Sunday, February 17, 2013

156 Quiz Answer

The answer this week is “Tootsie.”  This movie, though a riotous comedy, had a deeper meaning.  A farce with strong social comment, it was also an attack on sexism; in a way it has become sort of an unofficial landmark of the feminist movement.  The U S Library of Congress deemed the motion picture "culturally significant" and selected it for preservation in the National Film Registry.


It was quite a film; it had ten Academy Award nominations and it was the second highest grossing movie after “ET, the Extra-Terrestrial.”

My thanks to all who participated.


(Also for Three-Word Wednesday and ABC Wednesday: "F" is for "Frank")
Here's this week's Berownial quiz.  I wrote the following little scenelet, basing it on a popular motion picture.  Your assignment, should you choose to accept it, is: name the movie.

"I thought if we could sit down and talk, we could work this out together."
"Work what out?  Your actor was fired, canned, tossed off the set.  There's nothing to ponder over.  I can see you're upset; your fifteen percent as his agent was just heaved out the window with him."
"I just want to be sure that you are entirely aware of Frank's caliber.  He is one of the finest actors of this generation."
"Yeah, on the stage.  He is a theatre actor.  He won a Tony Award and all that."
"Actually, he won two Tonys."
"That's the ticket.  No question he's a good stage actor, yada yada, but what I do here is, I make TV commercials.  Frank was hired to appear in a commercial for Suncrest Salad Dressing.  In fact, he was going to star in it."
"That's why this is so important.  They plan to run that commercial for a year.  The salary and residuals would amount to a considerable sum."
"Which would mean a considerable sum for his agent."
"Well, we should leave me out of this.  In any event, we are willing to negotiate a percentage of the total sum in order to bring this to a valid close."
"You don't listen good, do you?  It has been brought to a close and your boy has been fired.  He doesn't get any pay, zero - fifteen percent of which belongs to you."
"We would hate to have to take this to the union."
"Take it to the union.  Take it to the United Nations!  If the guy won't do what the director tells him to do, he's out.  Period."
"But what if the director is wrong?  It happens that a top actor like Frank knows better than any TV-commercial director what's right and what's not."
"That's crazy.  He wasn't hired for his expertise as a theatrical genius.  He was hired to play a tomato in a salad-dressing commercial!"
"And he can play a tomato better than any other actor in the country!"
"But he's no use to us if he won't take direction.  The director told him to sit down and he refused.  You know what he said?  'A tomato doesn't sit down!'"
"Well, you've got to admit he was right.  A seated tomato is a contradiction in terms."
"Another contradiction in terms is an actor who refuses to take direction and nevertheless expects to be paid!"


(Also submitted to Sunday Scribblings)


43 comments:

Jae Rose said...

Jerry Maguire? But was he an actor? the tomato line made me chuckle though..thank you..

Gail said...

I watch very few movies but an interesting read.

Laurie Kolp said...

Was it a Tom Cruise movie?

Roger Owen Green said...

Boy, it sounds like Orson Welles' actual making of a commercial about peas.

Berowne said...

Laurie K: "Was it a Tom Cruise movie?"
For better or worse, no. :-)

Kathe W. said...

yow- I am stumped- great tomato line!

Laurie Kolp said...

hmm...

ninotaziz said...

At 4.00am on Monday, this escapes me, but just. I will come back later to work on this again.

Tess Kincaid said...

Withnail and I? Your quizzes are tough, Mr. B...

Anonymous said...

TOOTSIE, babe, and don't try to tell me that's the wrong answer.

George S Batty said...

can't do it but enjoyed the story...very comical

Berowne said...

Tess K: "Your quizzes are tough, Mr. B."
Not deliberately, Tess. I never know in advance which will get a nicely positive response and which will evidently puzzle people. But I'll keep trying...

Berowne said...

I'm pleased to report that L has come up with the correct answer. Congrats!

Michael said...

silly actors.

Tumblewords: said...

A fun read - I've no clue...

Sueann said...

Loved the tomato line!!! And tomatoes have to "sit" wherever they are put!! Ha
Hugs
SUeAnn

ninotaziz said...

The Artist?

Helen said...

Hot tomato, hot potato, you've stumped me ~~ once again.

Susan Anderson said...

I can't even hazard a guess. Sorry!

=)

Susie Clevenger said...

All I could think was "Show me the Money" lol great quizz!

Lyn said...

Can this be one of my favs? With Dustin as the Actor's Studio tomato..oh yes..."Tootsie"? God what a movie, (even if I'm wrong).

Berowne said...

MESSAGE FROM BLOGGER L: "XXXXXXX," babe, and don't try to tell me it's the wrong answer.
(I wouldn't do such a thing, L, because it's correct. Congrats.)

Berowne said...

MESSAGE FROM BLOGGER LYN: "Can this be one of my faves? With Dustin as the Actors Studio tomato? Oh yes, XXXXXXX, God what a movie (even if I'm wrong)."
You're not wrong, Lyn, you never are. Congratulations.

The Blog of Bee said...

Tootsie

Berowne said...

Another correct answer, this one from Bee's Blog.

Silent Otto said...

Obi Wan Kenobi desperately pleading young Skywalkers case to the ageing Jedi master, Yoda. "Try?, there is no try, do or do not, there is no try" .

Roger Owen Green said...

Oh, once I knew the actor I got it - Tootsie.

Berowne said...

Comment from Roger Owen Green. Once I knew the actor I got it: "XXXXXXX."

Berowne said...

Roger, as you can see (above), also produced the right answer.

The Blog of Bee said...

Have to admit it took me a while.

Hildred said...

Well, an interesting situation. Wish I watched more movies, but we have no theatre in the village and TV movies come on too late at night for me, so guess I'll have to pass on this one.

Heidi said...

Tootsie!

Heidi said...

This was really funny!. I wish it had been a scene in the movie.

Altonian said...

Tip of the tongue.......????????
????????......Ah!......'TOOTSIE'

Sheilagh Lee said...

read your story but can't hazard a guess

Berowne said...

More winners! Altonian and Heidi have both coughed up the correct answer.

Berowne said...

Comment from Altonian: Tip of the tongue……..???????????? Ah, “XXXXXXX"!
Right you are, Altonian. Congrats.

Berowne said...

Comment from Heidi: "XXXXXXX"!
Correct-o, Heidi. Thanks.

Berowne said...

Heidi: "This was really funny!. I wish it had been a scene in the movie."
It was.

Heidi said...

I need to rewatch that movie.

Sharp Little Pencil said...

All I can think of is "My Favorite Year," but that was for live TV, not a commercial... I'm usually good at movie plots, too. Stumper, Berowne, can't wait to see the answer! Amy

Yvonne Osborne said...

I don't have the answer but I thought I'd come back and tell you so. It does kinda sound like Jerry Maguire.

ninotaziz said...

I loved Tootsie but didn't see it at all. Of course now it seems so obvious!

 
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