What mistakes have you noticed in movies/tv shows that happen in the BP era like Daniel Boone, Patriot etc?

[COTNTOP]

Love me some Hawkeye, named my first dog Hawkeye after the original series long ago. Old Hawkeye lived to be 17yr old and died on Easter 1970 if my memory serves me correct.

 

[Eutycus]

I can't get over how his daughter just "disappeared". Granted the daughter did get married but it takes an almost cold couple not to mention their own daughter or grandkids once in a while.

 

[Cvkotvkse]

Yep...

Nope. I remember seeing the episode. Percussion lock plains rifle he leans against a tree loaded, stage of cock not remembered. It falls and hits him in the torso. Remainder of episode revolves around his survivàl while seeking help. Caplock still being used at time by settlers not that unusual. Loading sequence for them accurate. No flintlock flashpan present anymore.

 

[Treetop]

Seems that cap'n & prime'n flash pans are the easily noticed items. Go way back to the late 70's series that ushered in 1976,,, Centennial,,, they never did anything but pull off mystical smoothbore shots at great distance. Have never noticed any concern with precise powder measurements, but did notice how Hawkeye was commenting on how silk would give him more accuracy at his beyond centerfire accuracy. It's all a bunch of yeehaw, but as uncle joey would say,,, come on man!

 

[Eterry]

Title says it all. What mistakes have you noticed in movies/tv shows that happen in the BP era like Daniel Boone, Patriot etc? Eventhough they try not to slip anachronisms, sometimes you can spot things that just don't fit with the era or even something in the background or an actor who forgot to take off his watch or whatever. Next weekend being Canada Day, I'm gonna have a 3 days weekend and have a second look at one or two movies and try to spot mistakes, out of place or out of period things for fun.

How about every western made until 10 years ago. Everyone carried 94 Winchesters, even Cavalry Trooper's. The Indians had the forearms removed from their 94's maybe to look like a Henry.
All ACW movies had Peacemakers and 92s or 94s.
How about 1883 where Tug Mcgraw's son has a High wall, introduced in 85?
The list is endless.

 

[Kansas Jake]

And locations way out of whack. The old Gunsmoke series with mountains within half a days ride of Dodge City.

 

[Coinneach]

I can't get over how his daughter just "disappeared". Granted the daughter did get married but it takes an almost cold couple not to mention their own daughter or grandkids once in a while.

Not if the daughter married a Democrat surely......

 

[SDSmlf]

Tom Mix was the Old Man’s favorite movie cowboy. I remember pointing out to him a movie still of Mr. Mix using a double action revolver that certainly didn’t exist back in the day. No response, but could feel and see the disappointment.

 

[Eutycus]

Tom Mix was the Old Man’s favorite movie cowboy. I remember pointing out to him a movie still of Mr. Mix using a double action revolver that certainly didn’t exist back in the day. No response, but could feel and see the disappointment.

One of the stories I read about that is that Mix was not quite as fast or dexterous with the left hand so he went Double Action in the left to have it keep up with the single action in his right. This was for the camera so he could shoot with both hands equally as fast. I personally don't put too much faith in that story of a single action in the right hand. Afterall He had a pair (2) of Gold Plated Double Actions and I think He used both.

 

[Eutycus]

Tom Mix was the Old Man’s favorite movie cowboy. I remember pointing out to him a movie still of Mr. Mix using a double action revolver that certainly didn’t exist back in the day. No response, but could feel and see the disappointment.

I'm not sure just what models Mix had but I think they were Colts. Didn't Colt start turning out Double Actions around 1877? The average "cowboy" probably couldn't afford one but they were available.

 

[Sam squanch]

Tom Mix movies- you have to remember, at the time of filming, several places in the west were still wild. I don’t think his movies were supposed to be set back in the 1870’s, but I am probably wrong on that. My neighbor when I was a kid was 92. He grew up on the Mexican border- everyone was armed. No law within 100 miles in some areas. I had a wooden Tom Mix cap gun, but I lost it in a move…

 

[CaptainVane]

And locations way out of whack. The old Gunsmoke series with mountains within half a days ride of Dodge City.

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner!!!!
Or Dillon frequently rode to Mexico to chase a bad guy.

 

[Sam squanch]

The last jury duty I did, the defendant looked like Festus….

 

[CaptainVane]

I love Michael Mann movies. Last of the Mohicans was great entertainment; but not even close to the original book. Characters were all swapped around.

 

[CaptainVane]

The last jury duty I did, the defendant looked like Festus….

Festus made Gunsmoke! Him and Doc were epic!
You know, most of that hill billy jargon he called Doc was ad libbed.
And Ruth was a male (as are all mules).

 

[Cayman like]

Festus made Gunsmoke! Him and Doc were epic!
You know, most of that hill billy jargon he called Doc was ad libbed.
And Ruth was a male (as are all mules).

I remember watching The Comancheros with my Dad and the blonde lady character tells Paul Regret character something like it's 5 years after Texas independence..
So 1841? So I said they should be using muzzleloaders instead of lever actions and single action armies and I think Dad thought I was nitpicking. I always liked that movie regardless and Lee Marvin stole the movie! And he was in it less than 10 minutes.

 

[Eutycus]

I remember watching The Comancheros with my Dad and the blonde lady character tells Paul Regret character something like it's 5 years after Texas independence..
So 1841? So I said they should be using muzzleloaders instead of lever actions and single action armies and I think Dad thought I was nitpicking. I always liked that movie regardless and Lee Marvin stole the movie! And he was in it less than 10 minutes.

The Comancheros could have been a fairly good movie had the director moved the timeline 30 years ahead. Or by giving the cast the guns that were appropriate for the 1840s. It pays to listen to a technical advisor (if this movie even had one).

 

[Eutycus]

The Comancheros could have been a fairly good movie had the director moved the timeline 30 years ahead. Or by giving the cast the guns that were appropriate for the 1840s. It pays to listen to a technical advisor (if this movie even had one).

That is probably the movie that "turned me off" from John Wayne westerns.His later ones after about "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance" or "Horse Soldiers" left alot to be desired.

 

[Muley Gil]

Festus made Gunsmoke! Him and Doc were epic!
You know, most of that hill billy jargon he called Doc was ad libbed.
And Ruth was a male (as are all mules).

No, mules come in both sexes-male and female. Male mules are known as johns and female mules are known as mollies. However, mules are generally sterile. Only about once in 100,00 times can a molly mule conceive and deliver a baby mule.

You breed a jack (male) donkey to a mare (female horse) to get a mule. These breedings are about 80% successful. If you cross a stallion (male horse) to a jenny (female) donkey, you get a hinny. These breedings are only about 10-15% successful, most likely because of the size of the stallion compared to the donkey.

Generally, a mule will grow up to be within 2" of height of his/her momma mare. And you geld a john mule for the same reasons as you geld a stallion-to calm him down and give you a more stable animal.

Now, Festus said that all of his mules were named Ruth, regardless of sex. There is a good recording of Ken Curtis, as Festus, talking about Ruth.

I've owned a number of mules and donkeys over the last 25 years.

 

[Banjoman]

You beat me to it Muley.