she's "dating" someone else. When he asks her what her new lover has that he doesn't have, she replies, "He's younger than you." Ouch!

Answer: Turin

Charlie Croker (Caine) has the ideas, and Mr Bridger (Noel Coward) the money to back him, and together they recruit a gang to pull off an audacious gold shipment heist. This will take place in the centre of Turin so, in order to make a speedy getaway, they block all the normal routes into and out of the city centre by sabotaging the traffic lights. Result: gridlock.

This is a very stylish movie of its era, featuring typical 1960s clothes and fashion, and this also applies to its vehicles (three Mini Coopers in red, white and blue).

The gang includes Benny Hill in a cameo role as lecherous Professor Peach who can't keep his hands off the girls.

Answer: Football coach

"Kes" was directed by Ken Loach based on Barry Hines' novel "A Kestrel for a Knave".

Brian Glover's role as the football coach, Mr. Sugden, is fondly remembered by devotees of this movie. In a very funny scene, he takes Billy's class outside onto a very cold, windswept soccer pitch and tries to instil in them his enthusiasm for the game (particularly for his favourite team, Manchester United). Billy, a non-sporting type, is most reluctant to participate but is chosen to be a goalkeeper. The coach is supposed to be impartial, as is the referee, but here Mr. Sugden takes on both roles himself and wants to be the star player too! Hilarious.

Brian Glover was a professional wrestler before turning to acting.

From an overseas perspective, a criticism that has been levelled at this movie is the difficulty in understanding the broad Yorkshire accents which, to the untrained ear, can sound like a foreign language. Indeed, it has been suggested that for a non-Yorkshire person, enjoyment of this wondeful movie would be enhanced by sub-titles!

Answer: He is shot in his car by an unseen sniper whilst waiting at traffic lights.

British Intelligence is investigating the strange disappearance of some scientists, particularly one called Radcliffe. Colonel Ross transfers Harry Palmer to work for Major Dalby and, together with Jock Carswell, he investigates various suspects including an Albanian criminal called Bluejay. They help get Radcliffe back, but discover that the scientist has been brain-washed ("damaged goods"). Harry finds a piece of tape with "IPCRESS" written on it; Jock decodes it to mean: Psycho-neuroses by Conditioned Reflex under Stress.

At this point, Jock takes no further part in the movie; he decides to borrow Harry's car and gets bumped off at the traffic lights (probably in a case of mistaken identity).

Gordon Jackson is perhaps best known as the butler, Hudson, in the 1970s TV series "Upstairs, Downstairs".

Answer: Lara

"Doctor Zhivago" was directed by David Lean based on the novel written by Boris Pasternak.

The love affair between Yuri Zhivago (Sharif) and Lara (Christie) is told in flashback, as recalled by their daughter (Rita Tushingham) some 20 years later. The story covers a period of many years, before, during and after the Russian Revolution of 1917. Yuri is a poet who is forced to fight for the White Russians against the communists, leaving Lara behind in the town of Yuriatin. Both suffer greatly in the harsh winter, before being reunited. But Lara's life is further complicated by her relationship with Pasha (Tom Courtenay), and the unwanted attention of a villanous General Komarovsky (Rod Steiger).

This movie won five Oscars, including Best Cinematography (Freddie Young).

Answer: John Mills

"Tunes of Glory", directed by Ronald Neame, based on the James Kennaway's novel (and screenplay), stars Alec Guinness, John Mills, Dennis Price, Susannah York and Gordon Jackson.

It's a brooding, psychological drama set in a Scottish Highland regimental barracks in peacetime. Sinclair (Guinness) is second-in-command and has been acting chief for some time, when Colonel Barrow (Mills) arrives to take command. Whilst in charge, Sinclair was easy-going and friendly with the men. Barrow, however, is a stern disciplinarian who does everything by the book. Inevitably, they clash. Barrow is psychologically disturbed and prone to violent outbursts; aware of this, Sinclair takes every opportunity to harass and belittle Barrow in front of the men - until finally he cracks, with devastating results.

Sir John Mills (1908-2005) is a true legend of the movie business, whose career spanned the years 1929-1998. He enlisted in the army at the outbreak of World War II (1939), but he was discharged in 1942 on medical grounds. To UK movie audiences, he is perhaps best known for playing military roles, such as "In Which We Serve" (1942), "Ice-Cold in Alex" (1958) and "Dunkirk" (1958).

Interestingly, Alec Guinness had his eye on the Barrow role, whilst John Mills wanted to play Sinclair, so both actors turned down the film when it was first offered to them.

Answer: The Entertainer

Based on the John Osborne stage play, "The Entertainer" is about a failing music hall performer, Archie Rice, whose home life is just as bad as his professional one. The movie's set in a seedy, down-at-heel Northern English seaside town which adds to the overall feeling of melancholy.

Laurence Olivier gets the chance to do something completely different from his usual Shakespearian roles; Archie Rice is an unsympathetic character who is quite unpleasant to just about every other character in the movie. Olivier gets his teeth into the role, and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor (he didn't win).

The movie was directed by Tony Richardson, and filmed on location in the seaside town of Morecambe, Lancashire.

Answer: James Fox

This clever movie was directed by Joseph Losey and explores the British class system. Harold Pinter wrote the screenplay.

Tony (Fox) is an upper-class, wealthy guy who can afford to employ Hugo (Bogarde) as his manservant. One day Tony discovers that Hugo has brought a woman, Vera (Sarah Miles), into the house. Hugo explains that Vera is his sister, and Tony, who's not a strong character, accepts this implausible story. Hugo and Vera then combine to play psychological games on Tony to weaken his resolve, and over a period of time bring about a complete reversal of roles.

James Fox is the brother of Edward ("Day of the Jackal") Fox. He has appeared in "Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines" (1965), "King Rat" (1965), "The Chase" (1965), "Thoroughly Modern Millie" (1967), "Isadora" (1968) and "Performance" (1970).

Answer: Darling

"Darling" (1965) is a seminal 1960s movie, directed by John Schlesinger, which won 3 Oscars including Best Actress for Julie Christie.

Diana Scott (Julie Christie) is an attractive, but ruthless social-climber in the London of the swinging sixties, who sleeps her way to the top through a succession of men. Among them is TV journalist, Robert Gold (Dirk Bogarde); then she gets bored so dumps him up for Public Relations Executive Miles Brand (Laurence Harvey). Later she leaves Miles for an Italian millionaire; however happiness remains elusive.