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The Friday Quiz: The Pre-Hagman Version

Directed by Irving Yeaworth, this 1955 film featured a hit theme song co-written by Burt Bachrach, and starred a young actor, in one of his first films, who would go on to an Academy Award nomination and become for a time, after a 1974 role, the highest-paid actor in movies. Scenes from this movie also appear as a film watched by other characters in a 1978 film. A sequel, directed by Larry Hagman, was released in 1972, although the mood was deliberately different. The film was remade in 1988, and in 2006 Paramount announced that another remake was planned.

What's the film? For a bonus point, who was the lead actor?

First correct answer posted to comments gets their own copy of the pseudo-fatwa-spiked book The Jewel of Medina. Click here to get a taste of the metaphor-loaded prologue that fear may keep out of bookstores. No Googling or involving Larry Hagman in any way. One guess at each part of the question per comment, but comment as often as you like.

Posted by BT on August 8, 2008 10:44 AM |

Comments

Wait. In the 1978 film, they're watching the 1955 film, or the 1974 film?

I still won't know, but Art will.

The Blob?

Posted by: boxjam [TypeKey Profile Page] | August 8, 2008 11:02 AM

Oh, and that'd make l'actor Steve 'Prefab Sprout wasn't worked into the question and I'd think the wombat would, so I doubt this is correct' McQueen

Posted by: boxjam [TypeKey Profile Page] | August 8, 2008 11:05 AM

And we're done! (Yes, I meant that in 1978 they're watching 1955).

Congrats, Boxjam!

(Anyone want to guess at the '74 film and '78 film mentioned?)

Posted by: BT [TypeKey Profile Page] | August 8, 2008 11:27 AM

'74: The Towering Inferno

Posted by: Jonathan [TypeKey Profile Page] | August 8, 2008 08:28 PM

'78: Invasion of the Body Snatchers (also a remake -- and something the wombat would have mentioned, no doubt).

Posted by: art [TypeKey Profile Page] | August 9, 2008 07:48 AM

Jonathan nails the 1974 film that boosted McQueen's financial standing.

The '78 film was an adaptation, not a remake, of a work from another medium.

Posted by: BT [TypeKey Profile Page] | August 11, 2008 02:24 PM

Superman?

Posted by: boxjam [TypeKey Profile Page] | August 12, 2008 09:35 AM

No...it's an adaptation from the stage, in fact.

Posted by: BT [TypeKey Profile Page] | August 12, 2008 11:39 AM

Equus

Posted by: james [TypeKey Profile Page] | August 15, 2008 12:11 AM

Heaven Can Wait

Posted by: james [TypeKey Profile Page] | August 15, 2008 12:12 AM

OK, I'll call it. The movie is Grease.

Posted by: BT [TypeKey Profile Page] | August 15, 2008 12:37 AM

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