One Word Title Movies of the Thirties Quiz

Answer: Claudette Colbert

Cecil B. DeMille directed Claudette Colbert in the 1934 epic, "Cleopatra". The film was nominated for several Academy Awards and won for Best Cinematography. The movie depicted the quest for power Cleopatra orchestrated involving Julius Caesar and Marc Anthony.

When Caesar died she focused her attention on Marc Anthony and seduced him during a memorable barge scene. Demille's version ran for about 100 minutes while the 1963 remake directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz starring Elizabeth Taylor and and Richard Burton was over three hours long. Hedy Lamarr starred in the 1934 release, "Ecstasy". Greer Garson was in the 1939 release, "Remember?", and Loretta Young appeared in over 30 movies in the thirties including the 1932 film "Taxi!".

Answer: John Wayne

"Stagecoach" was one of many films in which John Ford directed John Wayne. It was Ford's first talking film as a director after making silent films. The movie plot revolved around a group of diverse passengers in a stagecoach passing through Indian territory.

The Ringo Kid was planning to avenge the deaths of his brother and father, but was apprehended by Marshall Wilcox. At the conclusion of the film he killed the people responsible for murdering his family members and managed to go free. George Bancroft was cast as Marshal Curly Wilcox. Andy Devine played the coach driver, Buck. John Carradine portrayed a southern gentleman who was escorting a passenger named Mrs. Mallory, played by Louise Platt.

Answer: Ninotchka

Greta Garbo, Melvyn Douglas and Ina Claire were cast in "Ninotchka". It was one of Garbo's early American films and drew a contrast between Russia under Stalin's rule and lively, carefree Paris. Ninotchka was sent to Paris to retrieve jewelry for Russia, but ended up becoming smitten by the Parisian life and falling in love with Comte Léon d'Algout, played by Melvyn Douglas. Garbo starred in one more film after "Ninotchka" titled "Two-Faced Woman" (1941) then retired from films.
"Tevye" was a 1939 movie based on a Sholem Aleichem story that starred Maurice Schwartz, Rebecca Weintraub and Miriam Riselle.
Actor Otis Skinner starred in both the 1920 silent version of "Kismet" and the 1930 version.
Charles Boyer starred as carnival barker Liliom Zadowski in "Liliom".

Answer: Honolulu

In "Honolulu", Young played movie star Brooks Mason and Hawaii businessman George Smith in pre-WW II Honolulu. The two men switched roles when Mason tired of being a screen idol, but romance complicated the arrangement. Eleanor Powell was cast as the love interest and performed memorable dance scenes. Burns and Allen were featured in individual roles. Eddie 'Rochester' Anderson portrayed one of Mason's valets. He would go on to work with Jack Benny on Jack's radio and television programs.
"Carefree" was a 1938 Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers musical.
"Whoopee" was a musical comedy released 1930 that starred Eddie Cantor. Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy starred in the 1938 romance, "Sweethearts". It was MGM's first Technicolor film.

Answer: Cimarron

The Edna Ferber novel, "Cimarron", was the basis for the 1931 film of the same name. Richard Dix played a newspaperman in Oklahoma who faced obstacles and adventures while establishing his paper on the frontier. Irene Dunne played his wife who carried on the business when her husband left to deal with a gold rush and a war. The movie won the Best Picture Oscar. Although Dix and Dunne were nominated for their roles, neither took the statue home.
"Borderline" was a 1930 silent film starring Paul Robeson.
"Conquest" (1937) starred Greta Garbo as a Polish countess who became the mistress of Napoleon.
"Saratoga" was a 1937 release that was the last film that paired Clark Gable and Jean Harlow right before her death.

Answer: Ramona

Loretta Young starred as Ramona opposite Kent Young in the 1937 drama, "Ramona". Ramona was a half-Indian girl who fell for a white man played by Young. Young's mother disapproved of the mixed marriage. Don Ameche played a Native American servant in the same household. "Ramona" was a remake of a 1910 silent film with the same title based on a novel by Helen Hunt Jackson.
"Maytime" was a 1937 MGM musical that starred Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy.
"Roberta" was a 1933 musical that included "Yesterdays" and "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" in the score.
"Rosalie" was a 1937 musical that involved a princess falling in love with a military cadet.

Answer: Intermezzo

"Intermezzo" (1939) cast Leslie Howard as a married violinist who fell in love with his accompanist. The movie was Ingrid Bergman's first Hollywood film. Bergman began the film as a piano teacher working with Leslie Howard's daughter. Before long they fell in love and went on tour together, resulting in Howard leaving his wife. The movie was also billed in some locales as "Intermezzo: A Love Story".
Greta Garbo played a Parisian courtesan involved in an ill-fated romance in the 1936 film, "Camille".
In 1930 Greta Garbo worked with Lewis Stone and Gavin Gordon in "Romance". The following year she starred as Yvonne Valbret in "Inspiration".

Answer: Bela Lugosi

Bela Lugosi set the standard for the classic persona of Dracula in the 1931 release. His accent and mysterious mannerisms helped move the plot along in a suspenseful manner. Dracula took up residence in an abbey near a sanitarium hospital. After he became acquainted with guests at a play, people began dying of blood loss.

In the finale a stake is finally driven into Dracula. Lon Chaney was the original choice of the producer to play the lead role. He had already played a pseudo-vampire in the 1927 silent movie, "London after Midnight". Paul Muni and Chester Morris were other choices considered before Bela Lugosi was selected. "Vampyr" was a French-German collaboration released in 1932.

Answer: Parnell

The 1937 film, "Parnell", starred Clark Gable as Irish politician Charles Stewart Parnell. Although Gable was known for such great thirties films as "It Happened One Night" (1934), "Parnell" was a box office disaster when it was released. Gable was ill-cast in the film. He was originally slated to star with Joan Crawford but Myrna Loy ended up with the role of Katie O'Shea. After Gable was panned for his performance in "Parnell" he almost turned down his offer to star in "Gone With the Wind" (1939).
"Dodsworth" was a 1936 film about the head of the fictitious Revelation Motor Company and his vain wife.
"Emma" was a 1932 fictional film starring Marie Dressler as an older woman who raised a widower's children.
The 1931 film, "Skippy", was one of the first movies nominated for an Academy Award. Jackie Cooper and Robert Coogan starred in the movie about the friendship of two young boys in a shantytown setting.

Answer: Raffles

In the 1930 release of "Raffles", Ronald Colman played the title character, a dashing crook who decided to go straight after falling in love with a gal named Gwen, but was lured into doing another caper. Kay Francis played his love interest. David Niven played the same character in the 1939 version. He fell in love with a character named Gwen played by Olivia de Havilland. The temptation to steal a precious necklace pitted him against Scotland Yard. There were slight variances between the two releases, but the plot line and characters were essentially the same.
"Algiers" (1938) starred Charles Boyer as a thief.
Franchot Tone played an architect opposite Bette Davis in the 1935 film, "Dangerous".
Will Rogers had the role of Lightnin' Bill Jones in the 1930 film "Lightnin'".