Thrillers in History Trivia Quiz

"The Last of the Mohicans" (1992) takes place during the French and Indian War in 1757. The 1992 film is based on the classic novel written by James Fenimore Cooper and stars Daniel Day-Lewis as Nathaniel "Hawkeye" Poe. The film tells the harrowing story of Colonel Edmund Munro's daughters being escorted to their father through hostile territory.

The story is fast-paced and includes betrayal, bravery, and passionate love. The 1992 film won an Academy Award for Best Sound.

"The Patriot" (2000) is set during the American Revolutionary War between 1776 and 1783. The film is loosely based on the revolutionary Francis Marion who used guerilla tactics to devastating effect against the Red Coat Army. Due to Marion's brutal real-life treatment of Native Americans and women, the directors decided to change the main character's name to Benjamin Martin portrayed by Mel Gibson.

While the original intent was to make the film historically accurate, the final product was highly fictionalized and excessively gruesome in places.

Based loosely on a true story, "Glory" (1989) tells the heroic tale of the Massachusetts 54th Infantry regiment's action during the American Civil War in 1864. Starring Morgan Freeman and Denzel Washington, the film covers the formation, the training, and all the barriers the 54th faced to prepare for combat. The film was hugely popular with moviegoers and won three Academy Awards.

When thinking about World War I the image that often comes to mind is a cold muddy trench in France. "Lawrence of Arabia," however, is a WWI film set mostly in Ottoman Greater Syria and the Arabian peninsula during the year 1917. The film tells the tale of how Lawrence conducted a harrowing crossing of the desert to secure a strategic city for British supplies. "Lawrence of Arabia" won seven Academy Awards mostly based on production and sound quality. Though both Peter O'Toole and Omar Sharif received a nomination, neither won an Oscar for their roles.

One of the main objectives Steven Spielberg had while creating "Saving Private Ryan" (1998) was to make the D-Day invasion as lifelike as possible making the first portion of the film intense. The film is based on the four real-life Niland brothers with all but one killed in action.

The film was nominated for eleven Academy Awards winning five. Much like "Lawrence of Arabia" the film won based on production and sound quality.

In 1953, towards the end of the Korean War, Sergeant Raymond Shaw's platoon was captured by the communist Chinese. While captured, the communists use an advanced brainwashing technique to make Shaw a sleeper agent to murder enemies of communism and forget his actions. "The Manchurian Candidate" is considered to be one of the best Cold War films highlighting the fear of Communism being able to corrupt even a model citizen.

While "Platoon" (1986) is not based on a true story, the film is one of the most accurate films on the realities of the Vietnam War for the American soldier. From being led by inexperienced officers to dealing with the harsh environment the soldiers go through moments of fear to chaos. "Platoon" was one of the first war films to show the mental horrors of war.

The film won four Academy Awards for its outstanding direction and production.

The film "Courage Under Fire" is a fictional story with the action being set during the Persian Gulf War in 1991. One of the main themes of the story is how to handle friendly fire. The film tries to get to the truth of what really happened during a skirmish and if Captain Karen Walden deserves to become the first woman to receive the Medal of Honor for valor in combat.

US Navy SEAL Chris Kyle was one of the deadliest snipers ever to wear a uniform. The film "American Sniper" is based on the true story of Kyle as he is tasked with the critical job of taking out a high-level al-Qaeda leader during the Iraq War. The film shows some of the tension and emotional toll Kyle experienced during his tours in Iraq.

In particular, it covers the struggles with post-traumatic stress he and other soldiers experience after being in combat. The film won an Academy Award for Best Sound Editing.

The only documentary on the list, "20 Days in Mariupol" is a harrowing portrayal of the three weeks under siege in Mariupol during the early Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The film documents the atrocities of war including the bombing of the hospital.

It is sober viewing, and strong viewer discretion is advised. The AP Press and NPR worked together to put together a documentary that earned an Academy Award.