Only An Old Soul Can Name All These Classic Movies
- by Rhiannon-Skye Boden
- – on
- in Movies and TV
Every movie is special. Each one takes countless hours of work while working on the script while working on set, and then later in the editing room. With that said, there are some movies that stick around in the public imagination longer than others, either because they do incredibly well at the box office, or because they make an undeniable impression come awards season.
These movies can be remembered for their gorgeous cinematography, the sweeping and unforgettable score, or the pitch-perfect performance of each of the lead actors. Very occasionally, a movie can be remembered for all these things, and reach the coveted status of a classic.
The exact list of movies to have achieved this level of prestige is impossible to guess, but there is some agreement on which movies usually make the cut. Whether they are gorgeously tense thrillers, upbeat musicals, heart-wrenching dramas or life-affirming romances, these movies are agreed upon to be the very best of the best. This quiz is only for those who believe they have seen every movie out there that demands to be seen, and can identify them from the barest of clues.
Think that is easy? Then go ahead and begin!
What movie is this?
This movie is a 1961 romantic comedy starring Audrey Hepburn and George Peppard. It follows an eccentric socialite and her new neighbor, who is a struggling writer. The two have obvious chemistry, but are both involved with other people, and their shared lack of money makes them a bad match. Even once the money issue is resolved, the socialite's shallowness causes them both more problems. In the end though, she re-evaluates her life and realises who she truly loves, and the end is happy for everyone, even the cat. What movie is this?
What movie is this?
This movie is a 1964 musical starring Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke. It follows the story of a family, where the husband is a stern and always busy banker, and the mother is a kindly but flighty suffragette. The children, feeling neglected, write a letter outlining their dream nanny, who then shows up out of nowhere to look after them. The children are taught the value of both whimsy and sensibleness, and the parents, in turn, learn that it's their family that is the most important. There's also a chimney sweep. What movie is this?
What movie is this?
This movie is a 1981 action-adventure starring Harrison Ford. It follows an archaeologist who learns that enemy forces are searching for an ancient artefact, one that would grant them access to another legendary item, which would render them all invincible. To stop them, he attempts to find the artifact first, and has to team up with an old flame to do so. After battles in several different countries, he eventually isn't able to capture the artifact, but it turns out that the enemies are not exactly prepared to handle its power anyway. What movie is this?
What movie is this?
This movie is a 1963 film starring Rod Taylor and Tippy Hedren. It follows the story of a young socialite and a defense attorney, who start out as genuine rivals, but then become friends, and even begin to fall in love. As this happens, the town around them is descended on by a mysterious swarm of birds, which begin attacking people with no warning and no motivation. After their friends begin to pass away from the attacks, the two are forced to flee, and an explanation for the mystery is never given. What movie is this?
What movie is this?
This movie is a 1985 comedy drama, starring Emilio Estevez, Anthony Michael Hall, Judd Nelson, Molly Ringwald and Ally Sheedy. It follows five high school students from different cliques, who are all forced to spend a Saturday in detention together. Though at first they don't get along, they spend the day talking about their own lives and struggles, and the pressures they face as teenagers. In the end, they decide that they are not as different as they first thought, and four of them even fall in love. The question is: what movie is this?
What movie is this?
This movie is a 1975 thriller starring Roy Scheider, Richard Dreyfuss and Robert Shaw. It follows a police chief, a professional shark hunter and a marine biologist, as they attempt to track down an unusually large shark. The shark has been attacking members of a coastal town, but at first was dismissed there didn't want to be negative effects on the economy. Eventually, though the trio has no choice, as the huge creature has proved to be too much of a danger. In the end the shark is beaten, but not everybody makes it out of the water safely. What movie is this?
What movie is this?
This movie is a 1952 musical comedy, starring Debbie Reynolds, Gene Kelly and Donald O'Connor. It follows a handsome film actor and his comedic theatre partner, as the film studio they work at struggles to adapt to talking pictures. To ensure their new movie is a hit, they resolve to turn it into a musical, and ask a down on her luck theatre actress to lend her voice to the project. Hijinks ensue, many song and dance numbers are held, and in the end, the handsome film actor and beautiful stage actress fall in love. What movie is this?
What movie is this?
