Whether you're a casual movie watcher or a dedicated film junkie, these one-sentence summaries could trip up even the most well-studied fans. See how many of these movies you can identify from just the bare-bones plot descriptions...
A wicked witch wants to kill a young girl for stealing a pair of sparkly shoes.
Correct
If you guessed the1939 classic The Wizard of Oz, you got it! Dorothy's house lands on the Wicked Witch of the East, making her the new owner of the coveted ruby slippers that the Wicked Witch of the West is out to get.
Incorrect
You chose:
If you guessed the1939 classic The Wizard of Oz, you got it! Dorothy's house lands on the Wicked Witch of the East, making her the new owner of the coveted ruby slippers that the Wicked Witch of the West is out to get.
Two men bond in prison as they make the best of their situations.
Correct
The Shawshank Redemption is based on a novel by Stephen King and stars Morgan Freeman and Tim Robbins as the leading inmates.
Incorrect
You chose:
The Shawshank Redemption is based on a novel by Stephen King and stars Morgan Freeman and Tim Robbins as the leading inmates.
A manipulative, free-spirited woman unwittingly falls in love with a straight-laced man during the American Civil War.
Correct
Gone with the Wind made lead actress Vivien Leigh famous during Hollywood's golden era.
Incorrect
You chose:
Gone with the Wind made lead actress Vivien Leigh famous during Hollywood's golden era.
A compassionate businessman helps save the lives of persecuted Jewish people during the Holocaust in Germany.
Correct
Schindler's List is one of Spielberg's best — and most emotional — films to date. It stars Ralph Fiennes as Oskar Schindler, the real man responsible for saving hundreds of lives during the Holocaust.
Incorrect
You chose:
Schindler's List is one of Spielberg's best — and most emotional — films to date. It stars Ralph Fiennes as Oskar Schindler, the real man responsible for saving hundreds of lives during the Holocaust.
A waitress is enamored by an ex-con and she becomes entangled in his crime spree.
Correct
1967's Bonnie and Clyde laid out the blueprint for the crime-loving couple trope. The film is based on two real people from the Great Depression era.
Incorrect
You chose:
1967's Bonnie and Clyde laid out the blueprint for the crime-loving couple trope. The film is based on two real people from the Great Depression era.
A man gets to see what life would have been like if he was never born.
Correct
Arguably one of the most popular Christmas movie of all time, It's a Wonderful Life tells the story of a man who is shown an alternate life by an angel.
Incorrect
You chose:
Arguably one of the most popular Christmas movie of all time, It's a Wonderful Life tells the story of a man who is shown an alternate life by an angel.
A young boy befriends a lost alien who he helps return back to his home planet.
Correct
A Stephen Spielberg classic, E.T. is a cute coming-of-age adventure movie about an interspecies friendship.
Incorrect
You chose:
A Stephen Spielberg classic, E.T. is a cute coming-of-age adventure movie about an interspecies friendship.
A reluctant man takes over his family's business of organized crime.
Correct
The Godfather is one of the most iconic mobster movies ever made. It spawned an entire franchise and even created a new genre of film.
Incorrect
You chose:
The Godfather is one of the most iconic mobster movies ever made. It spawned an entire franchise and even created a new genre of film.
A group of American soldiers must search for and rescue their missing brother after he's been taken across enemy lines.
Correct
Tom Hanks and Matt Damon star in this iconic war movie, Saving Private Ryan.
Incorrect
You chose:
Tom Hanks and Matt Damon star in this iconic war movie, Saving Private Ryan.
An archaeologist must find a rare artifact for the U.S. government before the Nazis can get to it.
Correct
Harrison Ford's role as Indiana Jones in Raiders of the Lost Ark is one of his most exciting projects aside from his time in the Star Wars saga.
Incorrect
You chose:
Harrison Ford's role as Indiana Jones in Raiders of the Lost Ark is one of his most exciting projects aside from his time in the Star Wars saga.
A British officer takes on the leadership of Arab tribes during World War I to take on Turkish forces.
Correct
Lawrence of Arabia is an earlier war film from 1962. It's a historical drama based on the real life of T. E. Lawrence.
Incorrect
You chose:
Lawrence of Arabia is an earlier war film from 1962. It's a historical drama based on the real life of T. E. Lawrence.
An evil nurse wreaks havoc over a mental institution.
Correct
Jack Nicholson stars in the classic One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, a suspense film about the vicious Nurse Ratched.
Incorrect
You chose:
Jack Nicholson stars in the classic One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, a suspense film about the vicious Nurse Ratched.
A simple man tells his life story to strangers while waiting at a bus stop.
Correct
Forrest Gump is one of the most iconic films ever made, and it's a guaranteed tear-jerker when Forrest tells the story of all the people he's met through his life.
