10-Question Quiz: New York Movies

[MUSIC]

Brian Lehrer: It's The Brian Lehrer Show on WNYC. Good morning again, everyone. As I said before the news, again, this membership drive, we're doing a 10-question quiz each day at around this time to break it up and have a little fun. Sometimes it's educational fun, too. Usually, it is during the eleven o'clock hour. Get two in a row right, and today you'll be able to choose between a Brian Lehrer Show baseball cap or the Public Radio nerd mug. Who wants to play? 212-433-WNYC.

You will do well today if you were paying attention yesterday when we did our 100 Years of a 100 Things segment on 100 years of movies set in New York City, because that is the theme of today's quiz, Movies set in New York City. 212-433-9692. We'll start with Cynthia in the West Village. Hi, Cynthia. Ready to play?

Cynthia: I am.

Brian Lehrer: All right. If you were listening yesterday, you would have heard this one. Here's the beginning scene of a 1948 film shot entirely on location in New York City, which was rare for the time, given the noisiness of New York streets.

Speaker 3: This is the city as it is. Hot summer pavements, the children at play, the buildings in their naked stone, the people without makeup.

Brian Lehrer: Can you name that film?

Cynthia: Oh, no. I wasn't listening yesterday.

Brian Lehrer: One of the words in the title of the film was in the clip when he said the children at play, the buildings in their naked form, the people without makeup. Any shot?

Cynthia: Pride of the Yankees?

Brian Lehrer: Ooh. Nice try, Cynthia, but it was The Naked City. Let's go next to Ben in Manhattan. Hi, Ben. Ready to play?

Ben: Hey, Brian. Yes, I'm ready.

Brian Lehrer: Okay. We have another audio one also that was referred to yesterday, and we played this clip on yesterday's show. Audrey Hepburn sang this tune on her fire escape, as her character, in a 1961 film. Listen.

[MUSIC - Audrey Hepburn: Moon River]

Two drifters, off to see the world

There's such a lot of world to see

Brian Lehrer: The song is Moon River. What movie was it in?

Ben: That was in Breakfast at Tiffany's.

Brian Lehrer: It absolutely was. That's one. For the hat or the mug, which superhero film franchise features a young man from Queens whose life changed after an encounter with a species of the arachnid family?

Ben: That would be the Spider-Man franchise.

Brian Lehrer: That absolutely would. Would you like The Brian Lehrer Show baseball hat or the Public Radio nerd mug?

Ben: I will take the mug because I signed up to become a member for the first time this week and selected the hat as my reward.

Brian Lehrer: Neat. Hang on. We're going to send you a Public Radio nerd mug. We'll take your address off the air. Let's go next to Michael in Asbury Park. Hi, Michael. Ready to play?

Michael: Yes, I am.

Brian Lehrer: All right. Question 4 in this 10-question quiz. In this 1992 film, now President Donald Trump made a quick cameo in a scene filmed at the Plaza Hotel. He only appears for a second when a lost young boy asks where the hotel lobby is. What movie is this?

Michael: It's Home Alone 2.

Brian Lehrer: It absolutely is Home Alone 2. Very good. Question 5 for the hat or the mug. Take a listen to this exchange from a wedding that took place on Staten Island in this film.

Marlon Brando: You don't ask with respect. You don't offer friendship. You don't even think to call me godfather. Instead, you come into my house on the day my daughter's to be married and you ask me for the murder.

Brian Lehrer: What classic New York set film?

Michael: I'm assuming Godfather 1.

Brian Lehrer: It is Godfather 1. The Godfather. Marlon Brando's character there. Michael, would you like The Brian Lehrer Show baseball cap or the Public Radio nerd mug?

Michael: I'll take the cap.

Brian Lehrer: Hang on, Michael. We'll get your address there in Asbury Park off the air. Let's go next to, let's see, Jason in Windsor Terrace. You're on WNYC. Hi, Jason. Ready to play?

Jason: Yes.

Brian Lehrer: Okay. Question 6 in this 10-question quiz. This 1990 biographical film by Martin Scorsese features the story of Henry Hill who purchased a restaurant on Queens Boulevard with funds secured through a robbery at JFK. What movie am I talking about?

