World Movies Trivia Quiz

Answer: The King and I

"The King and I" was set in Siam (now Thailand) and starred Deborah Kerr and Yul Brynner. It is a musical in which Deborah Kerr plays a British governess (Anna) to the King's children. The King and Anna both have strong wills and clash over cultural and educational differences, sometimes with comic effect, but they come to a better understanding, and affection in the end. "Aguirre Wrath of God" and "Fitzcarraldo" are films by German director Werner Herzog with historical settings and starring the notoriously unstable actor Klaus Kinski. "Aguirre" is a mad and terrifying conquistador searching for El Dorado in the Amazon jungle where his men gradually turn on each other or are killed off. "Fitzcarraldo" concerns the obsession of one man to build an opera house in a small town in Peru. Crazy exploits include trying to haul a ship over a mountain. "The Mission" directed by Roland Joffe, stars Robert De Niro as a rich slaver, who kills his brother from jealousy and later turns penitent, and Jeremy Irons as a Jesuit priest resisting brutal suppression of the Guarani people by the Portuguese.

There is a haunting score by Ennio Morricone.

Answer: Jurgen Prochnow

Set in a U Boat in WWII and based on the novel of the same name by Lothar Gunther-Bucheim, this atmospheric Wolfgang Petersen film is regarded as one of the best German Films and won acclaim around the world for its realism and the power of its acting, especially that of Prochnow.

The story is told from the perspective of a journalist travelling in the U Boat who witnesses the moods, characters and opinions of the crew as they undergo their terrifying adventures. It's a German war film with unusual perspectives on the war, with characters revealing bravery and loyalty to their country mostly as ordinary men detached from Nazi politics. Prochnow has also acted in some Hollywood films such as "Air Force One", "Dune" and "Beverley Hills Cop II".

Answer: Gerard Depardieu, Daniel Auteuil and Yves Montand

This epic story told over two films, is based on two books by Marcel Pagnol collectively known as "The Water of the Hills". The film is a treat for the senses with some fine acting. (Daniel Auteuil won a Cesar award for best acting). A hunchback town dweller (Depardieu) and his family inherit a small holding in Provence in rural France and resolve to make a new life there, but things don't go their way. Montand and Auteuil are greedy neighbours up to various tricks to thwart Depardieu so that he sells up and they can buy his land cheaply.

They know a secret that he is unaware of which would allow him to succeed. Instead they watch him struggle to the point of death. However there is a bigger secret which they don't know that eventually reveals a bigger tragedy that backfires on the pair. "Manon des Sources" concerns the revenge of Depardieu's daughter.

Answer: Franco Zeffirelli

This is thought to be the best "Romeo and Juliet" film and is certainly a feast for the senses. For this tragic Shakespearean love story, Franco Zeffirelli hired young unknown actors Olivia Hussey and Leonard Whiting as the leads. Modern schoolchildren are frequently heard to remark on the similarity between Leonard Whiting and Zac Efron. Zeffirelli's other films include "Brother Sun, Sister Moon", "Jesus of Nazareth", "Jane Eyre" and "Tea with Mussolini".

Answer: Peter Jackson

The final film in the trilogy, "The Return of the King", won Peter Jackson a Best Director Oscar as well as Best Picture. It was awarded 11 Oscars in 2004, tying for most Oscars with "Ben Hur" (1959) and "Titanic" (1997). Peter Jackson also directed and produced "The Hobbit" films and a 2005 version of "King Kong".

Answer: Zorba the Greek

The story concerns Basil, an uptight half Greek English writer (Bates), who travels to Crete with the intention of writing and re-opening a mine. He meets Alexis Zorba (Quinn), who introduces him to the realities of Greek peasant village life and customs.

A village romance has tragic consequences. There's a memorable scene where Zorba and a loosened up Basil together dance in Greek style on the beach to the music of Mikis Theodorakis.

Answer: Spirited Away

"Spirited Away", became the most successful film in Japanese history after its release in 2001 and was acclaimed by international critics. It is in the BFI top ten list of films that should be seen by the age of 14. It won an Academy award for Best Animated Feature Film in 2003.

The plot involves a ten year old girl (Chihiro) who enters a magical world after her father accidentally takes a wrong turn. Magical adventures ensue. Miyazaki is also responsible for many more excellent films produced by Studio Ghibli. I hope you recognised the other films as all by Disney.

Answer: The Artist

Jean Dujardin won Best Actor and Michel Hazanavicious Best Director. The story takes place at the time when talkies were starting to take over from silent films and covers the impact of these changes on silent film star George Valentin and his protege Peppy Miller. Valentin plumbs the depths of poverty and despair before Peppy manages to save his life by persuading Zimmer, a talkie film producer, to use his talent for dance in the talkies.

Answer: Throne of Blood

Kurosawa's films are visually striking and often mesmerising - best experienced with subtitles rather than dubbing. The film is set in Japan with actors in traditional Samurai dress. In a memorable ending the ambitious murdering villain is shot to death by arrows Japanese style. "The Seven Samurai" inspired the Hollywood film "The Magnificent Seven".

Answer: The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo

Stieg Larsson died aged 50 in 2004. His novels were not published until after his death but became extremely popular around the world. In an unlikely pairing the lead character, a troubled girl punk and computer hacker Lisbeth Salander, is hired by a corporate CEO to spy on a journalist, and then helps the journalist (now also hired by the CEO) to unravel the mystery of the CEO's missing grandniece.

In the Swedish film the female lead was played by Noomi Rapace and in the American version Rooney Mara played her. Watch both to decide which you like best.