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

[ronaldrothb49]

There isn't the time or space to list all of them.

 

[Kev308]

Look closely at the rifle. My childhood was a sham……

 

[Eutycus]

I will forgive Buster Keaton for his historical inaccuracies because he's Buster Freakin' Keaton.
He was amazing, and that film is great!

Buster must have been some sort of "authority" on the Civil War. Not only did he make his movie , "the General", but I read where he was technical advisor on Red Skelton's "A Southern Yankee".

 

[tenngun]

In the Revanant the background is sweeping mountain vista's but the actual event took place in the Dakotas.

In summer

 

[stephenprops1]

I was watching a movie about Frank & Jesse James. Frank was chasing some railroad speculators off his mother's farm. When he started down the lane he was holding an 1858 Remington cap & ball revolver. When he got to the end of the lane he was holding an 1860 Colt revolver. -- I saw it and backed up the video to confirm. My wife was watching it too and she commented, "Only you would notice such a thing."

 

[TDM]

Don’t think it’s been mentioned, but what ruined watching the Revenant was shooting the flintlock with the frizzen open during the bear attack

 

[kyron4]

Don’t think it’s been mentioned, but what ruined watching the Revenant was shooting the flintlock with the frizzen open during the bear attack

Right before he shoots the bear he closes it with his thumb as he runs his hand down the barrel., Still I would think the prime would have fallen out. Watch carefully at the 4:13 mark.

 

[TDM]

Right before he shoots the bear he closes it with his thumb as he runs his hand down the barrel., Still I would think the prime would have fallen out. Watch carefully at the 4:13 mark.

Yeah, I think I saw that on the clip. But I could swear on the DVD I have the frizzen was fully open. Have to watch it again, still a good movie. My memory comes and goes.

 

[Marshhawk]

Excellent book, as well.

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

How about in westerns when they whip out a Colt and cock it. Then, when they don't fire they lower the hammer on a live round and just holster the piece. I wince every time.....

 

[Brokentaileddog]

I was watching the rifleman once and you could clearly see a pack of cigarettes in Lucas's shirt pocket and he wore the same shirt every episode it being off white you could see the outline of the pack easily..

 

[Appowner]

OK, not BP but since I watched it just this morning. TV show "Wanted, Dead or Alive". Steve McQueen used a cut down Henry lever action with the stock cut off right behind the grip and a 10" or so barrel known as a Mares Leg. Very short barrel, tube magazine seemed to hold a dozen or more 40/70 which should have required a tube some 25-30 inches long. But it was no longer than the barrel. Might have held 3 rounds.

But the real error was when Steve would fire the gun. He fanned the hammer like a pistol. Only when he checked to see if it was loaded did he cycle the lever and action.

 

[Kansas Jake]

Also the mares leg couldn’t have chambered a 45-70. Wrong model. But those big cartridges sure looked cool and intimidating.

 

[sturmkatze]

I’m a reenactor. Historical stuff is hard for me to watch. You have to just breathe and ignore.

 

[TDM]

OK, not BP but since I watched it just this morning. TV show "Wanted, Dead or Alive". Steve McQueen used a cut down Henry lever action with the stock cut off right behind the grip and a 10" or so barrel known as a Mares Leg. Very short barrel, tube magazine seemed to hold a dozen or more 40/70 which should have required a tube some 25-30 inches long. But it was no longer than the barrel. Might have held 3 rounds.

But the real error was when Steve would fire the gun. He fanned the hammer like a pistol. Only when he checked to see if it was loaded did he cycle the lever and action.

Yes, but Steve McQueen, like Clint Eastwood, are exempt from having to do those types of things.

 

[Felonious]

I was watching The Free State Of Jones the other day and had to cringe at Matthew McConaugheys shotgun muzzle control. He was talking to a group of people with it over his shoulders and under his arms, like a T shape, and spinning around flagging everyone he was talking to at head level.

 

[Sidney Smith]

Any movie where a person gets shot, then they grasp their chest, and slowly slump to the ground. The first time I saw what to me appeared to be a realistic soldier gets shot scenes was in Saving Private Ryan. The person gets hit, then drops like somebody turned off a light switch. Now, that movie has its own share of mistakes, like the soldiers getting hit while underwater. It's been proven that a person could stand 6 feet away from an AK 47 being shot at them under water and it won't even hit them. I've seen videos of guys doing this with ballistic dummies and such. Not one ever got hit much less penetrated thru and thru.

I know it's a Disney film but in the Swiss Family Robinson, the guns are obviously percussion but have fake frizzens attached that don't open when the gun is fired. And when the family cuts the piles of rocks and logs loose to roll down on the pirates, a few of the guns go flying and vibrate when they hit the gun, showing theyre obviously made of rubber.

 

[Dude]

In DEAD MAN'S WALK (prequel to Lonesome Dove), which starts out in 1842, there are several scenes with Walker Colts. At that time, only five shot folding trigger.36 Patersons were available. The Walker wasn't created until 47.

I guess it wouldn't have been as impressive with the .36 Paterson, nor a tie-in to the Walkers Gus wore later.

A workmate at one time had been a submariner. He and his friends used to crack up over Hollywood's depiction of submarine action.

 

[TFoley]

In the Patriot. Mel carried some very authentic rifles, hawks, and pistols.
unfortunately, in the battle scenes, there were percussion Hawkens (maybe CVAs).
Great movie nonetheless.

In the famous attack on the column, carried our by Gibson's persona and his remaining sons, ALL the rifles they used were made by a well-known poster here and are as authentic as it is possible to be.

 

[Pratt]

I wondered how Fess Parker got two shots from a long rifle in less than 10 seconds at the Alamo shooting at to men operating a field piece