Cathy and her friends have gone to their school's quiz night, for a laugh. The phone has rung several times this evening concerning a "famous movies" question - a set of pictures, with the task "name the film".
Q Mum, what's Robert Redford's most famous film?
A The Great Gatsby?
Q No, don't think it's that. Any others?
A Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid?
Q No, it is after they invented phones....he's got a phone in his hand and a suit.
A [Thinks, obvious, why didn't she say?] The Sting.
We have also been questioned on: "number 13 and 14 winning a race" [Chariots of Fire]; Clint Eastwood looking young in army uniform [Where Eagles Dare]; "man in moustache with a plastic arm" [Dr Strangelove]; some famous old actor next to a car......very famous.....think his name is James someone [Rebel Without a Cause]; and Tom Cruise with long hair and a moustache [Born on the 4th of July - which I haven't seen, but have seen the publicity shots].
There were quite a few more in this ilk but these are the highlights. I don't know yet how I did but having "old" (my era) movies described by a gaggle of uncomprehending sixteen year olds was probably better than actually being there.
It does sound hilariously good in absentia!
Hmmm, I am wondering whether Redford is not "All the President's Men"...
Posted by: Jenny Davidson | 01 December 2007 at 22:31
Except for the suit. I think Redford and Hoffman were busy looking like unkempt reporters in "All the President's Men."
Could have been "The Way We Were," too. Please, I hope I don't get that awful Streisand song stuck in my head again now that I've said the fatal title.
[Uh-oh; that music is cueing up, and now Barb's voice -- "...misty water-colored memories...of the way we were. Scattered PICTURES of the smiles we LEFT behind...."]
Halp!
Posted by: Susan Balée | 02 December 2007 at 04:14
Yes, that sure was a classic "weepie"!
Posted by: Maxine | 02 December 2007 at 19:50
Mobile phones allowed at quizzes? Sounds like cheating. Harumph. In any case, in my day, it was a lot harder to hide a dovecote, or a gaggle of small boys with cleft sticks.
Posted by: Henry Gee | 03 December 2007 at 05:19
I must be really old the phrase classic "weepie" made me think of Greer Garson in Random Harvest, and Good Bye Mr Chips.
Those would really have tested those 16 year olds!
Posted by: Norm | 03 December 2007 at 09:00
Yes, indeed, Norm and Henry, between you, you have put your fingers on it - some quiz organiser knew 16 year olds would be stumped by "old" (our era) movies; but did not think that the moral values would be such that they are! (More likely is that they try to get a lot of parents along to these things and the questions were aimed at them. I was banned from actual presence, of course, though I was useful at a remote distance, I think.)
Posted by: Maxine | 03 December 2007 at 15:10