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Quizzes > Movies

Dunkirk trivia: test your knowledge of Nolan's epic film

Quick, free Dunkirk movie quiz to test your knowledge. Instant results.

Editorial: Review CompletedCreated By: Jessica AndersonUpdated Aug 28, 2025
Difficulty: Moderate
2-5mins
Learning OutcomesCheat Sheet
Paper art illustration for Dunkirk quiz on teal background with stylized planes ships and soldiers depicting key scenes

This Dunkirk movie quiz helps you revisit key scenes, characters, and the land, sea, and air timelines from Nolan's film, and spot details you might have missed. When you're done, try our Christopher Nolan quiz, explore The Dark Knight trivia, or warm up with film quiz questions.

Who directed the 2017 film Dunkirk?
Christopher Nolan
Peter Jackson
Ridley Scott
Steven Spielberg
Dunkirk was written, directed, and produced by Christopher Nolan, marking another of his large-scale, historical dramas. Nolan is known for his visually immersive storytelling style and innovative narrative structures. This film continued his collaboration with key crew members and his signature practical effects approach.
In what year was Dunkirk released?
2018
2015
2017
2016
Dunkirk premiered internationally in July 2017, making it one of the big summer blockbusters of that year. Its release was timed to commemorate the 77th anniversary of the WWII evacuation. The film was rolled out globally through late July and early August 2017.
Who composed the musical score for Dunkirk?
Alexandre Desplat
John Williams
James Newton Howard
Hans Zimmer
Hans Zimmer, a frequent Nolan collaborator, composed the tense and immersive score for Dunkirk. His use of a ticking watch motif and intricate sound design underpins the film's suspenseful pacing. Zimmer's work on Dunkirk received wide acclaim and was nominated for multiple awards.
Which actor portrays the character Tommy in Dunkirk?
Barry Keoghan
Fionn Whitehead
Aneurin Barnard
Tom Glynn-Carney
Fionn Whitehead plays Tommy, one of the central young soldiers trying to survive on the beach. This role was Whitehead's breakout part, showcasing his vulnerability amid chaos. His performance anchors much of the land-based storyline.
Dunkirk dramatizes the real-life evacuation known by what name?
Operation Dynamo
Operation Torch
Operation Market Garden
Operation Overlord
Operation Dynamo was the codename for the evacuation of Allied soldiers from the beaches of Dunkirk in 1940. It involved civilian boats crossing the English Channel under fire to rescue stranded troops. Nolan's film focuses on this dramatic rescue effort.
From how many distinct timelines or perspectives is Dunkirk's narrative told?
One
Two
Three
Four
Dunkirk interweaves three timelines: land (one week), sea (one day), and air (one hour). Nolan cross-cuts among these to heighten tension and show simultaneous perspectives. This structure is central to the film's rhythm and suspense.
What is the name of the civilian boat captained by Mr Dawson?
Silent Lady
Moonstone
Victory
Endeavour
Mr Dawson captains the Moonstone, one of the 'Little Ships' that volunteers crossed the Channel to assist the evacuation. The boat and its crew play a key role in rescuing soldiers clinging to wreckage. Its portrayal underscores civilian bravery during the Dunkirk rescue.
The sea or naval timeline in Dunkirk spans approximately how long?
One hour
Two hours
One day
One week
Nolan structured the sea timeline over one day, contrasting with the air (one hour) and land (one week) arcs. This tight timeframe emphasizes the urgency and scale of the naval rescue. The pacing reflects the different experiences of those involved.
Which actor plays Commander Bolton in Dunkirk?
Michael Caine
Cillian Murphy
Mark Rylance
Kenneth Branagh
Kenneth Branagh portrays Commander Bolton, the naval officer overseeing evacuation efforts. His commanding performance lends authority to the Dunkirk storyline. Branagh has collaborated with Nolan in the past, notably in the dark knight films.
Which actor stars as the RAF pilot Farrier?
Jack O'Connell
Cillian Murphy
Harry Styles
Tom Hardy
Tom Hardy stars as Farrier, a Spitfire pilot providing crucial air cover. His minimal dialogue and nuanced performance are highlights of the film's aerial sequences. Hardy's chemistry with the aerial cinematography intensifies the dogfight scenes.
Who served as the director of photography (cinematographer) on Dunkirk?
Roger Deakins
Wally Pfister
Emmanuel Lubezki
Hoyte van Hoytema
Swedish cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema was responsible for Dunkirk's striking visuals. He shot large portions of the film on IMAX and 65mm stock to enhance realism. His work earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Cinematography.
Aside from English, which language is spoken by characters in the film?
German
Russian
Spanish
Italian
