HeadScratcher No. 17: The international language...

So what do James Caviezel, Robert De Niro (left, in The Godfather Part II), Jodie Foster, Mary McDonnell, and Mira Sorvino have in common?

Call the Vatican! A lot of you saw a large-scale Catholic conspiracy, identifying the quintet's roles in movies like Sleepers, The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys, and The Second Greatest Story Ever Told. You claimed they have all worked with/for Mel Gibson (not true). Some of you even guessed that they were all Catholic actors themselves (beats me).

But no. The real answer is far more secular, edifying even. They're all American actors who have taken on a role in which most of their dialogue is in another language. Caviezel, of course, played Jesus Christ in Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ, speaking only in Aramaic and Latin. De Niro, as the young Vito Corleone, spoke primarily nell'italiano. Foster, the product of a bilingual education, spoke French in a small role in A Very Long Engagement. And McDonnell conversed in a Sioux dialect as "Stands With Fist" in Dances With Wolves.

Then we get to Mira Sorvino.

I had a little panic attack over the weekend when I reviewed her performance in Whit Stillman's Barcelona and discovered that her character, the Catalan temptress Marta, did in fact speak Spanish in the film, but she also spoke almost as much English. So I apologize if Sorvino's inclusion threw you off. Though technically acccurate, her role, more than the others, relies less on non-English dialogue.

I had thought about including Geraldine Chaplin, the daughter of Charlie Chaplin and Oona (O'Neil) Chaplin, who gives a sweet performance in Spanish as the devoted dance teacher in Pedro Almodóvar's Talk to Her. But the truth is: I don't know that much about her, and I was betting you didn't either. She appears to have been born in California, though her famous dad was British, and it seems likely that she was raised abroad. So I dithered. Sigh.

Despite my fumblings, 11 of you got the gist of my question. This week's favorite child is Kerin Lou, who not only knew the connection, but correctly identified the five aforementioned films. As a "prize," Kerin is invited to PopWatch's annual Christmas concert on the island in Times Square. As soon as they clear out that giant Kong out of the way (see story tomorrow), I will lead the PW chorus in a rousing rendition of that "chestnuts roasting on an open fire..." song. There will also be Schnapps.

The other 10 of you got the connection, but didn't know the films. Nonetheless, a hearty "well done" and a firm handshake to:

Kelly Abbott
Diana E. Betz
David Bromberg
Amy Glidewell
Mark R. Kuykendall
Heidi Nelson
Scott Mertz
Anthony Schaefer
J.D. Sivert
Patrick A. Yearout

Thanks for playing, PopWatchers -- stay tuned for a new challenge on Friday!