SPOILERS!

[skimpole]

1. A protagonist (the movie has two) recognizes a chauffeur as one of the heavies he encountered earlier in the movie, and sets off in hot pursuit
2. A cover of a Sam Cooke song plays over the credits
3.The actors who play the romantic couple in the movie later married, had children, and divorced
4. The protagonist in #1 is a member of a reasonably well respected comedy troupe
5. The actor who plays a grocery manager appeared in three Altman films, two of them fairly well admired even today.
6. The actor in #5 was, in a completely different movie, the object of one of the most striking uses of "I've always loved you" in the sound era
7. The movie all these clues refer to is a science fiction movie
8. As a consequence of the 'macguffin" of the movie, two of the villains are turned into midgets
9. The director is known for making movies which combine science fiction and comic elements, such as this one.
10. Although in no way a sequel or a remake, our movie clearly got its idea from an earlier movie made 21 years earlier that got five oscar nominations and won two of them.
11. The basic concept of the movie was used in an Archer season finale and in a Doctor Who episode where the Doctor got a new companion.
12. Also this movie (not the movie mentioned in #10, or in #6 for that matter) did win an oscar.

And now

13. The protagonist in #1 has a co-worker who through the movie is teased as a possible love interest. As the movie ends, he unequivocally rejects her. The actress who plays that role now voices a housewife on a long-running animated series.

[skimpole]

1. A protagonist (the movie has two) recognizes a chauffeur as one of the heavies he encountered earlier in the movie, and sets off in hot pursuit
2. A cover of a Sam Cooke song plays over the credits
3.The actors who play the romantic couple in the movie later married, had children, and divorced
4. The protagonist in #1 is a member of a reasonably well respected comedy troupe
5. The actor who plays a grocery manager appeared in three Altman films, two of them fairly well admired even today.
6. The actor in #5 was, in a completely different movie, the object of one of the most striking uses of "I've always loved you" in the sound era
7. The movie all these clues refer to is a science fiction movie
8. As a consequence of the 'macguffin" of the movie, two of the villains are turned into midgets
9. The director is known for making movies which combine science fiction and comic elements, such as this one.
10. Although in no way a sequel or a remake, our movie clearly got its idea from an earlier movie made 21 years earlier that got five oscar nominations and won two of them.
11. The basic concept of the movie was used in an Archer season finale and in a Doctor Who episode where the Doctor got a new companion.
12. Also this movie (not the movie mentioned in #10, or in #6 for that matter) did win an oscar.
13. The protagonist in #1 has a co-worker who through the movie is teased as a possible love interest. As the movie ends, he unequivocally rejects her. The actress who plays that role now voices a housewife on a long-running animated series.

And now:

14. One of the movie's most famous lines is the protagonist mentioned in clue #1 shouting "I'M POSSESSED!" in a doctor's office. (He is not, in fact, possessed.)

[Swithin]

Innerspace (1987)

[skimpole]

Innerspace (1987)

Yes!

1. Martin Short recognizes the Cowboy (Robert Picardo) and chases after him
2. Rod Stewart's cover of "Twisting the Night Away" follows
3. Dennis Quaid and Meg Ryan are the romantic couple, and did in fact in marry, have children and divorce.
4. Short belonged to SCTV.
5. Henry Gibson appeared in Nashville, The Long Goodbye and Health
6. He is also the Nazi leader who receives the line in The Blues Brothers
8. That is the fate that happens to Kevin McCarthy and Fiona Lewis
9. Joe Dante is the director, and also directed both Gremlins movies, as well as Small Soldiers and Looney Tunes: Back in Action
10. The conceit of the movie comes from Fantastic Voyage
11. As such the conceit is used in the Archer episode "Drastic Voyage" and the Dr. Who serial The Invisible Enemy
12. The movie also won the Best Visual Effects Oscar
13. Wendy Schaal plays Wendy and is the voice of Francine Smith on American Dad

Your turn

[Swithin]

A man is writing, beside the sea. The movie ends.

[Swithin]

A man is writing, beside the sea. The movie ends.

Today's clue: An old woman asks for medical advice, doesn't like what she hears, then tells the doctor he shouldn't have told her the truth.

[Swithin]

A man is writing, beside the sea. The movie ends.

Today's clue: An old woman asks for medical advice, doesn't like what she hears, then tells the doctor he shouldn't have told her the truth.

Today's hint: A character with an eye patch has a significant supporting role in the film.

[Swithin]

A man is writing, beside the sea. The movie ends.

Today's clue: An old woman asks for medical advice, doesn't like what she hears, then tells the doctor he shouldn't have told her the truth.

Today's hint: A character with an eye patch has a significant supporting role in the film.

Today's clue: Another major supporting character is based on a historical figure who was more recently the title character of a contemporary opera which was presented in recent seasons (though not the 2023-2024 season) at the Metropolitan Opera.

The actor playing the role of the historical character in the movie was, at the time of making the movie, married to one of Hollywood's superstar actresses, who would later play a role sort of related to the character her husband plays in our film.

[Swithin]

Today's clue: An old woman asks for medical advice, doesn't like what she hears, then tells the doctor he shouldn't have told her the truth.

Today's hint: A character with an eye patch has a significant supporting role in the film.

Today's clue: Another major supporting character is based on a historical figure who was more recently the title character of a contemporary opera which was presented in recent seasons (though not the 2023-2024 season) at the Metropolitan Opera.