Incorrect
You chose:
Forrest Gump is one of the most iconic films ever made, and it's a guaranteed tear-jerker when Forrest tells the story of all the people he's met through his life.
A 17-year-old heiress falls in love with a poor artist while on board a massive steer ship.
Correct
Titanic is responsible for really making Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio stars. Their doomed love story while on board the iconic ship is one that will go down in history for years to come.
Incorrect
You chose:
Titanic is responsible for really making Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio stars. Their doomed love story while on board the iconic ship is one that will go down in history for years to come.
A house servant recounts a tragic love story between two people named Cathy and Heathcliff.
Correct
The famous story by Emily Brontë, Wuthering Heights, has been adapted into numerous films over the years. The first (and most famous) was released in 1939.
Incorrect
You chose:
The famous story by Emily Brontë, Wuthering Heights, has been adapted into numerous films over the years. The first (and most famous) was released in 1939.
A scientist resurrects extinct dinosaurs, and they terrorize a theme park during a power outage.
Correct
The original Jurassic Park stunned viewers with its realistic animatronic renderings of terrifying dinosaurs.
Incorrect
You chose:
The original Jurassic Park stunned viewers with its realistic animatronic renderings of terrifying dinosaurs.
An Austrian woman works as a nanny for a rich man and his children during WWII.
Correct
Julie Andrews plays the iconic role of Maria in The Sound of Music, and she brings joy to the Von Trapp family even during wartime.
Incorrect
You chose:
Julie Andrews plays the iconic role of Maria in The Sound of Music, and she brings joy to the Von Trapp family even during wartime.
Two men hide from the mob disguised as female musicians.
Correct
Marilyn Monroe also stars in Some Like It Hot, and it's a hilarious film full of mishaps and danger.
Incorrect
You chose:
Marilyn Monroe also stars in Some Like It Hot, and it's a hilarious film full of mishaps and danger.
A former boxer must stand up to his corrupt union.
Correct
Marlon Brando stars in this golden age film, On the Waterfront.
Incorrect
You chose:
Marlon Brando stars in this golden age film, On the Waterfront.
A grassroots fighter must assemble a team to rescue a captured princess from an evil overlord.
Correct
Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope is one of the first looks we get at the iconic George Lucas franchise in which Luke Skywalker must save Princess Leia from Darth Vader.
Incorrect
You chose:
Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope is one of the first looks we get at the iconic George Lucas franchise in which Luke Skywalker must save Princess Leia from Darth Vader.
An unhinged Vietnam veteran tries to save a child prostitute from the streets of New York City.
Correct
Robert DeNiro's iconic role in Taxi Driver coined the phrase "You talkin' to me?!"
Incorrect
You chose:
Robert DeNiro's iconic role in Taxi Driver coined the phrase "You talkin' to me?!"
The press urgently try to figure out the meaning of one publishing tycoon's last words.
Correct
Citizen Kane was directed by and starred Orson Welles, and was released in 1941.
Incorrect
You chose:
Citizen Kane was directed by and starred Orson Welles, and was released in 1941.
A young woman on the run finds shelter in a motel run by a young man and his strict mother.
Correct
Alfred Hitchcock's iconic Psycho has gone down in history as a blueprint horror film. The Norman Bates character has been used as a role model for countless killers.
Incorrect
You chose:
Alfred Hitchcock's iconic Psycho has gone down in history as a blueprint horror film. The Norman Bates character has been used as a role model for countless killers.
Mozart's enemy, Antonio Salieri, tells the story of their lives while aging in an insane asylum.
Correct
Amadeus won a total of eight Oscars when it was released in 1985, including Best Picture and Best Actor.
Incorrect
You chose:
Amadeus won a total of eight Oscars when it was released in 1985, including Best Picture and Best Actor.
An FBI agent enlists the help of an imprisoned cannibal in order to catch a new and dangerous serial killer on the rise.
Correct
The Silence of the Lambs is one of the scariest horror movies of all time, and it put Jodie Foster on the map as a serious actress.
Incorrect
You chose:
The Silence of the Lambs is one of the scariest horror movies of all time, and it put Jodie Foster on the map as a serious actress.
An American seeking refuge in Europe runs into a former lover, and things take a turn for the worst.
Correct
Casablanca is a classic love story with moral complications, and it's one of Hollywood's earliest shining achievements.
Incorrect
You chose:
Casablanca is a classic love story with moral complications, and it's one of Hollywood's earliest shining achievements.
A Roman man betrays a Jewish prince, and his infidelity which sends him into slavery.
Correct
Ben-Hur was first filmed in 1959, and it's a religious epic that has gained several adaptations. The timeless story shows the differences between classes in ancient civilizations.
Incorrect
You chose:
Ben-Hur was first filmed in 1959, and it's a religious epic that has gained several adaptations. The timeless story shows the differences between classes in ancient civilizations.
