So, here was our Unseemly Trivia Contest question:
It was one of the most extraordinary theatrical seasons ever – producing classic plays and musicals. In this season, no less than fourteen plays and musicals would eventually be turned into motion pictures. And, one play was actually adapted from a novel which had, just a couple of years earlier, been turned into a hugely popular film, a film that was ultimately remade two times. One of the remakes had a different title than the original film, and the other retained the title of the original film. However, the title of the original novel was completely different to all the film versions, while the title of the play was completely different than all of the above. Two other plays had incidental music by famous theater music composers. Of the musicals, only one musical’s star would go on to repeat their performance in the film version. One play with two high-wattage stars would come to the screen with two completely different high-wattage stars.
So – the following questions all have to do with plays and musicals turned into films:
Name the fourteen plays that became films.
Name the play adapted from a novel that had, just a couple of years earlier, been turned into a hugely popular film. Name the original film, name the different title of one of its remakes, and name the novel’s title.
Name the two plays that had incidental music by two famous theater music composers and name the composers.
Name the musical and the star who was the only one that season to repeat their role in the film version.
Name the play with two high-wattage stars and name the two high-wattage stars who eventually did the film version.
And I'm happy to say this question stumped everyone - in fact, we only had one guess and it was from someone who never guesses - der Brucer - it was a noble guess, but not all the answers fit. And now, here are the answers you've all been waiting for:
West Side Story, Look Back In Anger, Miss Lonelyhearts, Romanoff and Juliet, Compulsion, The Dark At The Top Of The Stairs, The Music Man, Two For The Seesaw, Sunrise At Campobello, The Entertainer, Blue Denim, Who Was That Lady I Saw You With, The Waltz Of The Toreadors, The Visit.
Monique/Diabolique/Reflections Of Murder/The Woman Who Was No More
Miss Lonelyhearts (Jule Styne), Compulsion (Cy Coleman)
The Music Man/Robert Preston
Two For The Seesaw/Henry Fonda and Anne Bancroft/Robert Mitchum and Shirley MacLaine.
And there you have it. So happy to have stumped everyone, for once.