Jean Brodie Quiz

Time for another quiz from Dennis Cozzalio - this one Miss Jean Brodie’s Modestly Magnificent, Matriarchally Manipulative Springtime-For-Mussolini Movie Quiz. I have managed to finish it in record time, I think! only 2 days since it was posted! I feel so proud.

1) The classic movie moment everyone loves except me is:

A: This is one of those questions that I will be able to answer 3 months from now when someone will say how much they love that scene in X, and I will think, Christ, that is a stupid scene, and then I will remember this quiz and say, I wish I had remembered that back in March. but I don't remember it now, so I have to let this one go.

2) Favorite line of dialogue from a film noir

A: There are lots of famous lines - though the one that seems to me to get the essence of noir is the last line in the Killing - “what’s the difference?” Hayden's delivery is part of it, obviously.

3) Second favorite Hal Ashby film

A: Shampoo (Harold and Maude is number 1)

4) Describe the moment when you first realized movies were directed as opposed to simply pieced together anonymously. *

A: There might be two answers here. One might not be what you are asking - I because an auteurist because of Howard Hawks. I noticed that he had directed a number of completely different films I loved - Bringing up Baby, Scarface, The Big Sleep, Red River - and thought - you know, these films have nothing obvious in common, but they all play alike - how does that work?.... The other is a bit strange: I believe it is true that I made a film before I had ever actually seen one. It’s not quite literally true, even in the narrow sense of seeing a film as film, projected - I saw home movies and 8 and 16 mm films in school and church and what not. But commercially, I did not go to the movies - but I made one, in early high school, along with my Sunday school class - a Christmas film. I played Joseph. 8 mm with post synch sound (which didn’t work too well because the tape player had a dying battery.) So - my point being - I knew more about how films were made (at a pretty basic, crude level) before I had seen enough films to have any other ideas about them.

5) Favorite film book

A: David Bordwell’s Ozu book

6) Diana Sands or Vonetta McGee

A: Vonetta McKee

7) Most egregious gap in your viewing of films made in the past 10 years

A: Given my loyalty to Hong Kong films in the 90s, I find it very troubling that I have seen so few in the 00s and 10s. 2-3 Johnny To films is about it - which itself is very disappointing to me..

8) Favorite line of dialogue from a comedy

A: This is a very tough one, but I might as well go to the top: “Gentlemen, Chicolini here may talk like an idiot, and look like an idiot, but don't let that fool you: he really is an idiot.”

9) Second favorite Lloyd Bacon film

A: Footlight Parade (after 42nd Street, of course)

10) Richard Burton or Roger Livesey

A: Burton

11) Is there a movie you staunchly refuse to consider seeing? If so, why?

A: There are no lack of them - it would take an act of god to get me to watch any of the 50 million superhero films that come out every month, just to name one current trend I want no part of.

12) Favorite filmmaker collaboration

A: I'm going with Tabu, Flaherty and Murnau.

13) Most recently viewed movie on DVD/Blu-ray/theatrical?

A: DVD is Creation, the Paul Betany Darwin movie. Now that I think about it. Theatrically, it’s been a Chilean weekend, as I saw Night Across the Street yesterday and No today.

14) Favorite line of dialogue from a horror movie

A: As a line - “are we not men?” - takes the prize - the whole sequence maybe. “What is the law?” I’m afraid a lot of the things that come to mind for horror films are really comedy lines - Herbert West’s “You’re not even a second rate scientist!” or Dwight Frye’s delivery of “It’s a very fresh one!” Though I suppose Karloff’s “We belong dead!” would be another strong contender.

15) Second favorite Oliver Stone film

A: Probably Salvador. (After Platoon.) I don’t really like Oliver Stone.

16) Eva Mendes or Raquel Welch

A: Raquel Welch.

17) Favorite religious satire

A: Life of Brian is the runaway winner.

18) Best Internet movie argument? (question contributed by Tom Block)

A: The good ones tend to be over films or filmmakers - working out differences between the good and the great, usually. Someone upthread mentioned arguing about the Thin Red Line - I was in some of those; and Magnolia; and since then, you get the same thing, directly or indirectly, over various films and directors - Malick, Lynch, Anderson and Anderson, Tarantino seem to be frequent subjects for debate. Usually fairly informative and engaging. More general topics tend not to be quite so edifying.

19) Most pointless Internet movie argument? (question contributed by Tom Block)

A: every couple years I seem to run into another argument about auteurism. No thanks! (Not that I have ever been able to not have an opinion.)

20) Charles McGraw or Robert Ryan

A: Robert Ryan

21) Favorite line of dialogue from a western

A: “When you have to shoot, shoot. Don't talk.”

22) Second favorite Roy Del Ruth film

A: Employee’s Entrance (after Blessed Event) - hey, maybe “go ahead, shoot! What are you, yellow?” ought to be my favorite line. Warren William is a good one. (But yes, Lee Tracy is better.)

23) Relatively unknown Film or filmmaker you’d most eagerly proselytize for

A: Well, let’s just say Blessed Event and leave it at that.

24) Ewan McGregor or Gerard Butler

A: Ewan McGregor

25) Is there such a thing as a perfect movie?

A: Rushmore?

26) Favorite movie location you’ve most recently had the occasion to actually visit *

A: I saw Rubberneck last week - saw it at the Brattle - I can. There is also a scene at Kendall station. Though this whole thing might be a bit odd, since a couple scenes in Mystic River were shot in the building where I work, so - you know, every day.

27) Second favorite Delmer Daves film

A: Dark Passage. (After 3:10 to Yuma)

28) Name the one DVD commentary you wish you could hear that, for whatever reason, doesn't actually exist

A: the Marx Brothers’ commentary on Duck Soup?

29) Gloria Grahame or Marie Windsor

A: Grahame, isn’t it? She is something.

30) Name a filmmaker who never really lived up to the potential suggested by their early acclaim or success

A: David Gordon Green is an obvious example; there might be better, but he is the obvious one.

31) Is there a movie-based disagreement serious enough that it might cause you to reevaluate the basis of a romantic relationship or a friendship? *

A: I am not sure I can think of anything. I’m pretty forgiving.