Image: Samuel Goldwyn Productions
About This Quiz
"Guys and Dolls" was one of the fun musicals to emerge from Broadway, and later turned into film, that reflected certain realities in American culture of that time. As the 1950s swinging era was captured in this film, the cast also helped fire the musical imagination of moviegoers. Want to test your toe-tapping skills with this musical? Then take the quiz now, and belt it out!
This Godfather was an unlikely star of a Hollywood musical, but he’s belting it out here. Who is this good fella?
Montgomery Cliff
James Dean
Marlon Brando
Marlon Brando was cast here due to his immense popularity during that time, hence the box-office draw. And it worked!
Mel Brooks
A gambler’s prayer: The song “__ Be A Lady Tonight†was performed by Marlon Brando. For what was he wishing?
money
luck
"Luck Be A Lady Tonight†is like a wish song for gamblers. Lady Luck is always their betting muse.
booze
love
Whenever Adelaide sneezed, Nathan always replied with “gesundheit,†a common term to wish one good health. But this world is not English. What language is this?
Hindi
Spanish
German
Gesundheit is often said in the USA whenever someone sneezes. But this word is German in origin.
French
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This Rat Pack crooner played Nathan Detroit, one of the leads of the musical.
Dean Martin
Frank Sinatra
It was reported that Frank Sinatra wanted the role that went to Marlon Brando, seeing that he’s the real singer here. We feel ya, cool cat...
Sammy Davis, Jr.
Leo DiCaprio
The musical revolved around the story of Sky and Nathan and their regular activity. What sometimes illegal activity was this?
money laundering
sleeping
gambling
Gambling is the main theme of "Guys and Dolls." During that time, though, not all kinds of gambling were legal, so it made for good dramatic conflict.
murder
The main reason why Nathan can’t find a suitable venue for his illegal crap game is due to this department’s pressure against illegal activities of that nature.
district attorney
supreme court
police department
Lt. Brannigan of the New York Police Department is very vigilant about all illegal gambling activities in town. That’s why Nathan’s old venue pals didn’t want anything to do with his new endeavor.
mayor's office
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The story of Guys and Dolls was set in New York. But in which area of New York, in particular?
Broadway
Times Square marks the area where Broadway is, in New York. It’s around this theater district where the film’s story takes place.
Brooklyn
Harlem
Central Park
The Guys in the title obviously referred to the men, but who are The Dolls?
their mistresses
the women
The American slang language has many colorful words for woman. One is “doll,†if you’re a bit cute and adorable, and the other word they use in the film is “broad,†which might sound offensive at times.
their children
their mothers
Aside from tourists and gamblers, this side of New York also had these types of people.
Salvation Army
missionaries
Where there are sinners, there will be do-gooders who want to save them. Therefore, missionaries also abound in the theater district.
beggars
immigrants
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What kind of game was popular with the Broadway gamblers in the film?
poker
crap game
Crap games originated on the streets, where people could play on any side street or corner. Nowadays, casinos have the high-end version of this game, complete with crap game tables and casino chips for bets.
chips
horse races
What type of item is always used in their crap game?
deck of cards
dice
A crap game involves throwing a pair of dice and betting on the numbers that arise from the roll. It’s therefore important to have a good pair.
bingo letters
pen and paper
The film’s lead doll, Jean Simmons, played Sarah Brown, a member of the missionaries which call themselves Save A ___. What are they trying to save in New York?
Marker
Soul
The Save A Soul mission attempts to invite sinners into their office to sit down for some drinks, pastries, and Bible-based sermons. This kind of missionary set-up is still used in some areas these days.
Child
Person
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What was lead gambling man Nathan Detroit’s main dilemma in the film?
how to get to Ellis Island
how to make his hair slicker
where to conduct his crap game
Since crap games are not legal in New York, it’s a dilemma where to hold them. Nathan’s “customers†are waiting for him to arrange this, so that they can play.
when to ask his mother for a loan
Nathan Detroit has a doll, Adelaide, who works as this kind of performer.
