Sunday, March 10, 2013

159 Quiz Answer

The answer this week is “North by Northwest.” a Cary Grant film directed by Alfred Hitchcock.  The screenplay was written by Ernest Lehman, who wanted to write "the Hitchcock picture to end all Hitchcock pictures."


(Also for Three-Word Wednesday and ABC Wednesday: "I" is for "Ike")
Here’s this week’s Berownial quiz question. 

I wrote the following little scenelet, basing it - loosely - on a very popular motion picture. Your assignment, should you choose to accept it, is: name the movie.

“Morning!  You’re the crop duster?”

“Right.  The agency sent me.  My name is Ike Barnes and I’m from Muleshoe, Texas; I’ve been spraying since I was 19.  Out there on the runway is my plane, an Air Tractor 802A.  I usually spray corn, cotton, pumpkins and potatoes.”

“Great.  That would make quite a lunch.  Except maybe for the cotton.”

“You say you got work for me?”

“Right.  We need a very experienced crop duster for a special assignment.  We’ll pay double what you usually get for a job.  You’ll do what you always do in your work and we’ll be shooting film of you.”

“I’ll be in the movies?”

“That’s right, and with a famous director.”

“Man, I’m getting excited.”

“We’re going to have a guy standing alone on a road out in a vast wilderness; no one else is around.  Your job will be to fly at him, very careful and low, low as you can get, and the preservation instinct will cause him to drop down flat on the ground so you can’t hit him.”

“Wait a minute.  That sounds dangerous.”

“For him, not for you.  He’ll be an actor so we can easily get another one if we need to.”

“This is sure a strange kind of crop dusting.”

“The guy will than run into a corn field where he can hide in the corn stalks.  You then swoop back and this time spray some pesticide on him.”

“What!?  That’s it, I quit!  I could use the money, but I don’t want to wind up in jail!”

“It won’t be real pesticide, Ike.  It’ll be fake.  In fact, it’ll be water.”

“Oh.”

“And that’s all there is to it.  We’ll probably shoot the scene a couple of times to be sure there are no mistakes.  Then it will be hugs all around and you can pick up your check and get back to your pumpkins and potatoes.”

(Also submitted to Sunday Scribblings)

51 comments:

Heidi said...

good morning! I love "North by Nortwest"

http://howtobecomeacatladywithoutthecats.blogspot.com said...

Hitchcock, North by Northwest?

Tess Kincaid said...

North by Northwest...

Altonian said...

I got this one at the first mention of crop-dusting. What else could it be but: North by North West? Great film, another of my favourites.

DCW said...

North by Northwest?

The Blog of Bee said...

North by Northwest

Berowne said...

Dear Readership: A few weeks ago Tess Kincaid gave me a real dressing-down - you know how her eyes flash when she's angry - saying I made the quiz questions too tough. Well, this week the question doesn't seem to be tough at all. We just started and we already have the correct answer from Bee's Blog, DCW, Altonian, Tess K herself, Paula Wooters and Heidi. Hold on; we're in for a wild crop-dusting ride!

Jae Rose said...

I think i will be on the not quite there list..but i love the scene anyway..i can picture it..just can't think of anything i have watched that fits the bill..i await the answer..

The Blog of Bee said...

Yikes! Dust away!

Tess Kincaid said...

Do my eyes really do that?

Berowne said...

Among other things... :-)

Little Nell said...

That'll be North by Northwest then, even without a Sat Nav :)

Berowne said...

Flash. Little Nell has just joined our jovial group of correct-answerers.

naturgesetz said...

If memory serves, that scene is from "North by Northwest."

Berowne said...

naturgesetz came up, as naturgesetz usually does, with the correct answer.

Silent Otto said...

The Wild Geese

Kathe W. said...

Northwest by Northwest with Cary Grant? I can close my eyes and still see that scene!

Theresa Milstein said...

I'm so bad at these!

George S Batty said...

Old Grizz will take a shot at "The Aviator" starring DiCaprio

Berowne said...

The latest blogger with the right answer is Kathe W - congratulations.

Anonymous said...

OH! I'm not sure but it sounds like a movie I loved to watch. When I was a child it was television all the time. I can't quite remember the name of the film, but I'm fairly certain Cary Grant was in it. Is it North by Northwest?

Roger Owen Green said...

The only cropdusting movie I know is North by Northwest

Berowne said...

Roger Owen Green and John have each come up with the correct answer. Congrats, both...

Susan Lindquist said...

Cary Grant/Alfred Hitchcock what was that movie ??? Ummmmm... North by Northwest?

PS - Thank you for your kind observations on my less than stellar fast write!

George S Batty said...

curses...foiled again...

Berowne said...

Another winner; Susan Lindquist has provided us with the right answer.

Susan Anderson said...

Is it that old Cary Grant movie, North by Northwest?

=)

Lyn said...

How many fav movies can I have? "North by Northwest"? I'm fickle....

Anonymous said...

Just wanted to say thanks for reading my poem and leaving me a comment. I know very little about movies, so can't offer much comment on your blog. But appreciate your visit and read.

Berowne said...

Lyn and Sue - or was it Sue and Lyn? - both have provided the correct answer.

Sharp Little Pencil said...

Berowne, this movie is so good, we own the DVD! Hitchcock, Cary Grant, and some blonde (!) in "North by Northwest." The minute you said "cropduster," I figured it was either that or "Independence Day," with Randy Quaid as the drunk dad who dusts crops and ends up the hero of the movie... Thanks! Amy
http://sharplittlepencil.com/2013/03/11/goosebumps/

hyperCRYPTICal said...

I could see the image in my mind, knew it was Hitchcock - but had to google the answer - North by Northwest.

Anna :o]

Berowne said...

Folks keep coming up with the right answer, I'm happy to say. HyperCRYPTICal and Sharp Little Pencil are the two latest. Who's next?

Leslie: said...

Charley Varrick?

Reader Wil said...

Hi! Nice and funny story! I haven't seen many movies with Gary Grant, but this looks like "North by Northwest". Well, anyway thanks for the quiz! It's fun to find the answer or look for it.

21 Wits said...

North By Northwest !!!! The part that gave it away first was the drop down flat! Cary Grant was perfect!

Berowne said...

Two new additions to the list of those with the right answer: ReaderWil and Karen S.

Kate said...

These quizzes always stump me;I keep thinking of Howard Hughes, but probably no connection. Guess I'll just have to wait for the correct answer. Kate, ABC Team

Other Mary said...

Casablanca? Wait, no - that was the last one I got right. I may need to go to the movies a bit more often.

Melanie said...

He'd be aiming for Cary Grant. North by Northwest, right?

Sheilagh Lee said...

I thought North by North West just because they buzzed the man.

Berowne said...

Flash. Sheilagh Lee and Melanie have just joined the august group - not easy in March - of bloggers who know the right answer.

Berowne said...

As usual, the correct answer will be posted on Thursday, tomorrow.

LOLfromPasa said...

I'm hooked! So entertaining. When I was reading your smashing tale, North By Northwest came to mind.

Old Egg said...

Sounds a bit like "North by North West" with Cary Grant.

Berowne said...

Two more with the correct answer: oldegg and LOLfromPasa

Sheilagh Lee said...

one of my fav movies I own a copy of that one.

Lady In Read said...

:) North by Northwest it is :) love Hitchcock..

Berowne said...

Lady in Read is another with the right answer.

Pratibha said...

I never know the answer but i always enjoy the scenes :)

Berowne said...

A fine comment, greatly appreciated.

 
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