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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. In what year did Huston first move to New York?

2. Who writes the foreward to Picture?

3. Who is the woman at M-G-M whose opinion Reinhardt and Huston both value greatly?

4. What did Huston tell Audie Murphy the two would do once they got to Chico?

5. What is the name of Huston's adopted son?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Ross describe director John Huston in the section titled "Throw the Little Old Lady Down the Stairs"?

2. How do Huston and Reinhardt seem to view the impending start to their filming of "The Red Badge of Courage" in the week before rehearsals begin?

3. What does Reinhardt insist upon during the film's production that is a somewhat unusual request so he can track the progress of filming closely?

4. What is L.B. Mayer's strongest objection to the M-G-M studio making "The Red Badge of Courage"?

5. What does Huston regret making a mistake on during the filming in the second section of the book?

6. What hobby is Huston deeply interested in that has nothing to do with Hollywood, as Ross describes it in the first section of the book?

7. How does Audie Murphy behave during his first meeting with John Huston in the first section of the book?

8. What famous Civil War photographer does Huston reference several times in relation to the look of his own film shots in the first section of the book?

9. How do the Reinhardts treat their dog, Mocha?

10. Why does Reinhardt feel that it is so important that "The Red Badge of Courage" is a great picture?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

How does Ross's choice to write Picture from a first-person point of view affect the reader's experience of the story? Write an essay explaining your answer.

Essay Topic 2

Why do so many professionals seem to change their minds, and opinions of, major aspects of the film after it is released to tepid and often negative responses from audiences? For instance, M-G-M's head editor, Margaret Booth, completely reverses her opinion of certain scenes after she learns about negative audience reaction. Write an essay explaining your answer.

Essay Topic 3

What kind of a person was John Huston? Write an essay analyzing both positive and negative aspects of Huston's personality, citing specific references from the text to support your conclusions.

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