Jason: What was the year again?

Brian Lehrer: The year was 1990. Our last question was about The Godfather. You might say it's kind of in the same genre of New York film.

Jason: I don't know.

Brian Lehrer: Okay. Thanks for trying. The answer is Goodfellas. We're going to go next to Erica in Brooklyn. Hello, Erica. Ready to play?

Erica: I hope so. I was not able to be on yesterday to hear the 100 Years, so fingers crossed.

Brian Lehrer: That's okay. Don't have to have heard it. In fact, we didn't touch on all these films yesterday, but a few of them. It would help with some of the questions. Question 7 in this 10-question quiz. Here's a clip from a 1989 film directed by Spike Lee. In it, you'll hear a tense encounter caused by gentrification and messed-up Jordans.

Speaker 8: Who told you to step on my sneakers? Who told you to walk on my side of the block? Who told you to be in my neighborhood?

Speaker 9: I own this brownstone.

Speaker 10: Who told you to buy a brownstone on my block in my neighborhood on my side of the street?

Brian Lehrer: Do you know what movie that is from?

Erica: That's Do the Right Thing.

Brian Lehrer: That is from Do the right thing. Question 8 for hat or mug. This iconic romantic comedy also came out in 1989. In it, two characters played by Meg Ryan, not the Meg Ryan, who's the head of live radio here at WNYC, the other one, and Billy Crystal. Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal. They figure out whether men and women can be friends on a road trip to New York City. What movie am I thinking of now?

Erica: When Harry Met Sally.

Brian Lehrer: That is correct. You know your 1989 film canon. Would you like a Brian Lehrer Show baseball cap or a Public Radio nerd mug, Erica?

Erica: Thank you. I've gotten the hat before, so I will take a mug.

Brian Lehrer: Great. We'll take your address off the air as we near the end of the quiz. Artie in Queens. Hi, Artie. Ready to play?

Artie: Yes, indeed. Thank you, my friend.

Brian Lehrer: All right.

Artie: Hello?

Brian Lehrer: Question 9. Can you hear me, Artie? You good?

Artie: Oh, yes, I hear you fine.

Brian Lehrer: Good. Here's a bit of a song, Question 9, from a movie musical about two gangs fighting over a certain piece of turf in Manhattan. Listen.

[MUSIC - Mike Faist, Kyle Coffman, Kevin Csolak, John Michael Fiumara, Patrick Higgins & Jets: Jet Song]

Here come the Jets, little world, step aside

Better go underground, better run, better hide

We're drawin' a line

So keep your noses hidden

We're hangin' a sign

Says "Visitors Forbidden"

And we ain't kiddin'

Brian Lehrer: Too much fun. Do you know?

Artie: [laughs] Robert Wise and Jerome Kern, 1961 at what was the old Lincoln Center. The West Side Story.

Brian Lehrer: West Side Story is right. I think that was from the recent remake. That particular one, but absolutely. West Side Story. Question 10 for the hat or the mug. This 2024 Best Picture Oscar winner depicts a short-lived marriage between a Russian oligarch and an exotic dancer who meet at her workplace in Brighton Beach. What New York movie is this?

Artie: I cannot think of the name, but it's the one about the sex that won the Oscar this year. She won the Oscar this year, I think, the young woman.

Brian Lehrer: The movie won the Oscar. Do you know who the actor is?

Artie: I don't know her name.

Brian Lehrer: We're going to give it to you because-

Artie: I don't know her name, but I saw her when she picked it up.

Brian Lehrer: -you clearly knew what film we were talking about. It's called Anora. There you go, Artie. Hang on. We'll take--

Speaker 10: Did he get the name?

Brian Lehrer: Yes. Mikey Madison is the actor in Anora? Yes. There we have the film name and the actor name out there. Artie, we'll ask you off the air if you want a Brian Lehrer Show baseball cap or a Public Radio nerd mug. That's our 10-question quiz for today. We'll do another one tomorrow and Thursday, the last two days of the membership drive.

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