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Fighting Your Way To the Top Trivia Quiz

A common story line in classic movies is the attempt by the "common man" to make it to the top. Here are a few examples. (This quiz might be difficult: not all of the movies are that well-known.)

A multiple-choice quiz by robert362. Estimated time: 4 mins.

Author
robert362

Time
4 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
116,224

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
6 / 10

Plays
857

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. Joan Crawford tries to make it to the top in "Mildred Pierce" by running a restaurant. Who plays her right-hand assistant? Hint

Phyllis Newman

Polly Bergen

Anne Baxter

Eve Arden

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Question 2 of 10

2. A dedicated actor struggles to make it to the top of his profession in "Career". Who is the star of the movie? Hint

Stephen Boyd

Glenn Ford

Rod Taylor

Tony Franciosa

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Question 3 of 10

3. Boxing as a metaphor for life is common in the movies. Kirk Douglas had one of his best roles as a boxer on the rise in "Champion". Who played his brother (and his conscience)? Hint

Jack Warden

Rod Steiger

John McIntire

Arthur Kennedy

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Question 4 of 10

4. In the western "The Mississippi Gambler", the title character sets out to build a great casino. Who plays the lead? Hint

Robert Taylor

Alan Ladd

Tyrone Power

Errol Flynn

5. In "The Young Philadelphians", Paul Newman tries to make it to the top as a Philadelphia lawyer. He does corporate and tax work, but ends up representing his friend at a murder trial. Who plays the friend? Hint

Robert Vaughn

Claude Akins

Lee Marvin

John Cassavetes

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Question 6 of 10

6. "Patterns" is a fine story by Rod Serling about corporate rise-and-fall. Van Heflin is on the way up; who is the man on the way down? Hint

James Whitmore

E.G. Marshall

Keenan Wynn

Ed Begley

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Question 7 of 10

7. Sports is a common setting for climb-up-the-ladder stories The best of the bunch is "The Natural" with Robert Redford as the baseball star. Who plays the "dark lady" that derails his early career? Hint

Barbara Hershey

Suzanne Pleshette

Carolyn Jones

Katharine Ross

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Question 8 of 10

8. "Of Human Bondage" shows the struggles of a medical student to make it through and become a doctor. Leslie Howard plays the role of the student who is obsessed with Bette Davis. How does he meet her? Hint

She's a teacher in another part of the school

She meets him at a party

She lives in his apartment building

She's a waitress in a restaurant

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Question 9 of 10

9. Politics is also a common backdrop for tales of ambition. One of the best of these is "The Best Man". Henry Fonda stars; who plays his major political opponent? Hint

Cliff Robertson

Gregory Peck

Don Murray

Robert Duvall

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Question 10 of 10

10. There are several tales of singers trying to make it in the Bigtime. Doris Day stars (with James Cagney) in the biographical "Love Me or Leave Me". Who plays Day's would-be-suitor? Hint

Harry Guardino.

Omar Sharif

Cameron Mitchell

Jerry Ohrbach

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Joan Crawford tries to make it to the top in "Mildred Pierce" by running a restaurant. Who plays her right-hand assistant?

Answer: Eve Arden

From waitress to restaurant owner. Good job by all of the cast members.

2. A dedicated actor struggles to make it to the top of his profession in "Career". Who is the star of the movie?

Answer: Tony Franciosa

The enjoyable Franciosa turns in a nice performance. Boyd starred in the actor-on-the-rise movie, "The Oscar".

3. Boxing as a metaphor for life is common in the movies. Kirk Douglas had one of his best roles as a boxer on the rise in "Champion". Who played his brother (and his conscience)?

Answer: Arthur Kennedy

John Garfield had a similar role in "Body and Soul". Steiger starred with Marlon Brando (as a boxer who didn't quite make it to the top) in "On The Waterfront".

4. In the western "The Mississippi Gambler", the title character sets out to build a great casino. Who plays the lead?

Answer: Tyrone Power

Easy watching. With John McIntire, Julie Adams and Piper Laurie. Not bad at all.

Answer: Robert Vaughn

Good movie early in Newman's career.

6. "Patterns" is a fine story by Rod Serling about corporate rise-and-fall. Van Heflin is on the way up; who is the man on the way down?

Answer: Ed Begley

Nicely done by these two - and by Everett Sloane as the tyrannical boss. Great career boost for a young Serling.

Answer: Barbara Hershey

Superb movie. Other choices would include Paul Newman in "The Hustler" as a great pool player or Steve McQueen as "The Cincinnati Kid", trying to make it to the top of the poker world.

Answer: She's a waitress in a restaurant

Good early role for Davis in the Somerset Maugham story.

9. Politics is also a common backdrop for tales of ambition. One of the best of these is "The Best Man". Henry Fonda stars; who plays his major political opponent?

Answer: Cliff Robertson

Fonda is fine in his typical role as a moral man of principle and leadership ability. Murray stars in "Advise and Consent", another movie about political fortunes and misfortunes.

10. There are several tales of singers trying to make it in the Bigtime. Doris Day stars (with James Cagney) in the biographical "Love Me or Leave Me". Who plays Day's would-be-suitor?

Answer: Cameron Mitchell

Nice dramnatic turn for Doris; Cagney is fine (of course). Ohrbach starred on Broadway in one version of "42nd Street" (about an actress hoping for the "big break"). Sharif starred in "Funny Girl", the story of Fanny Brice's rise to stardom that launched Barbra Streisand's movie career.

Source: Author robert362

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor DakotaNorth before going online.
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