Movie Trivia

[DownGoesFrazier]

Wild guess---Maggie Smih and Michael Caine?

[lavenderblue19]

Thanks for the guess, but these 2 pre-date those 2.

[DownGoesFrazier]

Greer Garson and Peter Ustinov?

[lavenderblue19]

Good guess, you're 1/2 right.

[thestick]

Greer Garson and George Sanders, if I'm right someone else can take the thread.

[lavenderblue19]

Yes, Greer Garson was a secretary in an advertising agency and George Sanders worked there. He had tried his hand at different jobs and wasn't happy. Ms. Garson suggested that he try acting.Of course she went on to win her Oscar for *Mrs. Miniver* , and George Sanders his Best Support Oscar for *All about Eve* . Two greats. Since stick doesn't want the thread, Finance, you did half the work answering, you should have the thread. If not stick said to leave it Open.

[DownGoesFrazier]

This distinguished director had so much conflict with his male star in the shooting of the director's last film that he made no more films. He died a couple years later, and many said that the actor had "killed" him. Director? Film? Actor?

 

Edited by: finance on Dec 12, 2011 3:28 PM

[DownGoesFrazier]

No. Capra didn't die a couple years after POCKETFUL.

 

This all happened in the '60s, though.

[DownGoesFrazier]

The movie in question was a little bit later than POCKETFUL.

[DownGoesFrazier]

Hint: The director in question directed a major film starring an actor who plays a prominent role in this forum.

[DownGoesFrazier]

Another hint: The actor in question made an auspicious film debut in a well-known film, then starred in a number of bombs in a row, before being closely associated with a landmark film which made him a legend.

[allaboutlana]

I have been working on this.

 

Would you say the director is a major director? (Every director I've found dies much later from their last film, with few exceptions, such as Curtiz, who had cancer while filming his last.)

 

Aldso, been trying actors who were difficult to work with, but found nothing substantial, like with Mitchum, Brando, or were method actors like Clift, Newman.

 

I had thought of Ford and Capra right away after reading first post, but knew Capra died much later.

 

Any response, or answer about the director? Does it sound like I'm in the right vicinity?

 

Edited by: allaboutlana on Dec 14, 2011 10:11 AM

[lavenderblue19]

This is just a guess, I don't have info to back it up. Nicholas Ray and Charlton Heston? *55 Days at Peking* .The only thing I know about this is that it was Ray's last film he directed, he had a heart attack shortly afterwards and the film was fraught with problems. As far as Heston and Ray go, I don't know anything about how they got along, but I can't imagine those 2 would have much in common, except for Hollywood careers. ???

 

Edited by: lavenderblue19 on Dec 14, 2011 1:59 PM

[DownGoesFrazier]

Good guess, but I don't think anyone ever suggested that Heston had killed Ray. Look at all my clues, and here is another.

 

In the "landmark" film (mentioned in a previous clue) that this actor was associated with, he did more than just act.

[cujas]

Glenn Ford did Frank Capra in with *A Pocketful of Miracles*--so that he never made another movie. But I don't know if that's what the famed director died from.

[DownGoesFrazier]

That guess has already been made, and Capra died many years later. Look at the several very specific clues, and they should narrow it down to only one possible answer.

[allaboutlana]

Beatty made his debut in *Splendor in the Grass* in 1961. Beatty made *Lilith*, with Robert Rossen, the director, cowriter, and producer in 1964, which was Rossen's last picture. He dies in 1966. In 1967 Beatty stars in and produces *Bonnie and Clyde*. Correct? Not sure, but this is the closest thing I've found that resembles your clues, despite the fact Rossen was already in bad health during the making of *Lilith.*

 

Edited by: allaboutlana on Dec 14, 2011 4:32 PM

[DownGoesFrazier]

Good work, Lana. Beatty was in nothing but bombs between SPLENDOR IN THE GRASS and BONNIE AND CLYDE. Your thread.

[allaboutlana]

{font:Times New Roman}Thanks. I was about to open the thread, as I didn't have anything, but I came up with this: (revised)

 

This Oscar-winning director directed over 100 films, starting out in silent short films. He also made over 110 acting appearances in films, primarily in silent short films and silent feature films. His last acting appearance was as himself in an uncredited cameo for a film made in the late 1950s which has been on TCM several times lately, I believe, and by the way is a bio-pic. (This film was directed by someone else.) He died five years after that film. Some of the leading actors in the films he directed were Spencer Tracy, Gary Cooper, and Charles Boyer. Name the Oscar-winning director and the last film he acted in (as himself), which was, again, made in the late 1950s.{font}

 

Edited by: allaboutlana on Dec 15, 2011 9:07 PM

[DownGoesFrazier]

Guessing Frank Borzage

[allaboutlana]

I was just going to tell the answer and open the thread, but you are correct. He made a cameo in Jeanne Engels. Your turn.

[DownGoesFrazier]

This well-known actor made his film debut in the film version of a play written by a particular playwright. The same actor had made an earlier Broadway debut in another play written by the same playwright. Actor? Playwright? Title of film and play? Title of other play?

[DownGoesFrazier]

Hint: The playwright was one of America's most famous, in the '50s and '60s.

[DownGoesFrazier]

.....and it's not Arthur Miller.

[lavenderblue19]

I'm taking a guess, no research.

 

Tennessee Williams. Rip Torn was in *Baby Doll* film and it was his film debut, then he was in the film and Broadway version of *Sweet Bird Of Youth* ????