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

[Big Tom 52]

This is from Wikipedia's description of the plot of the movie.

" The caravan of settlers in their covered wagons would follow Wellmore's ox-drawn train of Conestoga wagons, as the first major group of settlers to move west on the Oregon Trail"

I don't think John Wayne shot an Indian with a ramrod in this movie.

Clark Gable shot Ricardo Montalban with his ram rod in the movie "Across the wide Missouri"

 

[CaptainVane]

One of the very best, historically correct, no mistakes i could find, is Black Robe. If never seen check it out. Take place in about 1615 - 1620. Only guns shown are matchlocks.

 

[stephenprops1]

I have her book and have read it several times. I see no reference to mules only being male.

Here is a picture of my FEMALE molly mule, Betty Boop.

I know. That was my point. A mule can be of either sex. Males are always sterile. A female might not be.

 

[stephenprops1]

I could probably go on all night, but this is my latest favorite. The 'scoped' Baker rifle from the movie Napoleon. A beautiful Baker rifle, but What? is going on with that scope????

It looks like some redneck attached the scope to the musket. Who knew that the French had rednecks even back then.

 

[mountainman_53223]

Anyone ever watch 'Hawkeye' from the early 1990's? Had Lee Horsley and Lynda Carter. Based of course on the Cooper series of stories. Well known Indian actor Rodney A Grant is Chingachgook.
It was only on for one full season back then and I dont recall watching it, but I really enjoy it now, cornball though it is at times, pretty entertaining and high rewatch value.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0108798/

You can buy the series on disk

 

[[email protected]]

You can buy the series on disk

Yah, I did, been watching it regularly, its a hoot.

One episode has the same actor that played Uncas in the movie with Daniel Day Lewis, Eric Schweig, he plays the baddie though.

 

[Grenadier1758]

This is from Wikipedia's description of the plot of the movie.

" The caravan of settlers in their covered wagons would follow Wellmore's ox-drawn train of Conestoga wagons, as the first major group of settlers to move west on the Oregon Trail"

I don't think John Wayne shot an Indian with a ramrod in this movie.

In the movie "Allegheny Uprising", John Wayne shot a renegade white man with his ramrod. However, in one of the scenes there is an accurate depiction of someone loading a muzzleloading rifle and shooting it.

And in the movie Allegheny Uprising, during the trial scene, Claire Trevor is asked to load the rifle for a shot demonstration. She loads by placing the ball in her hand and pouring powder over the ball. Very deftly I might add. Would be an excellent video tutorial on how to measure powder.

 

[Grenadier1758]

The PBS miniseries "Jamestown" does a very good job in depicting the use of matchlocks and the general buildings. They sure do an injustice on the women's clothing. No hats, but that would obscure the actresses' faces.

 

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One pet peeve I have is in most movies or shows using muzzleloaders, the user, pretty much drops his ball downbore, then uses his ramrod to briskly push the ball down to seat it, several times very quickly and its obvious there is Zero pressure being placed on anything.
The action shown is more akin to cleaning the bore than loading it. Drives me nuts!

 

[earlwb]

I happened in on the old Waxworks movie from 1988. In a Marquis de Sade confrontation scene the hero had a 45-70 trapdoor conversion pistol that looked like a flintlock.

Hollywood special effects houses converted hundreds of old 45-70 trapdoors to look like flintlocks or percussion guns many years ago.

Actually I wouldn’t mind owning a 45-70 trapdoor rifle converted into a pistol. I think that would be an awesome gun to own even if it is going to still kick like a mule. Not a blank only firing one but one that shoots the good stuff.

 

[Rob M.]

They sure flinch a lot when they shoot their trapdoor Springfield's during Rev. War battles and at the Alamo !! LOL !

 

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One of the very best, historically correct, no mistakes i could find, is Black Robe. If never seen check it out. Take place in about 1615 - 1620. Only guns shown are matchlocks.

A very good movie!

 

[[email protected]]

Clark Gable shot Ricardo Montalban with his ram rod in the movie "Across the wide Missouri"

I think Charlton Heston did the same in The Mountain Men. I know the movie was panned, but I enjoy watching it from time to time. It has its moments.

 

[Coinneach]

I like how in the TV series Bonanza, they would ride back and forth from the Ponderosa to Virginia City several times a day. They had some very fast horses.

I watched the old "MacKennas Gold" move for the first time a few weeks ago, they were galloping Horses throughout it, not a drop of lather sweat on any of them; other than Gregory Peck in the lead role the rest of them were crappy actors, Mr Peck must have been seriously embarrassed in his role.

 

[Coinneach]

They sure flinch a lot when they shoot their trapdoor Springfield's during Rev. War battles and at the Alamo !! LOL !

Anyone else notice that the frizzen springs been probably rooned with a poor tempering job ?

 

[Fitzhugh Williams]

One of the very best, historically correct, no mistakes i could find, is Black Robe. If never seen check it out. Take place in about 1615 - 1620. Only guns shown are matchlocks.

Although, in one scene th guy with the matchlock manages to light his slow match with a couple of strikes of the flint. You have to be good to do that!

 

[CaptainVane]

Although, in one scene th guy with the matchlock manages to light his slow match with a couple of strikes of the flint. You have to be good to do that!

That would be Daniel, i will have to check out that scene.
Now that i think about it, they probably had just a piece of flint and steel to use as a fire starter. I think matchlocks had powder impregnated in the wick, so possibly using flint and steel to get the ‘match’ glowing could be historically accurate.

 

[bpd303]

Needs to have a box magazine to go along with the apparent pistol grip.

He is using the trigger guard scroll to hook his thumb into. My grandfather would do that once in a while.

 

[Cayman like]

That would be Daniel, i will have to check out that scene.
Now that i think about it, they probably had just a piece of flint and steel to use as a fire starter. I think matchlocks had powder impregnated in the wick, so possibly using flint and steel to get the ‘match’ glowing could be historically accurate.

I liked that movie! The part when the priest was eating all that fresh venison and a couple of the Injens were pointing at him and the next scene he was pooping over the side of the canoe with diarrhea was hilarious.

 

[Dwight Dutton]

Latest is the new Shogun series. Its set around 1600 and he has Revolutionary war flintlocks. Should have been those huge snaphaunce or wheellock pistols with the huge ball maces on the end of the barely bent grips.