A crazed general nearly sets off a series of nuclear warfares.
Correct
Dr. Strangelove is a Cold War-era black comedy directed by Stanley Kubrick. All three of the lead roles were played by the same actor, Peter Sellers.
Incorrect
You chose:
Dr. Strangelove is a Cold War-era black comedy directed by Stanley Kubrick. All three of the lead roles were played by the same actor, Peter Sellers.
A screenwriter becomes entangled in a dangerous relationship while attempting to fix a former silent film star's script.
Correct
Sunset Boulevard features crazed former starlet Norma Desmond, played by Gloria Swanson. This is one of the most successful early dark comedies.
Incorrect
You chose:
Sunset Boulevard features crazed former starlet Norma Desmond, played by Gloria Swanson. This is one of the most successful early dark comedies.
A Roman general seeks revenge against the powerful man who killed his family.
Correct
Gladiator won Best Picture when it was released, and stars Joaquin Phoenix as the heinous emperor's son, Commodus, and Russell Crowe as the vengeful Maximus.
Incorrect
You chose:
Gladiator won Best Picture when it was released, and stars Joaquin Phoenix as the heinous emperor's son, Commodus, and Russell Crowe as the vengeful Maximus.
Instead of exposing the affair he was hired to investigate, a P.I. finds himself caught in the middle of a murder.
Correct
Jack Nicholson plays the leading investigator in Chinatown.
Incorrect
You chose:
Jack Nicholson plays the leading investigator in Chinatown.
An angry man in need of a change claws his way to the top of the boxing charts.
Correct
Robert DeNiro's career was at an all-time high in the 1980s. He starred in Raging Bull, which followed in the footsteps of the Rocky hype created by Sylvester Stalone in 1976.
Incorrect
You chose:
Robert DeNiro's career was at an all-time high in the 1980s. He starred in Raging Bull, which followed in the footsteps of the Rocky hype created by Sylvester Stalone in 1976.
One woman wins over the hearts of two different men while in Paris.
Correct
the 1951 film An American in Paris stars Gene Kelly and Leslie Caron in two of the dance-heavy leading roles.
Incorrect
You chose:
the 1951 film An American in Paris stars Gene Kelly and Leslie Caron in two of the dance-heavy leading roles.
A rogue colonel is the central target of a mission during the Vietnam War.
Correct
Marlon Brando's last role was in Apocalypse Now, and he played the dangerous colonel based on a character from the novel "Heart of Darkness."
Incorrect
You chose:
Marlon Brando's last role was in Apocalypse Now, and he played the dangerous colonel based on a character from the novel "Heart of Darkness."
A production company must find a way to transition out of silent films and into "talkies."
Correct
Singin' in the Rain is one of Gene Kelly's most famous movies and features raining milk instead of water for the actual "outdoor" shots!
Incorrect
You chose:
Singin' in the Rain is one of Gene Kelly's most famous movies and features raining milk instead of water for the actual "outdoor" shots!
A local sheriff takes it upon himself to kill a bloodthirsty shark that's ravaging his seaside town.
Correct
Another classic Spielberg film, Jaws kept people out of the water for years after its release.
Incorrect
You chose:
Another classic Spielberg film, Jaws kept people out of the water for years after its release.
An elderly woman losing her memory is read a romance story every day by a man who lives in her nursing home.
Correct
The Notebook is one of Nicholas Sparks's most iconic film adaptations. Noah and Allie are brought to life by Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams, a real-life couple at the time.
Incorrect
You chose:
The Notebook is one of Nicholas Sparks's most iconic film adaptations. Noah and Allie are brought to life by Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams, a real-life couple at the time.
A murderous young man tracks down his half-sister in hopes of killing her on Halloween night.
Correct
Halloween made slasher films famous with the endless wrath of Michael Myers.
Incorrect
You chose:
Halloween made slasher films famous with the endless wrath of Michael Myers.
Two children stranded on an island grow up and fall in love while living in isolation.
Correct
Blue Lagoon made Brooke Shields and Christopher Atkins stars when they played the leading roles in this coming of age yet risque romance movie.
Incorrect
You chose:
Blue Lagoon made Brooke Shields and Christopher Atkins stars when they played the leading roles in this coming of age yet risque romance movie.
Mobster hitmen, a gangster and his wife, and a boxer tell their stories in this non-linear film.
Correct
This Quentin Tarantino film, Pulp Fiction, is arguably one of the best film noir pictures to ever come out of Hollywood. It stars John Travolta and Samuel L. Jackson in the lead roles.
Incorrect
You chose:
This Quentin Tarantino film, Pulp Fiction, is arguably one of the best film noir pictures to ever come out of Hollywood. It stars John Travolta and Samuel L. Jackson in the lead roles.
Quiz Results
You scored: %