German is heard in Dunkirk when German pilots communicate back to their bases during the air battles. This adds authenticity to the WWII setting. French appears minimally, but English and German dominate the spoken dialogue.
What non-linear storytelling technique does the film employ across its land, sea, and air narratives?
Montage
Voice-over narration
Cross-cutting
Flashback
Dunkirk uses cross-cutting to interweave its three timelines, building suspense by shifting perspectives. This technique aligns events that occur simultaneously but over different time spans. Nolan's editing creates tension by cutting between land, sea, and air sequences rapidly.
Approximately what was Dunkirk's production budget?
$200 million
$50 million
$300 million
$100 million
Dunkirk was produced on a budget of around $100 million, relatively modest for a large-scale war epic. Nolan prioritized practical effects and real locations to contain costs. This efficient spending helped garner a higher profit margin upon its box office success.
Which auditory illusion is famously used in Dunkirk's score to build tension?
Reverse echo
Foley loop
Audio pan
Shepard tone
The Shepard tone is an auditory illusion that creates the impression of a continuously rising pitch. Hans Zimmer incorporated it extensively in Dunkirk's score to maintain relentless tension. It complements the film's pacing and sense of impending danger.
What was the approximate worldwide box office gross for Dunkirk?
$300 million
$400 million
$750 million
$525 million
Dunkirk earned about $527 million worldwide, making it one of Nolan's most successful films. It outperformed other WWII dramas financially, bolstered by critical acclaim and word of mouth. The strong box office return underscored the public's appetite for immersive, large-format storytelling.
How many operational Supermarine Spitfire aircraft were used during the filming of Dunkirk?
Six
Two
Four
Eight
Only two operational Spitfires were available and used for the aerial sequences in Dunkirk. Nolan combined these real aircraft with CGI to create large-scale dogfights. The use of actual planes added authenticity to the flight scenes.
Which film format was used to capture the aerial sequences in IMAX?
Digital 4K
Super 35
IMAX 65mm
35mm
Nolan shot the aerial sequences on IMAX 65mm film, capturing extreme detail and scale. This choice allowed for stunning large-format presentations in IMAX theaters. The technique underscores Nolan's commitment to traditional, high-resolution film stock.
Dunkirk alternates between standard widescreen and IMAX aspect ratios. What is the IMAX ratio used?
1.43:1
2.20:1
2.35:1
1.85:1
The IMAX sequences in Dunkirk use the taller 1.43:1 aspect ratio, compared to the 2.39:1 widescreen frames. Nolan chose this format to immerse audiences in the aerial and sea perspectives. The shift between ratios heightens the film's epic scope.
How many Academy Awards did Dunkirk win?
Five
Three
One
Two
Dunkirk won three Oscars: Best Film Editing, Best Sound Mixing, and Best Sound Editing at the 90th Academy Awards. Despite eight nominations, it did not secure Best Picture or Best Director. The wins recognized its technical mastery.
What is the approximate running time of the film Dunkirk?
120 minutes
106 minutes
150 minutes
95 minutes
Dunkirk runs just under two hours, at about 106 minutes. Nolan kept the pacing tight to maintain suspense without unnecessary subplots. Its concise runtime complements the film's minimalist dialogue and intense action.
The sand and sea shots for Dunkirk's beach scenes were primarily filmed at which location?
West Wittering Beach
Brighton Beach
Normandy Beach
Blackpool Sands
Much of the beach footage was shot at West Wittering Beach in West Sussex, England. The wide, open sands and tides closely resembled Dunkirk's coastline. Nolan chose this location for its period-appropriate landscape.
Which actor portrays the character Collins in the film?
Tom Glynn-Carney
Joel Fry
George MacKay
Jack Lowden
Scottish actor Jack Lowden appears as RAF pilot Collins, supporting Farrier during the aerial battles. Lowden's performance adds depth to the air storyline despite limited dialogue. His portrayal underscores the film's focus on action over exposition.
How many Academy Award nominations did Dunkirk receive?
Ten
Twelve
Eight
Five
Dunkirk received eight Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director, and several technical categories. It won three of those, reflecting its excellence in editing and sound. The high nomination count demonstrates the Academy's recognition of its craftsmanship.
Who was the film editor responsible for cutting Dunkirk?
Walter Murch
Thelma Schoonmaker
Lee Smith
Sally Menke
Editor Lee Smith, a frequent Christopher Nolan collaborator, crafted Dunkirk's immersive pacing through meticulous cross-cutting. Smith won the Academy Award for Best Film Editing for his work on this film. His editing style is key to the film's tension and coherence across timelines.
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Study Outcomes