The actor playing the role of the historical character in the movie was, at the time of making the movie, married to one of Hollywood's superstar actresses, who would later play a role sort of related to the character her husband plays in our film.

Today's clue: The movie is an epic. The composition of the score was divided between two great film composers. One of the composers is well known for working with a specific director, though not the director of this film.

[Swithin]

Here is a summary of the clues:

1. A man is writing, beside the sea. The movie ends.
2. An old woman asks for medical advice, doesn't like what she hears, then tells the doctor he shouldn't have told her the truth.
3. A character with an eye patch has a significant supporting role in the film.
4. Another major supporting character is based on a historical figure who was more recently the title character of a contemporary opera which was presented in recent seasons (though not the 2023-2024 season) at the Metropolitan Opera.
5. The actor playing the role of the historical character in the movie was, at the time of making the movie, married to one of Hollywood's superstar actresses, who would later play a role sort of related to the character her husband plays in the film.
6. The movie is an epic. The composition of the score was divided between two great film composers. One of the composers is well known for working with a specific director, though not the director of this film.

[Swithin]

Here is a summary of the clues:

1. A man is writing, beside the sea. The movie ends.
2. An old woman asks for medical advice, doesn't like what she hears, then tells the doctor he shouldn't have told her the truth.
3. A character with an eye patch has a significant supporting role in the film.
4. Another major supporting character is based on a historical figure who was more recently the title character of a contemporary opera which was presented in recent seasons (though not the 2023-2024 season) at the Metropolitan Opera.
5. The actor playing the role of the historical character in the movie was, at the time of making the movie, married to one of Hollywood's superstar actresses, who would later play a role sort of related to the character her husband plays in the film.
6. The movie is an epic. The composition of the score was divided between two great film composers. One of the composers is well known for working with a specific director, though not the director of this film.

Today's hint: An actress who had a crucial role in the film had an affair with the film's producer. She later committed suicide.

[Swithin]

Here is a summary of the clues:

1. A man is writing, beside the sea. The movie ends.
2. An old woman asks for medical advice, doesn't like what she hears, then tells the doctor he shouldn't have told her the truth.
3. A character with an eye patch has a significant supporting role in the film.
4. Another major supporting character is based on a historical figure who was more recently the title character of a contemporary opera which was presented in recent seasons (though not the 2023-2024 season) at the Metropolitan Opera.
5. The actor playing the role of the historical character in the movie was, at the time of making the movie, married to one of Hollywood's superstar actresses, who would later play a role sort of related to the character her husband plays in the film.
6. The movie is an epic. The composition of the score was divided between two great film composers. One of the composers is well known for working with a specific director, though not the director of this film.

Today's hint: An actress who had a crucial role in the film had an affair with the film's producer. She later committed suicide.

Today's clue: The director of the film also directed one of the most beloved films of all time. Certainly the best loved black-and-white film.

[skimpole]

Here is a summary of the clues:

1. A man is writing, beside the sea. The movie ends.
2. An old woman asks for medical advice, doesn't like what she hears, then tells the doctor he shouldn't have told her the truth.
3. A character with an eye patch has a significant supporting role in the film.
4. Another major supporting character is based on a historical figure who was more recently the title character of a contemporary opera which was presented in recent seasons (though not the 2023-2024 season) at the Metropolitan Opera.
5. The actor playing the role of the historical character in the movie was, at the time of making the movie, married to one of Hollywood's superstar actresses, who would later play a role sort of related to the character her husband plays in the film.
6. The movie is an epic. The composition of the score was divided between two great film composers. One of the composers is well known for working with a specific director, though not the director of this film.

Today's hint: An actress who had a crucial role in the film had an affair with the film's producer. She later committed suicide.

Today's clue: The director of the film also directed one of the most beloved films of all time. Certainly the best loved black-and-white film.

That's a rather wide category, since such movies include Citizen Kane, Sunrise, City Lights, Modern Times, Some Like it Hot, Casablanca, The General, Duck Soup, The Apartment, The Grapes of Wrath, and It's a Wonderful Life. The director clearly isn't Welles or Chaplin.

[Swithin]

Today's hint: An actress who had a crucial role in the film had an affair with the film's producer. She later committed suicide.

Today's clue: The director of the film also directed one of the most beloved films of all time. Certainly the best loved black-and-white film.

That's a rather wide category, since such movies include Citizen Kane, Sunrise, City Lights, Modern Times, Some Like it Hot, Casablanca, The General, Duck Soup, The Apartment, The Grapes of Wrath, and It's a Wonderful Life. The director clearly isn't Welles or Chaplin.

I was assuming perhaps incorrectly that one of the films you mention stands above the others in the popular imagination. I said beloved, not best, or most innovative. I don't know anyone who would consider The Apartment the most beloved b&w film of all time, good film though it may be.

Here's another hint: The film we're going for actually takes place (in geographic terms) not too far from the film I consider to be the most beloved b&w film, but in a totally different era.

[Dargo]

Hmmm...I'm getting very strong Darryl Zanuck/Bella Darvi vibes here, Swithin.

And so, with the film 'The Egyptian' being directed by the same director who directed the universally beloved 'Casablanca'--Michael Curtiz--would that be it?

'The Egyptian', that is. And, with both films taking place on the continent of Africa, I think I've got it here, huh.

(...oh and btw and FWIW here...'The Apartment' would at least be my SECOND "most beloved" film of all time, anyway...I think you already know TBYOOL is my most beloved, don't ya)