TASK DEFINITION: In this task, you will be shown an extract from a movie plot and a question. You need to provide the correct answer for it. Short answers containing words that are present in the passage are preferred.
PROBLEM: New York City police detective Mark McPherson (Dana Andrews) is investigating the murder of beautiful, and highly successful, advertising executive, Laura Hunt (Gene Tierney). Laura has been killed by a shotgun blast to the face, just inside the doorway to her apartment, before the start of the film. He interviews charismatic newspaper columnist Waldo Lydecker (Clifton Webb), an imperious, decadent dandy, who relates how he met Laura, became her mentor, and used his considerable influence and fame to advance her career. McPherson also questions Laura's parasitic playboy fiancé, Shelby Carpenter (Vincent Price), her wealthy socialite aunt, Ann Treadwell (Judith Anderson), who'd been carrying on with Carpenter and giving him money, and her loyal housekeeper, Bessie Clary (Dorothy Adams).Through the testimony of her friends, and the reading of her letters and diary, McPherson comes to know Laura and slowly becomes obsessed with her, so much so Lydecker accuses him of falling in love with the dead woman. He also learns that Lydecker was jealous of Laura's suitors, using his newspaper column and influence to keep them at bay. One night, the detective falls asleep in Laura's apartment, under her portrait, and is awakened by the sound of someone entering the apartment. He is shocked to discover it is Laura. Laura finds a dress in her closet belonging to one of her models, Diane Redfern. McPherson concludes that she, Diane Redfern, was the victim, brought there by Carpenter, while Laura was away in the country. Now it becomes even more urgent to unmask the murderer.A party is thrown to welcome Laura's return. At the party, McPherson arrests Laura for the murder of Diana Redfern. Upon questioning her, he is convinced of her innocence and that she does not love Shelby. He returns her to her apartment, and then goes to search Lydecker's apartment. There he finds a clock that is identical to the one in Laura's apartment. On closer examination he finds a secret compartment. He returns to Laura's apartment. Lydecker is there and it is apparent there is a growing bond between Laura and the detective. Lydecker insults McPherson and is sent away by Laura. After Lydecker has left, McPherson examines Laura's clock and finds the shot gun that killed Diane. Laura is confronted with the truth that Lydecker was the murderer. McPherson locks Laura in to her apartment, warning her not to let any one in. After he has left, Lydecker gains access to the apartment. Lydecker attempts to kill Laura, claiming if he cannot have her, no one can. He is shot down by McPherson's sergeant, who had told McPherson that Lydecker had never left the building, causing the two policemen to return to the apartment. Lydecker's last words are: "Goodbye, Laura. Goodbye, my love.", Question: In the beginning of the movie, who is assumed to be killed by a shotgun?

SOLUTION: Answer: Laura Hunt

PROBLEM: In 1846, Benjamin Barker, a barber, arrives in London, accompanied by sailor Anthony Hope. Fifteen years earlier, he was falsely convicted and sentenced to penal transportation by the corrupt Judge Turpin, who lusted after Barker's wife Lucy. Barker adopts the alias "Sweeney Todd" and returns to his old Fleet Street shop, situated above Mrs. Nellie Lovett's meat pie shop. He learns that Turpin raped Lucy, who then poisoned herself with arsenic. The couple's daughter, Johanna, is now Turpin's ward, and is the object of Turpin's lust. Todd vows revenge, and re-opens his barber shop after Mrs. Lovett returns his straight razors to him. Anthony becomes enamored with Johanna, but is caught by Turpin and driven away by his corrupt associate, Beadle Bamford.Todd denounces faux-Italian barber Adolfo Pirelli's hair tonic as a fraudulent mix and humiliates him in a public shaving contest. A few days later, Pirelli arrives at Todd's shop, with his boy assistant Tobias Ragg. Mrs. Lovett keeps Toby occupied while Pirelli identifies himself as Todd's former assistant, Davy Collins, and threatens to reveal Todd's secret unless Todd gives him half his earnings. Todd kills Collins to protect his secret, and hides his body in a trunk.After receiving advice from Bamford, Turpin, intending marriage to Johanna, visits Todd's shop for grooming. Todd shaves Turpin, preparing to slit his throat; they are interrupted by Anthony, who reveals his plan to elope with Johanna before noticing Turpin. Turpin leaves enraged and Todd vents his rage by killing customers while waiting for another chance to kill Turpin, and Mrs. Lovett bakes the victims into pies. Todd rigs his barber's chair with a pedal-operated mechanism that deposits his victims through a trapdoor into Mrs. Lovett's basement bakehouse. Anthony searches for Johanna, whom Turpin has sent to an insane asylum upon discovering her plans to elope with Anthony.The barbering and pie-making businesses prosper, and Mrs. Lovett takes Toby as her assistant. Mrs. Lovett tells an uninterested Todd of her plans to marry him and move to the seaside. Anthony discovers Johanna's whereabouts and, following Todd's suggestion, poses as a wigmaker's apprentice to rescue her. Todd has Toby deliver a letter to Turpin, telling him where Johanna will be brought when Anthony frees her. Toby has become wary of Todd and tells Mrs. Lovett of his suspicion.Bamford arrives at the pie shop, informing Mrs. Lovett that neighbors have been complaining of the stink from her chimney. He is distracted by Todd's offer of a free grooming and is murdered by Todd. Mrs. Lovett informs Todd of Toby's suspicions, and the pair search for Toby, whom Mrs. Lovett has locked in the bakehouse. He has hidden himself in the sewers after seeing Bamford's body drop into the room from the trapdoor above, as well as finding a human toe in a pie. Meanwhile, Anthony brings Johanna, disguised as a young sailor, to the shop, and has her wait there while he leaves to find a coach.A beggar woman enters the shop in search of Bamford, and Johanna hides in the trunk. She recognizes Todd, but upon hearing Turpin coming, Todd quickly kills her and sends her through the trapdoor. As Turpin enters, Todd explains that Johanna had repented and is coming to him, then offers a free shave in the meantime; as Turpin finally recognizes Todd as Benjamin Barker, Todd stabs him several times before cutting his throat and sending to the bakehouse as well. Johanna comes out of her hiding place still disguised as a boy, and Todd prepares to slit her throat as well, not recognizing her as his daughter. However, hearing Mrs. Lovett scream in horror in the basement as a dying Turpin grabs her dress, Todd lets Johanna go.Todd discovers that the beggar woman was his wife Lucy, whom he believed to be dead, and that Mrs. Lovett misled him about her death. Todd pretends to forgive her and dances with her before hurling her into the bakehouse oven, then cradles his wife's dead body in his arms. Toby climbs from the sewers and Todd allows Toby to slit his throat with his own razor. Toby leaves the basement as Todd bleeds to death over his dead wife., Question: Who wants to elope with Johanna?