This movie is a 1939 family musical starring Judy Garland, as well as an ensemble cast. It follows a young farmer's daughter as she wonders what else is out there for her, and attempts to run away before being stopped by a twister. When she wakes up, she is in a new and fantastical world, and has inadvertently defeated a great villain. In order to get home she must make an unlikely group of friends, and face off against the new world's most well-known foe. In the end, she wakes up safely at home, not even sure if the whole thing was a dream. What movie is this?
What movie is this?
This movie is a 1939 historical romance and stars Vivien Leigh, Clark Gable, Leslie Howard and Olivia de Havilland. It follows the daughter of a plantation owner in her quest for love amidst the conflict happening in America in the 1800s. Across the story, she marries several people out of necessity, whilst constantly mining for her first love. She also must protect her family as it falls apart, helping to deliver children and keep her home from being taken from her. In the end, she learns that it is not her first love who is her true love, but it is too late. What movie is this?
What movie is this?
This movie is a 1960 psychological film starring Anthony Perkins, Janet Leigh, John Gavin and Vera Miles. It follows a young secretary who, after taking money from her boss to fund her wedding, is forced to stop at a small motel. The motel's owner seems kind enough, but his mother is quite controlling. Not only that, but the woman passes away in mysterious circumstances, and those who come to investigate her disappearance meet a similar fate. In the end it is revealed that the motel owner's mother is also no longer alive, and that the owner is much more dangerous than he at first seemed. What movie is this?
What movie is this?
This movie is a 1982 science fiction film starring Henry Thomas, Dee Wallace and Peter Coyote. It follows a young boy who discovers an alien in his tool shed, which had been left behind by his ship when government agents arrived on the scene. The alien soon befriends the boy, and they develop a psychic connection, which at first has hilarious consequences. However, as the alien makes plans to go home he falls ill, and so does the boy he is connected to. Thankfully they recover, and are forced to flee on bikes so that the alien can go home. What movie is this?
What movie is this?
This movie is a 1994 drama starring Tim Robbins, Morgan Freeman and Bob Gunton. It follows a falsely accused prisoner as he struggles to make life under lock and key more bearable for those around him, and slowly uses his expertise to gain the trust of the prison warden. When it becomes clear that he will never be allowed to prove his innocence, he is forced to find a way to escape, and to reunite much later with his loyal friend on the inside, when he too finally makes it out. The question is: what movie is this?
What movie is this?
This movie is a 1990 crime film starring Robert Di Nero. It follows a young man who has grown up within the confines of the mob, and is oblivious to the trouble it causes other people. As he moves up in the ranks, he becomes richer and more successful, but at a cost. When he makes a few small but careless mistakes, his plan to reach the top of the hierarchy unravels suddenly, and he is forced to confront the reality of his life: what it has done to him, and what it has done to others. What movie is this?
What movie is this?
This movie is a 1953 romantic comedy starring Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn. It follows a princess on a state visit to Rome, who grows annoyed with her restrictive schedule and decides to break away from her group. After falling asleep on a bench and spending the night at his apartment recover, the princess ends up being escorted around Rome by a journalist and his photographer. Initially they want to use the images for a story on the princess, but the journalist and princess slowly fall in love. In the end, they return the pictures to her, ensuring her Rome adventure secret is safe. What movie is this?
What movie is this?
This movie is a 1994 drama starring Uma Thurman, John Travolta and Samuel L. Jackson. It follows two hitmen, their boss and the boss' actress girlfriend. There is also a struggling boxer, a master fixer, and a pair of nervous robbers. The plot bounces around between them, blending comedy, action and thriller elements. Despite this, the main focus of the film is given over to monologues, in which the major characters debate various topics surrounding philosophy and the meaning of life. This film also includes a very famous dance sequence. The question is: what movie is this?
What movie is this?
This movie is a 1986 teen comedy starring Matthew Broderick. It follows a popular high schooler who decides to stay home from school, faking an illness using a series of elaborate strategies. He involves his girlfriend in the prank, as well as his hypochondriac best friend, and they also take his dad's car. After a series of increasingly high-stakes adventures, the highschooler makes it back in bed just in time for his parents to come home, and even his older sister in law ceases to be angry at the deception. What movie is this?
What movie is this?
