Great Comedy Films of the 1990s Quiz

Answer: Jeff Bridges

Bridges is the son of actor Lloyd Bridges and his brother is actor Beau Bridges. He won an Oscar for his role in 2009s film "Crazy Heart", and had nominations for his roles in "The Last Picture Show" (1971), "Thunderbolt and Lightfoot" (1974), "Starman" (1984), "The Contender" (2000) and "True Grit" (2010).

Bridges played Jeffrey Lebowski, generally referred to as "The Dude", a pothead, slacker, and bowler. The gist of the plot is that he is mistaken for
the "Big" Lebowski, a wheelchair bound veteran who puts on a big front but actually works for his mother. Thugs enter the Dude's apartment, waterboard him in the toilet and demand he pay for his wife's debts. They also urinate on his favorite rug. When they realize they have the wrong Lebowski, they leave. The Dude looks up the big Lebowski and demands that he pay for a replacement rug and is met by a stern rejection.

Later, the big Lebowski contacts the Dude and asks him to be courier for a million dollars to foster the release of his trophy wife from kidnappers for a fee of 20,000 dollars. However, Walter Sobchak (John Goodman), Dude's best friend, gives him bad advice to keep the money and substitute Walter's dirty underwear. This sets off a chain of events with various groups who believe that the Dude has the money. These are told through dreams, fantasy, mistaken identity, and confrontations.

In spite of mixed critical reviews, the film made money and became a cult classic. Several cities have Dude Fests where the film might be shown marathon style and incorporated with bowling opportunities. In 2005 the The Church of the Latter-Day Dude was established with over 20,000 ordained priests.

Rotten Tomatoes: 81% but a great cult favorite.

Answer: Ted's altercation with a zipper

Ted is nearly castrated. But Ted continues to pine for Mary as does Healy (Matt Dillon), a detective hired to find her, Dom (Chris Elliott), a suitor with a skin problem, Tucker (Lee Evans), who pretends to be handicapped, and Hall of Fame football star Brett Favre.

After the prom accident, Ted loses touch with Mary (Cameron Diaz), who is now a surgeon in Miami. Both Mary's roommate, Magna (Lin Shaye), and Healy give Ted misleading information. Through it all Ted wins Mary - sort of.

Rotten Tomatoes gave an 83% freshness rating and it was the highest grossing film of 1998. NFL's Steve Young turned down the part as he felt the overall film was too raunchy. Bill Murray was concluded too old for the Healy role.

Answer: Groundhog Day

A Pittsburgh TV news team is sent to Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania to observe the weather predictions of Phil, a local groundhog. Murray is the arrogant cynical weatherman who fails to appreciate the small town celebration of Groundhog Day. But as he awakens each morning to the tune of Sonny and Cher's "I Got You Babe" on his clock radio, he realizes that he is caught in a time loop. He first becomes angry, then depressed, and suicidal, only to awaken still alive and stuck in the same day to relive.

As he adjusts to his situation, he learns to play the piano, saves lives, falls in love, and becomes a more rounded human being. Contrasted to most comedy films, it shows how an individual can mature and approach life with joy rather than cynicism. "Groundhog Day" was tagged with a 96% freshness rating from Rotten Tomatoes.

Bill Murray is at his best in comedy roles but has ventured in dramatic roles on occasion.

Answer: Kevin Smith

Kevin Smith was a clerk in a New Jersey convenience store and a film school dropout. He got permission to film when the store was closed. The character of Dante was modeled after himself although he played a drug dealer named Silent Bob. He enlisted his friends and relatives to work for free. One friend, Walt Flanagan, played four bit parts. Smith's mother and sister helped out as well.

Smith had to fight to remove the NC17 rating and finally got the R. This modest film exceeded all expectation, grossing 1200% of its cost. Rotten Tomatoes found it fresh with 88%. The films acceptance and growth was based on its performance at film festivals and word of mouth.

The days pass slowly for these unmotivated clerks who find it necessary to close down their shops to play rooftop hockey or go to a wake. Their minimum wage jobs reflect poor or indifferent services to the long line of eccentric customers. They sell tobacco to children and read them the names of pornographic movies. They give 'snowball' a whole new meaning.

Kevin Smith has become a recognized Hollywood director with such films as "Mallrats" (1995), "Dogma" (1999), and "Jersey Girl" (2004). Smith said there were nine main scenes. The lead character is Dante and those scenes were modeled after the poet Dante's "Inferno".

Answer: Macaulay Culkin

If there is something called a 'people's film', this might be it. Although receiving mediocre or negative reviews by 'critics', it became the third largest grossing film at that time. It barely achieved a 55% on Rotten Tomatoes critics' rating, but was near 80% on audience appraisals. Some of the reviews were petty such as suggesting that Kevin did not have the skills or resources to devise the booby traps. Yet the same critics never question, for instance, how Dr. No built an elaborate island fortress but was able to keep it 'secret'.

Kevin McCallister is accidentally left behind when the expanded family depart for Paris for a Christmas excursion. The house is the target for a pair of inept burglars. They are thwarted by elaborate booby traps that Kevin has devised. Kevin's mother takes the next plane back from Paris but runs into a variety of travel delays.