SOLUTION: Answer: Anthony.

PROBLEM: In 1935, murderer Mattie Appleyard (James Stewart), bank robber Lee Cottrill (Strother Martin), and young Johnny Jesus (Kurt Russell) are released from the West Virginia State Penitentiary, located in the fictional town of Glory. Appleyard is issued a check for $25,452.32 for his 40 years of prison work, an enormous amount in the Great Depression.All three men are escorted by prison Captain "Doc" Council (George Kennedy) to the train station, ensuring they leave town. However once on the train, Appleyard realizes that his check is only redeemable in person at the local bank in Glory, requiring his return. In the meantime, Council is in league with banker Homer Grindstaff (David Huddleston) to ensure Appleyard will not cash the check. He and his accomplices, Steve Mystic (Mike Kellin) and Junior Kilfong (Morgan Paull), travel to another stop down the line in order to kill Appleyard. Informed of the plot by guilt-ridden conductor Willis Hubbard (Robert Donner), the three former prisoners thwart the plan. Kilfong ends up shooting an innocent passenger, mining supply salesman Roy K. Sizemore (William Windom). Council kills the wounded Sizemore and places the blame on Appleyard, who escapes with Sizemore's supply of dynamite.The next day, Council informs Grindstaff of the previous events at the bank. As they talk, Appleyard walks in with dynamite strapped to his chest and a suitcase with the remainder, "60 more pounds." Appleyard threatens to blow them all up "and half this city block" if the banker doesn't cash his check. Grindstaff reluctantly complies.Appleyard and his friends, who followed him back to Glory, split up with the plan to meet again later. While waiting at the rendezvous, Cottrill is talked into boarding a houseboat owned by a down-on-her-luck prostitute named Cleo (Anne Baxter) for a drink of whiskey. Also aboard is Chanty (Katherine Cannon), a sixteen-year-old virgin whom Cleo has taken in, hoping to receive $100 from any customer in exchange for her virginity.Appleyard and Johnny show up, only to be tracked down by Council and his bloodhound. The three friends get away in a skiff, leaving the suitcase of dynamite with Cleo. Johnny is worried about what Council will do to Chanty, so they turn around and go back after Council leaves.Before Council left, he told Cleo about Appleyard's money. Held at gunpoint, Appleyard gives her the suitcase that she believes contains the money in exchange for Chanty. After they leave, Cleo tries to shoot the locked suitcase open with disastrously fatal, yet comedic results.The fugitives are later trapped on a boxcar by Council. The train is a "fools' parade" as described by Appleyard, going nowhere beyond the local train yard. Luckily for them, guilt-ridden train conductor Willis Hubbard returns and helps them escape. However, he is too afraid of Council to tell the police what he knows.Council, Mystic, and Kilfong (Morgan Paull) track them to an abandoned house. Council decides he doesn't want to share the loot, so he kills his two confederates. He then shoots a window out, wounding Appleyard. Johnny throws a stick of the remaining dynamite at Council, but Council's bloodhound comically returns it. Appleyard hastily throws it back out the window, killing Council.The men are arrested and Appleyard's money confiscated, but Hubbard has mustered up enough courage to confess the truth. Ultimately, Grindstaff is arrested. Appleyard and his friends are exonerated, and Appleyard is allowed to cash his check., Question: What position does "Doc" Council hold at the prison?

SOLUTION:
Answer: Captain