Sergio Leone redefined the western genre with his striking visuals and collaborations with composer Ennio Morricone. Their work eventually expanded into vast, sweeping gangster epics.
This quiz covers techniques like the extreme close-up, the history of their creative process, and the turbulent production of Once Upon a Time in America. You will see questions about specific films and the actors who defined these mid-century classics.
If you enjoy this subject, look at our western film trivia, browse our scores and soundtracks collection, or explore our library of auteur directors.
Which Italian director is world-renowned for pioneering the extreme close-up technique in westerns?
Bernardo Bertolucci
Bernardo Bertolucci
Federico Fellini
Federico Fellini
Michelangelo Antonioni
Michelangelo Antonioni
Sergio Leone
Sergio Leone
Which actor famously starred in the ‘Dollars’ trilogy, often shot in extreme close-up by Sergio Leone?
Clint Eastwood
Clint Eastwood
Lee Van Cleef
Lee Van Cleef
Gian Maria Volonté
Gian Maria Volonté
Henry Fonda
Henry Fonda
What was the name of the legendary composer who created the iconic scores for Sergio Leone’s films?
Ennio Morricone
Ennio Morricone
Nicola Piovani
Nicola Piovani
Nino Rota
Nino Rota
Piero Piccioni
Piero Piccioni
Sergio Leone and Ennio Morricone shared a personal history long before their cinematic partnership; they were what?
A childhood neighbor
A childhood neighbor
A primary school classmate
A primary school classmate
A fellow soldier
A fellow soldier
A cousin
A cousin
Which 1966 film is arguably the most famous example of Leone’s extreme close-up style and Morricone’s signature score?
High Noon
High Noon
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
The Magnificent Seven
The Magnificent Seven
The Last Command
The Last Command
What was unique about the creative process between Leone and Morricone regarding film music?
Morricone refused to write scores for westerns
Morricone refused to write scores for westerns
Leone requested music before filming
Leone requested music before filming
Music was added in post-production
Music was added in post-production
The studio banned Morricone’s music
The studio banned Morricone’s music
Which lead actor played the character ‘Noodles’ in the ambitious gangster epic ‘Once Upon a Time in America’?
James Caan
James Caan
Dustin Hoffman
Dustin Hoffman
Robert De Niro
Robert De Niro
Al Pacino
Al Pacino
What was the intended original run time of Sergio Leone’s ‘Once Upon a Time in America’?
4 hours 11 minutes
4 hours 11 minutes
4 hours 29 minutes
4 hours 29 minutes
3 hours 15 minutes
3 hours 15 minutes
3 hours 49 minutes
3 hours 49 minutes
Why did the initial U.S. theatrical release of ‘Once Upon a Time in America’ struggle so significantly?
The film was banned for violence
The film was banned for violence
The lead actor died mid-production
The lead actor died mid-production
The studio butchered the edit
The studio butchered the edit
The negative was lost in a fire
The negative was lost in a fire
What structural narrative choice did Leone use in ‘Once Upon a Time in America’ to explore the passage of time?
Chronological order
Chronological order
Black and white silent film style
Black and white silent film style
Split-screen technique
Split-screen technique
Flashbacks and non-linear memory
Flashbacks and non-linear memory
Which film was considered the final masterpiece of Sergio Leone before his death?
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
Once Upon a Time in the West
Once Upon a Time in the West
Once Upon a Time in America
Once Upon a Time in America
A Fistful of Dollars
A Fistful of Dollars
At which major festival did the full-length version of ‘Once Upon a Time in America’ finally receive acclaim?
The Berlin Film Festival
The Berlin Film Festival
The Oscars
The Oscars
The Venice Film Festival
The Venice Film Festival
The Cannes Film Festival
The Cannes Film Festival
By approximately how many minutes did the studio cut the original runtime for the initial U.S. release of ‘Once Upon a Time in America’?
120 minutes
120 minutes
30 minutes
30 minutes
90 minutes
90 minutes
60 minutes
60 minutes
Which instrument takes center stage in the musical themes often composed by Morricone for ‘Once Upon a Time in America’?
Trumpet
Trumpet
Pan Flute
Pan Flute
Oboe
Oboe
Harmonica
Harmonica
In ‘Once Upon a Time in America’, what object holds deep nostalgic and tragic significance for Noodles?
A revolver
A revolver
A locket
A locket
A pair of spectacles
A pair of spectacles
A watch
A watch
Leone’s extreme close-ups often focused intensely on what facial feature to convey tension?
Eyes
Eyes
Gun holsters
Gun holsters
Hands
Hands
Walking boots
Walking boots
What is the title of the famous haunting melody composed by Ennio Morricone for his 1984 gangster epic?
Cinema Paradiso
Cinema Paradiso
Deborah’s Theme
Deborah’s Theme
The Addams Family Theme
The Addams Family Theme
The Godfather Waltz
The Godfather Waltz
Who played Noodles’ partner in crime, Max, in ‘Once Upon a Time in America’?
Burt Young
Burt Young
Danny Aiello
Danny Aiello
James Woods
James Woods
Joe Pesci
Joe Pesci
‘Once Upon a Time in America’ is primarily an exploration of which immigrant experience?
The Mexican Revolution
The Mexican Revolution
Italian immigration in Chicago
Italian immigration in Chicago
Jewish life in New York City
Jewish life in New York City
The California Gold Rush
The California Gold Rush
Which distribution company drastically re-edited ‘Once Upon a Time in America’ for American audiences?
United Artists
United Artists
The Ladd Company
The Ladd Company
Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures
Warner Bros.
Warner Bros.
Besides the extreme close-up, what other visual style was a hallmark of Sergio Leone’s cinematography?
Overexposed bright lighting
Overexposed bright lighting
Shadow and silhouette
Shadow and silhouette
The desert sun
The desert sun
Hand-held camera shake
Hand-held camera shake
What is the general chronological timeframe covered by the plot of ‘Once Upon a Time in America’?
A 1910s to 1950s span
A 1910s to 1950s span
A 1930s to 1970s span
A 1930s to 1970s span
A 1920s to 1960s span
A 1920s to 1960s span
A 1920s to 1950s span
A 1920s to 1950s span
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