Sunday, April 27, 2008

Leatherheads

Anachronisms: At the end of the movie, a radio announcer refers to a pass as a 'Hail Mary.' The term was coined by Roger Staubach in 1975, referring to his pass at the end of a Dallas Cowboys game on December 28, 1975.

  • Anachronisms: When we first meet Lexie Littleton, she lights up a filtered cigarette in her boss's office. Filtered cigarettes were not widely available until the mid 1950s.

  • Anachronisms: On the train, one of the Leatherheads leaves the restroom while zipping up his fly. The movie takes place in 1925; zippers were not used as closures on men's trousers until the 1930s.

  • Revealing mistakes: At the end of the movie, the series of newspaper headlines state some related information, but all of the articles contain generic paragraphs, none of which have anything to do with the headline or the plot.


  • Factual errors: There are several key historical errors. For one, the NFL did not have a commissioner until 1941, and he was not appointed by Congress. Moreover, he would not have had the power to deal with the media as he does in the film.

  • Anachronisms: In the scene where they are being chased through the building after leaving the speakeasy, a glass and blue lit modern "exit" sign was clearly visible above the doorway. Also, modern fire sprinklers where seen in the ceiling of the same shot.

  • Anachronisms: In the scene where they are leaving the commissioner's office, they get in an elevator and push a button to go to the ground floor. All elevators at that time had operators who controlled elevator movement. Push buttons did not come in to use until the 1950's.

  • Continuity: We see Carter Rutherford's arm catch on fire in the hotel lobby, and then he and Dodge go outside to fight. There is no damage to his shirt sleeve or arm.

  • Revealing mistakes: After Carter and Dodge have repeatedly and for an extended period of time punched each other in the face, neither has any marks whatsoever at the end of the fight.

  • Continuity: Just before the police raid the speak easy. Lexie and Dodge are having a drink and Lexie's hand changes position between camera angles. Her hand is up then down and back and forth between camera shots.

  • Anachronisms: In a wide shot over the stadium during the final game, modern freight cars are seen in the distance.

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