Broadway dramatic actress
Shakespearean theater company member
night club singer
Adelaide is Nathan’s very pretty and devoted doll. She was played by Viviane Blaine, who also played the same role on Broadway.
Hollywood celebrity
Nathan’s other dilemma in the film is the celebration of his 14-year commitment with Adelaide, or how to celebrate it when he’s broke. What kind of commitment do they have?
no strings attached set-up
they're just friends
an engagement
Adelaide has an anniversary gift for Nathan on the 14th year of engagement, but the latter has none for his doll, so he tries to avoid the issue. But the real gift she wants is to finally tie the knot with him. We feel ya, girl...
a protracted one night stand
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It may not be too much now, but in the 50s, this amount of money was a huge deal, and it’s what Nathan needs to bankroll his crap game. How much does he need?
10 bucks
100 grand
$1,000
Nathan needs to have $1,000 to get his crap game going.
a dollar
Nathan saw Sky Masterson as someone he could challenge to a bet, since the latter is known to be this kind of bettor.
the sure bettor
the no-brain bettor
the highest bettor
Sky Masterson is a known gambler who doesn’t back out of raised stakes. It’s unclear where he gets his money, though, so it’s assumed he’s always loaded, which gives him the courage to be the highest bettor in anything.
the sly bettor
Sky is not that easy to bet with, as he always has the wise words of this person to guide him in all dealings.
his own soul
his son
his father
For a grown man like Sky, it’s funny to hear him always say "My daddy always said...†But if he makes great bets, then daddy must be right!
his grandfather
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Sky was planning to go to Cuba for a short visit, so Nathan thought of a wager in connection with this. What kooky bet did he come up with?
Sky should shake Fidel Castro's hand
that Sky should bring a doll of Nathan’s choosing
Since dolls are merely “as good as cough drops†to Sky, Nathan thought of betting $1,000 for him to take a doll to Cuba. But Nathan chose Sister Sarah, to Sky’s surprise. Good luck with that!
Sky should buy Cuban cigars for all the gamblers
Sky should drink 10 bottles of rum
In the Save A Soul Mission, Sarah is referred to as Sister Sarah, but is also referred to with this military-style title. What was it?
Admiral Sarah
Sgt. Sarah
Sgt. Sarah is Sarah's name in the mission, while her boss is referred to as the general. It's unclear, though, whether their mission just uses military ranks for their own ranks, or if they are indeed former officers.
Capt. Sarah
Sarah Connor SJ
Since Save A Soul doesn’t seem to be doing a good job of its mission, Sky proposed this kind of exchange with Sister Sarah to help her, and to help him win his bet with Nathan.
he'll donate $1,000
he'll take the mission to Cuba with him
have dinner with him and he’ll deliver sinners in the mission
Sky seems to cover previous bets with newer bets. To win one over Nathan, he promised to bring Sarah a dozen sinners if she went to dinner with him to Cuba. A free trip to save the job, girl, go!
asked for his own mission rank
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Where in Cuba did Sky take Sarah?
Quito
Tijuana
Havana
The tropical ambience seemed to relax Sky, and later Sarah as well...
La Boca
Since they’re spreading the word of God, Sky pointed out to Sarah that they should be able to pull out the correct quotes from this book. What book is that?
the Quran
the Torah
the Bible
Sky knows his Bible, as Sarah found out. He pointed to an erroneous misquote of Isaiah verses in one of the mission’s display cards, to her horror. It might also partly be the reason why she said yes to that dinner-sinners deal -- to save face.
the Kabbala
Just what did the missionaries expect the gambling sinners to do, once they were recruited?
to convert to Christianity
to repent
Missionaries aim to help people realize their sins and to repent at their own will. But to have the repentant gamblers visit the mission office is another thing to hurdle first...
to donate money
to attend church every Sunday
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Why is the mission so hell-bent, so to speak, to recruit repentant people?
Jesus is coming!
they need new Bibles
they’ll be closed down if they don’t succeed
Sister Sarah acts more like a Sgt. Sarah whenever the fate of the mission is put on the line, fighting to have their mission continue. Their mission leader would close down this office if they don’t meet the repentant quota. Ungodly pressure indeed!
the satan-worshippers are growing in New York
Aside from singing, Nathan’s doll, Adelaide, likes reading. In particular, she reads this specific nonfiction book in between her singing engagements.