Culkin was selected for the role after his strong performance in "Uncle Buck" (1989). He had continued success as a child star but has been rarely seen as he aged, partly attributable to family issues.

Answer: Apple

After their success in the shrimp business Lieutenant Dan urges Forrest to invest in Apple. Forrest thinks it is a fruit business.

Forrest has a remarkable career in spite of his limitations. He becomes an All American football player, an international table tennis player, a military hero, and a cross country runner. Although his wealth does not require him to work, Forrest keeps his job as the village lawn care worker.

As a child Forrest's best friend was Jenny (Robin Wright) for whom he has a long affection. Jenny is an abused child and drifts into promiscuity and drugs. She and Forrest have one intimate encounter. Jenny returns later to tell Forrest that she is pregnant with his child. After the birth she dies, presumibly of AIDS. Forrest becomes a single father to his son, Forrest Junior (Haley Joel Osment).

Critic Roger Ebert wrote, "It's a comedy, I guess. Or maybe a drama. Or a dream. ... The performance is a breathtaking balancing act between comedy and sadness, in a story rich in big laughs and quiet truths." At the Academy Awards, "Forrest Gump" won Best Picture, Best Actor in a Leading Role (Tom Hanks), Best Director (Robert Zemeckis), Best Visual Effects, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Film Editing. Although critics gave only a 72% freshness tag at Rotten Tomatoes, the audience tally was 95%.

Answer: Heimlich maneuver

As an unemployed actor, the divorce judge finds him unreliable and too irresponsible for joint custody of his children thus requiring him to pretend to be a 70 year old Scotswoman and serve as his children's nanny.

Williams has two dates at a restaurant. One is with a television producer about a job and the other is with his ex-wife and her new boyfriend. He has to dash back and forth between tables changing costume between his business suit and Mrs. Doubtfire. He also is 'tipsy', as Mrs. Doubtfire might say, but does have the alertness to apply the Heimlich maneuver when Pierce Brosnan begins to choke on a spiced piece of meat. His wig comes off and his deception is exposed.

Robin Williams became famous for his innovative standup comic routines that brimmed with creative improves. His career embraced both comic and dramatic roles. He won Best Supporting Actor in 1998 for "Good Will Hunting". He had three other nominations for "The Fisher King" (1992), "Dead Poets Society" (1990), and "Good Morning, Vietnam" (1988).

Rotten Tomatoes gave it a 71% and Williams won a Golden Globe Award for Lead Actor in a Comedy.

Answer: Joe Pesci

Bill Gambini (Ralph Macchio) and his friend are arrested, they think for shoplifting, but for murder. Cousin Vinny arrives with his girlfriend, Mona Lisa Vito (Marisa Tomei). The judge (Fred Gwynne in his last film) is both frustrated and often tolerant of Vinny's inexperience, like when he doesn't know about discovery. But Mona comes through with testimony that clears Bill. That role won Marisa Tomei an Oscar for her supporting role.

"My Cousin Vinny" was a surprise hit and achieved an 84% freshness rating from Rotten Tomatoes. Another unexpected accolade came from trial lawyers who praised it for its realism of court procedures. Too many 'trial' movies are deficient in accuracy. One law professor said, "Vinny is terrible at the things we do teach in law school, but very good at the things we don't."

Pesci was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for in "Raging Bull" (1980), and won the award for his role in "Goodfellas" (1990).

Answer: Roy Orbison

Vivian is a part time hooker but has no pimp, selects her own customers, and has rules about what she will do in the bedroom. The complex character Julia Roberts played resulted in an Oscar nomination for her performance.

Edward provides her with fashionable attire for each social function that varies from a polo match to the opera. They soon begin to fall in love and she allows him to kiss her - one of her bedroom no-nos. They part but reunite for the happy ending. Critics commented on the plot as being more about money than love and the Rotten Tomatoes score was 62%.

Roy Orbison wrote "Pretty Woman" in 1964 and his 33.3 recording sold an estimated seven million records. Use of "Pretty Woman" revitalized interest in his music but he had died in 1988. Orbison won the 1991 Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male for "Pretty Woman" posthumously.

Answer: As Good As It Gets

Melvin Udall (Jack Nicholson) is an obsessive-compulsive and misanthropic writer. He has zero people skills and irritates or outrages all he comes in contact with. Carol Connelly (Helen Hunt) is a waitress with a special needs child trying to eke out a living. Udall eats at the same café each morning. Carol is the only one willing to serve him.

But through the film slow but dramatic metamorphoses occur with Udall. He develops a genuine affection for Carol's son Spence. When a neighbor is beaten, he cares for his dog while he is in the hospital, even though he once sent the dog down the trash chute. Even though he won't admit it, he develops a love for Carol but often says the wrong thing. He begins to take his medication for his obsessive disorder because as he tells Carol, "You make me want to be a better man."

"As Good As It Gets" was nominated for seven Academy Awards including Best Picture but won for only Nicholson and Hunt for leading actor and actress. Greg Kinnear was nominated also for his supporting role as the gay artist neighbor. The film as an 86% Rotten Tomatoes rating.