The Olivier Oeuvre Trivia Quiz

Answer: Rebecca

"Rebecca" is based on Daphne Du Maurier's novel about a woman who marries a widower, and then tries desperately to replace the memory of his late wife. "Rebecca" won the Oscar for Best Picture (the only Hitchcock film to ever do so), but Best Director went to John Ford for "The Grapes of Wrath". Olivier also was nominated, but James Stewart won for "The Philadelphia Story".

Answer: Jane Eyre

Since the silent film era, there have been over a dozen film and television versions of Charlotte Brontė's novel, "Jane Eyre", but none of them starred Olivier. The most well-known version of the film was probably made in 1944. It starred Orson Welles and Olivier's "Rebecca" co-star, Joan Fontaine.

Answer: Macbeth

As would be expected, he was nominated for Academy Awards for all three roles, winning for "Hamlet" (which also won him the Oscar for Best Picture). He also produced and directed both "Hamlet" and "Richard III", but was hired by others for 1965's "Othello".

Answer: The Prince and the Showgirl

Olivier produced and directed the 1957 film himself. It must have been a rough experience working with the troubled Monroe, because he didn't direct again for another thirteen years (and that was his last time). The film is exactly what the title suggests: a showgirl meets a prince and falls in love.

Answer: Spartacus

Stanley Kubrick directed the 1960 film, and included a scene in which Olivier's character propositions Antoninus (Tony Curtis). Hollywood censors at the time demanded that the scene be deleted, but it was re-inserted in the early 1990's with Olivier's lines dubbed by a man whom many consider to be Olivier's successor, Sir Anthony Hopkins.

Answer: Sleuth

"Sleuth" was directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz, best known as the Oscar-winning writer and director of "All About Eve", "A Letter to Three Wives", and the ill-fated "Cleopatra". This was the last film he directed before he retired. Both he and Olivier received Oscar noiminations, along with co-star Michael Caine.

Answer: Marathon Man

Olivier played a sadistic Nazi dentist who would stop at nothing to get information from Dustin Hoffman. It was during this film that Hoffman stayed up all night in order to look properly exhausted and disheveled. Olivier reportedly suggested, "Why don't you try acting? It's much easier!" That is just a rumor, though; according to Hoffman it did not go down like that.

Answer: The Jazz Singer

In this third film version of Samson Raphaelson's play, pop star Neil Diamond stepped into shoes previously filled by Al Jolson and Danny Thomas to play the son of Jewish cantor who must defy his father to become a singer of popular (secular) music.

This film was released in 1980. Although it doesn't seem so bad now, it was widely panned when it was released, as were most musicals that year. ("Fame" was the only successful one.) All four of the films listed were box office disappointments, and were nominated for the first Golden Raspberries--awards "honoring" the worst in filmmaking. Neil won that year for his performance.

The musical as a genre was considered mostly dead for the next two decades, with few exceptions like "Little Shop of Horrors" and TV versions of "Gypsy" and "Bye Bye Birdie". However, musicals were revived in a big way in 2000 and 2001 with films like "Dancer in the Dark" and "Moulin Rouge!" And 2002's "Chicago" won the Oscar for Best Picture. It had been a full 34 years since the last time a musical ("Oliver!") won the award.

Answer: Clash of the Titans

Olivier played the god Zeus. Harry Hamlin played his mortal son Perseus, thrust into Ancient Greece and forced battle a series of monsters and demons in order to save a princess and her people. Although the special effects may seem quaint by todays standards, the film received good reviews and was a modest hit with audiences.

Answer: Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow

Sir Laurence Olivier died in 1989, but archive footage of him was used for him to "portray" a scientist whose quest for a utopian society leads to an attack on the earth by killer robots. Olivier's name in the end credits came as quite a surprise to moviegoers who were wondering where they'd seen the handsome young actor. Thanks for playing!