This movie is a 1972 crime film starring Marlon Brando and Al Pacino. The story spans a decade, and chronicles life in a powerful and well-connected family of mobsters. In particular, it shows the journey of one man, who goes from reluctant outsider in this world to an uncompromising boss and frightening villain in his own right. The movie was nominated for seven awards at the golden globes, of which it won five, as well as eleven awards at the academy awards, of which it won three. The question is: what movie is this?
What movie is this?
This film is a 1947 comedy drama starring Maureen O'Hara and John Payne. It follows a man who claims to be the real Santa Claus, and is accepted until a turning point changes the city's love of him to change to suspicion. As a result, the real or not Santa Claus is forced to undergo a court case to determine whether or not he is delusional, and whether or not Santa is real. At the same time, a cynical child must learn what the true meaning of Christmas is all about. The question is: what movie is this?
What movie is this?
This movie is a 1965 musical, starring Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer. It follows a kind-hearted but scatterbrained nun, who is assigned to be the nanny for a family of seven children. Once their, the nun discovers that the mother has passed away, and the father is very stern. Determined to bring joy back into the house, she teaches the children to sing and play music, a decision the father grows to love. Over time, the nun discovers she is falling for the father, and must choose between her old life and new one. What movie is this?
What movie is this?
This movie is a 1968 science fiction film starring David Bowman. It flashes back in time to show the evolution of life on Earth, which is interrupted by a strange object from another world. The object shows up again in the present day, and a group of astronauts are sent on a mission to Jupiter. The mission goes sour when the spaceship's AI appears to become self-aware, and takes the ship on a path of its own making. The last surviving astronaut makes contact with the object, and is shown his entire life up until that point, where he regresses into a star child that watches over the Earth. What movie is this?
What movie is this?
This movie is a 1942 romantic drama starring Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman and Paul Henreid. It follows a club owner whose world is upside down when an old flame shows up at his club, with her husband in tow. The husband is a famed rebel, and needs to get out of the country in order to continue his work. The club owner has papers that would allow them both to do this but is hesitant due to his bitterness towards his old love. In the end though, all is explained, all is understood, and everyone gets what they need, if not what they want. What movie is this?
What movie is this?
This movie is a 1964 musical drama starring Audrey Hepburn and Rex Harrison. It follows a down on her luck flower girl, who is approached by a wealthy speech expert. The speech expert bets that he can teach her to speak properly, and even pass her off as someone of noble birth. She agrees to live with him and train and, despite a few slip-ups, does begin to fool the world around her. In the process, she even falls in love, with a man who loves both her new self and the person she has become. What movie is this?
What movie is this?
This movie is a 1944 musical, starring Judy Garland and Margaret O'Brien. It follows a family of sisters, with the oldest two looking to get married. The oldest has a crush on the boy next door, but her chances at romance seem dim when they first meet, since she wears the same perfume as his grandma. They finally fall in love after he saves her little sister from a dangerous prank, but their romance is threatened again by the family's imminent move to New York. Meanwhile, the oldest daughter eagerly awaits her own proposal. What movie is this?
What movie is this?
This movie is a 1959 romantic comedy, starring Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon. It follows the lead singer of an all-female jazz group, and two men who dress in drag in order to become part of the troupe. The men are on the run after accidentally witnessing crimes committed by the mafia, and they struggle to remember that they cannot fall in love with the beautiful singer, since she thinks that they're girls too. Hijinks of course ensue, and one of the men even has a wealthy millionaire fall in love with him, as a woman. What movie is this?
What movie is this?
This movie is a 1941 mystery drama starring Joseph Cotten and Dorothy Comingore. It follows a young journalist, struggling to the decipher the life and legacy of an elderly newspaper magnate. Through interviews with his past partners and work colleagues, he slowly builds a picture of a man who began in poverty, but slowly worked his way up to great prominence. Despite all his research, the journalist realises he may never unravel the mystery of the man's last words, although the audience are let into the secret at the very end of the movie. What film is this?
What movie is this?
This movie is a 1951 drama starring Vivien Leigh and Marlon Brando. It follows a school teacher who, having fallen upon hard times, moves in with her estranged sister and her husband. Though they are first sympathetic to her plight, they soon find out that she has been lying about her past, a truth she is trying to keep from her new love interest. At the same time, the sister's marriage becomes more and more volatile and unsafe, although the wife seems happy to stay with her dangerous husband. In the end, the woman is taken away, believed to be delusional, while the husband stays. What movie is this?
