Flags of Our Fathers

Factual error: When the Marines strip off and run into the sea in the final scene, Doc takes off a pair of white socks that would be more appropriate for a final at Wimbledon. Not only are they white rather than khaki, they are virtually spotlessly clean which would be impossible after a week of fighting on the black sands of Iwo Jima.

Continuity mistake: When the "Flag-Raisers" begin stripping down to go swimming, they show a few of the Marines already down to their boxers. They switch to a shot of Bradley and then back to the Marines and all have their pants on.

Continuity mistake: When the marines start marching inland, where the Japanese are not shooting, you see several clips of the row of soldiers walking inland, then a clip of their waiting comrades, and then a clip of the soldiers - still walking in the exact same place, without moving forward.

Jacob La Cour

Deliberate mistake: During the scene on the train in lounge car, a picture on the wall prominently shows an ALCO PA locomotive. The movie was set in 1945, but this locomotive was first produced in 1947.

Continuity mistake: When Ira exits the stadium after the flag show to vomit, the alleyway in which he vomits is at first dark. In the next few shots, it is lit up and then once again dark.

Revealing mistake: There are several scenes (most notably when the group is ambushed at Mt. Suribachi) where the bayonets attached to the guns bend back and forth showing them to actually be rubber instead of metal.

Joel Amos Gordon

Other mistake: During the hill climb up terrain shaped like a valley with rocks on either side, a soldier is directly hit with a large explosive, probably from the big guns, and his severed head lands down on another soldier's back, who is crouching to help another man. When the head lands on his back, it is just an empty helmet, but when he looks at it on the ground, you see the partially alive, severed head lying next to it with much of the neck still attached.

Continuity mistake: When Ira is leaving Chicago on the train, the train starts moving while he's standing and saying goodbye the last time. In the next clip he's shown right next to the train door, but that would have moved further away.

Jacob La Cour

Factual error: The water is perfectly still around the ships as they bombard the island. When the cannons fires there are small ripples on the water from the shockwave, but around the ship it remains perfectly calm.

Bud Gerber: Hey, you know what? I don't give a shit. You're in the picture, you raised the flag, that's the story we're selling, boys.
Ira Hayes: Are you deaf? Hank isn't in the picture. Harlon is in the picture.
Bud Gerber: Well, who the fuck is Harlon?
Ira Hayes: Harlon Block. That's whose mother who should be here if anyone's should be. You know, I think this whole damn thing is a farce, you ask me.

More quotes from Flags of Our Fathers

Trivia: This movie was filmed back-to-back with Letters from Iwo Jima, a fictional account of the battle of Iwo Jima that looks at it from the Japanese soldier's perspective.

Joel Amos Gordon

More trivia for Flags of Our Fathers

Question: Why did Hayes hate the fame he was receiving?

Answer: It's hard to truly understand why some people aren't comfortable in the spotlight. But Hayes was known for saying "I am not a hero" and that the real heroes were "the brave men who died." He really didn't want to be known as a hero for raising the flag, especially when so many of his friends died and didn't earn the respect he was getting. Unfortunately, he turned to alcohol and developed a drinking problem, which lead him to shun fame even more. However, these things are not unique to him. Many soldiers, especially those who suffer PTSD, which Hayes may have had, feel guilt or remorse for surviving when friends didn't. Fame and the spotlight only exasperates these feelings as it becomes a constant reminder of their survival. Alcoholism also leads some to want to be left alone for numerous reasons.

Bishop73

More questions & answers from Flags of Our Fathers

Join the mailing list

Separate from membership, this is to get updates about mistakes in recent releases. Addresses are not passed on to any third party, and are used solely for direct communication from this site. You can unsubscribe at any time.

Check out the mistake & trivia books, on Kindle and in paperback.