  1. Recall Key Plot Points -

    Identify and remember the pivotal events and standout scenes from Christopher Nolan's Dunkirk movie to answer dunkirk movie questions with confidence.

  2. Identify Main Characters -

    Recognize the motivations, actions, and significance of principal figures like Tommy, Farrier, and Mr. Dawson throughout the dunkirk film quiz.

  3. Analyze Narrative Structure -

    Examine Nolan's non-linear storytelling by comparing the intertwined land, sea, and air timelines to deepen your understanding of the dunkirk movie trivia.

  4. Evaluate Historical Authenticity -

    Assess the film's depiction of the 1940 Dunkirk evacuation against real-world events and gauge its accuracy in a christopher nolan quiz context.

  5. Compare Cinematic Techniques -

    Explore Nolan's use of IMAX, practical effects, and Hans Zimmer's score to see how these elements heighten tension and realism in the dunkirk quiz.

  6. Apply Knowledge Confidently -

    Leverage your insights and trivia mastery to tackle every dunkirk movie trivia question and achieve a top score on the Dunkirk movie quiz.

Cheat Sheet

  1. Operation Dynamo Scale -

    Dunkirk dramatizes Operation Dynamo, the 1940 evacuation that rescued roughly 338,000 Allied troops over nine days. Recall it with the mnemonic "338K in 9" to cement the operation's sheer scale (Imperial War Museum). Understanding this fact underscores the film's historical weight and Nolan's tight pacing.

  2. Nonlinear Three-Timeline Structure -

    Christopher Nolan weaves three overlapping timelines - land (one week), sea (one day), air (one hour) - to heighten suspense. Use the "1W-1D-1H" trick to remember how events converge at the Dunkirk beaches (Nolan interviews, University of Oxford archive). This structure teaches you to spot temporal jumps and narrative recursion.

  3. IMAX and 65mm Cinematography -

    Nolan shot Dunkirk primarily on 65mm and IMAX cameras to maximize clarity and immersive scope, switching aspect ratios from 2.20:1 to 1.43:1. A simple ratio formula - 65mm ≈ 10× the resolution of 35mm - helps recall why visuals feel so expansive (American Society of Cinematographers). Recognizing these specs sharpens your eye for film technology.

  4. Shepard Tone Sound Design -

    Hans Zimmer employed the Shepard tone - a psychoacoustic effect stacking rising pitch loops - to create an "ever-ascending" tension throughout the score. Think "infinite staircase" to memorize how this auditory illusion works (Journal of the Audio Engineering Society). Appreciating this trick reveals how sound can drive cinematic anxiety.

  5. Historical Authenticity & Set Details -

    The production team consulted the Imperial War Museum and sourced original uniforms, vessels, and period maps to ensure accuracy. Use the "Archive → Screen" method: start with museum archives, then spot details like authentic boat names and rank insignia onscreen. This approach trains you to recognize genuine historical filmmaking.

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