1. His character is sometimes referred to by reviewers as “Jack” because of medical literature he reads.
Hint: “I haven’t been fucked like that since grade school.”
Solved by Evn (comment #21).
2. His character is referred to only by the instrument he plays, which is referenced as initials in the credits.
Solved by Melville (comment #2).
3. His character is referred to only by a foul insult, which is referenced as initials in the credits.
Hint: Of the foul nickname, the character played by Jack Black says “It’s a name that’s going to stick.”
Solved by Roberta (comment #28).
4. She is never named on-screen, even during her own wedding, but she is given a first name in the credits; film fans sometimes refer to her by first and last name, using the name from the novel.
Hint: Two Japanese actresses have important roles in this film. After filming began, they traded roles, because our (now nameless) actress didn’t speak English well enough to master her original role. These two actresses also appeared together the year before in a comedy by a very well-known director.
Solved by Roberta (comment #26).
5. She is referred to only as Mrs., never by a first name, although her husband’s previous wife is referred to by first name.
Solved by Roberta (comment #1).
6. It makes sense that this character is nameless; she is primarily the main character’s fantasy—even though she’s real, her role in the film is to be what he imagines a beautiful temptation to adultery should be like.
Solved by Melville (comment #2).
7. This character is nameless in her first movie, but not in its sequel. In the several instances of her name being spoken in the first movie, it is bleeped out.
Solved by Hazel (comment #3).
#5 Mrs. DeWinter in Rebecca.
2. T.B Player (the bass player) in That Thing You Do.
6. Marilyn Monroe in The Seven Year Itch.
I’m taking an educated guess (having no desire to see either film) that #7 is The Bride in Kill Bill I and II.
You beat me to #7… and that’s the only one I know. ^_^
And see, I think #6 is Christie Brinkley as the girl in the Ferrari in National Lampoon’s Vacation.
I think #2 is actually the Man with the Harmonica, Charles Bronson in Once Upon a Time in the West.
Edit: oops, missed the initials part of the clue.
Hmmm…no Veronica Lake in Sullivan’s Travels? Dang!
Is #4 Apollonia Vitelli Corleone, Michael’s first wife, the one who gets blown up in his place?
George, that’s not who I was thinking of. Is she really never named? I’d forgotten.
Tom, I stopped when I got to seven.
I don’t remember, to tell you the truth. It was just a guess.
Apollonia’s name is mentioned by her own father
when Michael asks him her name after he agrees
that Michael can meet her.
Yeah, I know–it’s just that she’s the third most famous unnamed character in all of film.
Interestingly enough, the second most famous unnamed character was played by an actor who starred with her in several movies.
And everyone knows who the single most famous unnamed character is.
I have no idea how you’re determining fame.
Here’s a thing, in the “Man With No Name” movies, the Man With No Name does, indeed, have a name. In TGTB&TU he’s Blondie. In A Fistful of Dollars he’s Joe, in For a Few Dollars More he’s Monco.
In High Plains Drifter he is never named, but ultimately, in the end, you do know his name.
I actually got stuck at five, searched a little in IMDb, found Seven Year Itch (which I’d seen, I just forgot she wasn’t named) and then remembered KB.
I have no idea how you’re determining fame.
I’m making it up, which means it’s absolutely authoritative and indisputable.
‘Blondie’ is less a name than an epithet. It’s been ages since I’ve seen Fistful, but my recollection is that ‘Joe’ isn’t necessarily his name–it’s just how one of the characters addresses him (could be wrong about that, though).
I think you’re right about Joe, but Monco is definitely a name, and Blondie, while not a given name, is pretty functional, it’s not like High Plains Drifter type of nameless.
And see, I think #6 is Christie Brinkley as the girl in the Ferrari in National Lampoon’s Vacation.
George, that’s not who I was thinking of. Is she really never named? I’d forgotten.
True, she’s never named, and fulfills the same function in the plot. You might also answer Suzanne Somers as the blonde in the T-bird in American Graffiti, though technically Richard Dreyfuss isn’t tempted to adultery since his character isn’t married.
Interestingly enough, the second most famous unnamed character was played by an actor who starred with her in several movies.
Do you mean Alan Ladd? I don’t know of any famous unnamed characters he played. Unless you mean the pipe-smoking reporter you can see in silhouette in a couple of scenes in Citizen Kane. Famous movie, but does that qualify as a famous character?
You got stuck, without using XXXX in Layer Cake or the Operative in Serenity?
Or at least, I think you didn’t use either of those.
Mel, George didn’t mention Christie Brinkley, Evn did. I was responding to George’s remark about The Godfather. I have never made it all the way through National Lampoon’s Vacation. Suzanne Somers certainly qualifies as nameless and iconic, but not potentially adulterous.
Amy, those are both good thoughts. I thought of four questions as I was dropping off to sleep Sunday night, jotted one more down Sunday morning. It’s a difficult sorting system: “Nameless characters.” If you’d asked me a question about Serenity I could have answered it. But in the other direction I missed it.
I don’t know how my brain is working. When I first read through the messages I knew that you were responding to George’s answer about The Godfather, but when I came back later to post I somehow connected it to Evn’s answer. *head scratch*
Is #1 Tyler Durden in Fight Club?
Edward Norton, that is.
Yes, of course. “I am Jack’s Total Lack of Surprise.” I thought that was a dead giveaway.
A mostly-guess, since I only saw the movie once, many years ago, and don’t remember much about it, but is #4 Miyoshi Umeki in Sayonara? (Another tribute to an actress who died recently?)
Sorry Mel.
Through careful thought, research and guessing, I will say that #4 is You Only Live Twice.
Wow, even with the hints, I didn’t think you’d be the one to get the Bond movie.
Here’s another hint, just for Roberta: You have a slight crush on the actor playing the nameless character in #3.
Re Bond, I figured out Tiger Lily and worked from the dates.
#3. Jesus’ Son.