Everyone knows that the greatest spoof of experimental poetry in the history of movies is in Stanley Kubrick's "The Shining." It's when Shelley Duval leafs through the writing her husband (Jack Nicholson, left) has been doing ever since their arrival in the desolate, out-of-season, haunted resort -- and discovers that it consists entirely of one sentence, repeated page after page after page: All work and no play make Jack a dull boy.
There is another instance in film history in which this line figures. A character in a position of high authority, struggling to motivate tired, overworked men in horrible conditions, speaks these words in heavily-accented English trying to sound a jolly note. He has just announced a day off for all. At predictable intervals he tells people to "work and be happy."
OK. 1 & 2 Who is the character and who plays him in what movie?
3 Who are the lead actors?
4 Who wrote the music?
5 What old military march did the director appropriate?
6. What is the last word in the movie and by whom is it spoken?
-- DL
Since the answers are given in the comments, why don't we add a great big clue right here:
1/2. The character is Colonel Saito, played by Sessue Hayakawa. The movie is "The Bridge on the River Kwai."
3.The lead actors are Alec Guinness and William Holden.
4. Music by Kenneth Alford
5. Who appropriated "Colonel Bogey March."
6. The last words are "Kill him!" spoken by William Holden's character. At which point, Alec Guinness is shot, staggers a few feet, and falls on the detonator - the bridge is destroyed and the train crashes into the river.
Posted by: Laura Orem | July 23, 2009 at 05:53 PM
Fantastic, LO. You got everything right -- except that the studiously neutral James Donald gets the final word, which is "Madness," after the destruction of bridge and train and the deaths of our leading actors. Are you sure Alford wrote the music? I thought it was Maurice Jarre. Will look it up.
Posted by: DL | July 23, 2009 at 08:53 PM
William Alford wrote the "Colonel Bogey March" in 1914. It was combined with a counter-theme and new music by the film's musical director, Malcolm Arnold. How about that!
Posted by: DL | July 23, 2009 at 08:57 PM
One day, I'll get ALL of the quiz right.
We used to have a mynah bird, who could whistle the theme song to this. He also could do a fabulous imitation of a Hollywood scream of a soldier getting killed - both of which he picked up on his own from the movie being on TV.
Posted by: Laura Orem | July 23, 2009 at 09:05 PM