What movie is this?
This movie is a 1946 Frank Capras, James Stewart and Donna Reed. The film follows the life of a kind and generous man who, at several points in his life, has put others before himself. However, due to a series of mistakes out of his control, the man is forced to take the fall and be sentenced to jail time. He attempts to end his life in response, but is stopped by a man claiming to be his guardian angel. Disbelieving, the man says he wishes he had never been born, and is shown a timeline in which he wasn't. What movie is this?
What movie is this?
This movie is a 1935 musical comedy starring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. It follows a dancer who has arrived in a new country to star in a show produced by his friend, but is soon distracted trying to win the affections of the woman staying in the hotel rooms below him. It begins to work, but, in an unlikely set of misunderstandings, the woman believes the dancer to be the husband of her best friend. This leads her to be angry at his behaviour and refuse to talk to him, until the situation is cleared up and the two fall in love. What movie is this?
What movie is this?
This movie is a 1958 noir starring James Stewart and Kim Novak. The film follows a former police detective who was forced into early retirement, after developing an extreme fear of heights and also a false sense of rotation whenever he looked down. He is hired as a private investigator by a friend, to get to the bottom of his wife's strange behaviour. During his observation, the two get to know each other, but she tragically passes away. As the film progresses, it is revealed that the circumstances surrounding her passing are not what they seem. What movie is this?
What movie is this?
This film is a 1964 satirical film starring Peter Sellers and George C. Scott. It follows an army general who orders a first strike on a rival country. It follows the leader of the country, as well as several important advisors, as they struggle to recall the order. Separately, we follow the pilots who are tasked with delivering the payload as they try to complete their mission in time. The film is darkly comedic, and was directed by Stanley Kubrick. The question is: what movie is this?
What movie is this?
This movie is a 1964 spy movie starring Sean Connery. It follows a high-level spy as he investigates a famous gold magnate, who soon turns out to be a gold smuggler. Not only that, but the magnate has a plan to contaminate the bullion depository of the country. The plot is foiled, in part thanks to the spy falling in love with the villain's assistant, but many twists and turns ensure that the mission is never easy. In the end, both the spy and the villain's assistant escape safely, while the villain himself is not so lucky. What movie is this?
What movie is this?
This film is a 1938 comedy film starring Katherine Hepburn and Cary Grant. It follows an eccentric and scatterbrained heiress who is unfazed by logic, and a grounded palaeontologist who is about to get married. Due to a series of unlikely situations, the palaeontologist is forced to train the heiress' new pet leopard, and the two spend a day together. His connection to the heiress soon makes his bride-to-be reconsider, and he hurries back to the museum to work on his dinosaur reconstruction. The heiress shows up to declare her love with the final missing piece. What movie is this?
What movie is this?
This film is a 1945 musical comedy starring Frank Sinatra, Kathryn Grayson, and Gene Kelly. It follows two Navy officers on leave from the ship, one a self-professed dating expert, and another looking to learn about love. While on shore, they meet a beautiful aspiring singer, and lie about their Hollywood connections in order to gain her affection. This is all to teach the shy officer about women, but instead, it's the dating expert for falls for her. In the end, the two live happily ever after, while the shy officer learns that music is the key to his confidence. What movie is this?
What movie is this?
This movie is a 1962 psychological thriller starring Bette Davis and Joan Crawford. It follows two sisters, one a former Hollywood actress, and one an ageing child star, living together in an old Hollywood mansion. The former Hollywood actress is now disabled and unable to walk, and she is stopped from leaving the house by her sister. As the child star's behaviour becomes more and more erratic, her sister tries again and again to escape the house, and more people are drawn into the chaos. In the end though, it is revealed that the child star is not the only one whose behaviour has been less than honourable. What movie is this?
What movie is this?
This movie is a 1950 drama starring Bette Davis, Anne Baxter, George Channing and Celeste Holm. The film follows a beloved but ageing Hollywood star, and a young besotted fan. Over time, the fan works her way further into the star's inner circle, until the star begins to mistrust her motives. Later, when the young fan has become her understudy and is a rising star in her own right, it is revealed that the backstory she explained is entirely false. Not only that, but she has her own young fan, who behind the scenes is just as manipulative. What movie is this?