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Quiz about John Hustons Moby Dick
Quiz about John Hustons Moby Dick

John Huston's 'Moby Dick' Trivia Quiz

I've written on Melville's masterwork. Now I'm writing on the 1956 John Huston version, a favorite of my late father, to whom I dedicate this quiz.

A multiple-choice quiz by tjoebigham. Estimated time: 6 mins.
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Author
tjoebigham
Time
6 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
73,454
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
20
Difficulty
Tough
Avg Score
12 / 20
Plays
299
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Question 1 of 20
1. What sci-fi author co-wrote the screenplay with Huston? Hint


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Question 2 of 20
2. Who was the film's cinematographer? Hint


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Question 3 of 20
3. And its composer? Hint


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Question 4 of 20
4. What country were the New Bedford scenes shot in? Hint


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Question 5 of 20
5. What German actor played Queequeg? Hint


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Question 6 of 20
6. Who played Father Mapple? Hint


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Question 7 of 20
7. Who played Elijah? Hint


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Question 8 of 20
8. And when did he say the Pequod and its crew would be destroyed? Hint


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Question 9 of 20
9. True or false: Flask was played by an Irishman.

Answer: (One Word - True or False, T or F)

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Question 10 of 20
10. In the book, Melville never specified what leg Ahab lost to the White Whale. In the film what leg is the ivory one?

Answer: (One Word - Left or Right, L or R)

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Question 11 of 20
11. What sea chantey is NOT sung in the film? Hint


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Question 12 of 20
12. How many ships did the Pequod meet in the film? Hint


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Question 13 of 20
13. What former co-star of Peck's played Captain Boomer? Hint


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Question 14 of 20
14. And what took the place of his left hand? Hint


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Question 15 of 20
15. True or false: As in the book, Ahab claims his own gold coin for himself.

Answer: (One Word - True or False, T or F)

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Question 16 of 20
16. What did Ahab threaten Starbuck with during the storm? Hint


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Question 17 of 20
17. For those who haven't seen my quiz on the book: what kind of whale is Moby Dick? Hint


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Question 18 of 20
18. What happened when a lookout fell into the sea? Hint


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Question 19 of 20
19. What earlier sea tale did the film's Pequod appear in? Hint


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Question 20 of 20
20. What TV series did Ishmael later appear in? Hint



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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. What sci-fi author co-wrote the screenplay with Huston?

Answer: Ray Bradbury

 Bradbury, best known for 'Fahrenheit 451' and 'The Martian Chronicles', fictonalized his stint on 'Moby Dick' in his novel, 'Geen Shadows, White Whale'.
2. Who was the film's cinematographer?

Answer: Oswald Morris

 The English-born Morris, who won an Oscar for 'Fiddler On The Roof', created the film's unusual color scheme with Huston. He worked with director before on 'Moulin Rouge' (and Huston named his production company Moulin after the film).
3. And its composer?

Answer: Philip Sainton

 Sainton's vivid score is a masterwork of film music. Canadian Farnon scored Peck's 'Captain Horatio Hornblower'. Herrmann, who scored two Peck films, wrote a cantata on 'Moby Dick' in the 30's.
4. What country were the New Bedford scenes shot in?

Answer: Ireland

 Ireland was a favorite place of Huston's.
5. What German actor played Queequeg?

Answer: Frederick Ledebur

 Leddebur, who later played German officers in 'Blue Max' and 'Slaughterhouse-Five', was Melville's description of the savage harpooneer come to life. Gudegast later took the name Eric Braeden.
6. Who played Father Mapple?

Answer: Orson Welles

 Ironically, Peck himself played Mapple in the TV remake, while 'Star Trek's' Patrick Stewart became Ahab.
7. Who played Elijah?

Answer: Royal Dano

 Dano, a little-known character actor, made a strong impresion as the broken 'prophet' who predicts the Pequod's doom.
8. And when did he say the Pequod and its crew would be destroyed?

Answer: when land was smelt at sea

 Elijah warned that when 'ye smell land where there be no land', Ahab would die but would rise and beckon the crew to doom except one. The book's Elijah was far more vague.
9. True or false: Flask was played by an Irishman.

Answer: true

Dublin drama critic Seamus Kelly played the pugnacious Flask to Leo Genn's Starbuck and Harry Andrew's Stubb.
10. In the book, Melville never specified what leg Ahab lost to the White Whale. In the film what leg is the ivory one?

Answer: left

His facial scar is on the left side also.
11. What sea chantey is NOT sung in the film?

Answer: Sailing, Sailing

 'A-Roving' was sung in the Spouter Inn, the other two sung on the ship.
12. How many ships did the Pequod meet in the film?

Answer: two

 Of the nine ships the Pequod met in the book only the Samuel Enderby and Rachel were seen on screen, because of the time restriction.
13. What former co-star of Peck's played Captain Boomer?

Answer: James Robertson Justice

 Justice played a sailor to Peck's Hornblower in the earlier film.
14. And what took the place of his left hand?

Answer: a harpoon head

 Melville gave Boomer an ivory mallet to replace the hand he lost to Moby Dick, unlike Justice's harpoon head.
15. True or false: As in the book, Ahab claims his own gold coin for himself.

Answer: false

In a major change from the book, Peck's Ahab gives the coin to the sailor who first spotted the White Whale.
16. What did Ahab threaten Starbuck with during the storm?

Answer: a lance

 Ahab aimed a musket at Starbuck in the novel, but in the film Ahab held a lance on Starbuck as he tried to cut the masts loose to keep the ship from capsizing.
17. For those who haven't seen my quiz on the book: what kind of whale is Moby Dick?

Answer: sperm

 Moby was a rare albino sperm {whale;} the rest are baleen whales (with strainers instead of teeth).
18. What happened when a lookout fell into the sea?

Answer: the wind and sea were stilled

 The lookout disappeared into the depths and the wind died suddenly.
19. What earlier sea tale did the film's Pequod appear in?

Answer: Treasure Island

 It was first the Hispaniola in the 1950 Disney film, then became Melville's doomed whaler six years later.
20. What TV series did Ishmael later appear in?

Answer: Voyage To The Bottom Of The Sea

 Richard Basehart played Admiral Nelson in the long-running sries.
Source: Author tjoebigham

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor spanishliz before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.
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Referenced Topics
Music   Movies   Colors   Names   Ireland   Star Trek   Islands   Geography "What Country am I in?"    Canadians: Famous & Historical   German Language   Blue   Fiddler on the Roof   White   Germans: Famous & Historical   Orson Welles   Moby Dick  

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