Chekhov's stage plays
the Bible
book on female psychology
The book on female psychology is prominent in Adelaide’s things since she’s so enamored with understanding how women’s minds work, in relation to hers. Or in particular, she’s curious to know what’s happening to her health in relation to her psychological and emotional troubles.
the Nursing Guide
Out of desperation to marry Nathan, Adelaide invents a story of being married already and having five kids with him, to appease a particular audience. To whom is she trying to sell this story?
Nathan's friends
her night club friends
her mother
Nathan is surprised to hear that Adelaide already concocted a story that they are already married. Apparently, her mother in Rhode Island has been asking, so she told her this tall tale. We really feel ya, doll…
her sisters
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From her psychology book readings, Adelaide said that a person can develop this momentary sickness out of stressful situations, like waiting for a 14-year marriage proposal. What is this sickness?
migraine
cold
Adelaide always sneezes, and that cold is in direct connection to her stress of wanting to get married to Nathan. Or at least, that’s what she read in her psych book.
insomnia
manic depression
As Nathan tries to finally arrange a crap game venue, he makes the other gamblers wear this object on their coats, to signify if they’re in.
a mustache
a hat
a flower
The gamblers who wanted to participate in Nathan’s game wore pink carnations on their suits or jackets. It was a signal that was not so obvious to the police.
a cufflink
Dulce de leche: The sweet milk cocktail Sarah and Sky drink in Havana is mixed with this rum brand.
Amaretto
Stolichnaya
Absolut
Bacardi
The Bacardi and Sky’s company seemed to let Sarah loosen up a bit in Havana, as this also leads to her developing feelings for the gambler. Of course, Sky also develops the same thing, but they both deny it at first, so they just share drinks. Oh, you two!
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To disguise Nathan’s pink carnation-wearing crap game participants, the gamblers told Lt. Brannigan that they were attending Nathan’s bachelor party in celebration of this fictional event between Nathan and Adelaide. What was it?
their pregnancy status
their marriage
The commitment-phobic Nathan went with the marriage celebration story concocted by his fellow gamblers to evade the cops of their pending crap game. Whatever works for his vice, this guy…
their living-in together move
their new business venture opening
Sky told Nathan that he lost the $1,000 bet on Sarah. But Sky still “made good†with this promise that he left Sarah. What do the gamblers call this promise?
a bond
a marker
Sky left Sarah a marker that he would deliver a dozen sinners to the mission, which he made good on later. But he had to win a bet against all the sinners first, a.k.a. the crap game gamblers, that they need to attend the mission if he wins a roll, or he’ll pay each gambler $1,000 if he loses the roll.
a promissory note
a loan
It’s funny how a Chicago mobster tried to cheat Nathan in his own crap game. What kind of items did he use to cheat?
cards
a pistol
a dice with no spots
Big Jule, the visiting mobster gambler, tried to use Chicago-made dice to win back the money he lost in Nathan’s crap game. But his dice had no spots, yet he says he knows where the spots are. What a cheat! Good thing Sky comes to the rescue...
counterfeit money
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All’s well that ends well: As Sky, Nathan, Adelaide, and Sarah get what they wanted, this doubles event happens with them on the streets of Broadway.
party
wedding
The film ends with a double wedding: Sky and Sarah's, and Nathan and Adelaide's. The officiating official tries to hurry it up since they’re holding up traffic along busy Broadway. And yes, this time, it’s nonfiction for Nathan and Adelaide...
bar mitzvah
legal crap game
In a funny reversal or a twist of fate, who now sneezes, especially during the part where they’re supposed to say “I do†in the wedding ceremony?
Big Jule
Sky
Nathan
To Adelaide’s delight, Nathan finally agreed to marry her. But he now sneezes, like Adelaide did before, so who knows what will happen to this union...
Nicely Nicely
You Got:
/35
Samuel Goldwyn Productions