Factual error: The train liveries shown in the UK were well out of use by 1980. And the West Coast Railway (Company) did not exist at all.
Factual error: As Ray is driving around the country selling his machines, we see town mileage signs that are green with white lettering. In the early 50s they were white with black lettering.
Factual error: When the seals are tumbling down the mountain one of them almost lands on a rattlesnake. There are no rattlesnakes native to Afghanistan or any other part of Asia. They occur only in the western hemisphere.
Factual error: Einar walks away from his wife in Paris to go to a peep show, then there is suddenly a scene where he walks the streets of Copenhagen. It's clear that the marble church of Copenhagen is in the shot.
Factual error: Tommy is wearing a Hulkamania shirt while the band is being assembled together. The band was formed in 1981. Hulkamania didn't start until 1984.
Factual error: Richardson's watching the World cup final (1966) way way before Reg got married to Frances (1965).
Factual error: USAF is written on the underside of an aircraft's left wing. The U.S. Air Force wasn't created until later. Flight operations were still conducted by the U.S. Army.
Suggested correction: The plane actually has "USAAF" written on the wing: United States Army Air Force.
Factual error: In the early part of the movie, there is a shot of the outside of Triple O's bar. The scene takes place in 1975 and "Coors" is advertised on the outside of the bar. Coors beer was not available in Boston/East Coast in 1975. It was only available from the 1980's.
Factual error: As Wendell and Jackie are driving in the car, Jackie turns the radio on to put a hiatus on their discussion. As soon as he turns it on, sound issues forth, but in the 40's radios used vacuum tubes, which required a warm-up period.
Suggested correction: Once the tubes are warmed up, they will tend to stay warm for a period of time even if the radio is turned off. It's possible the radio had been turned on and warmed up before this scene.
Factual error: In the scene where the young Helen Goff is traveling by train with her family, it's obvious that an American engine and coaches have been used, instead of a Queensland Rail locomotive of the era. None of the QR locomotives had flared smokestacks like on the one seen in the movie. The coaches are also incorrect - as far as I know, none of the Queensland Rail wood coaches had clerestory roofs with a set of windows in them like seen in the movie. When Helen looks out the back of the train, it's also obvious that the tracks are spaced at 'standard gauge' (4' 8.5"). They should be closer together, as railways in Queensland are built to 3'6" gauge instead. There is also no such company as the 'Queensland Victoria Railway Co', as marked on the coaches, as all railways in Australia are state owned.
Factual error: When Jordan tries to escape with his daughter in the Mercedes, he pulls the parking brake with his hand (a hand-type parking brake) to stop the car, but that car (Mercedes Benz SL Class R129) is only available with a foot-type parking brake, making his action impossible. (02:43:35)
Factual error: An old man appears with children following him. This is supposed to be pedagogue Janusz Korczak. It appeared as if he was just wearing a suit and a Jewish arm band. In the Warsaw Ghetto, Mr. Korczak never wore an arm band and wore his WWI Polish Army Uniform, both as acts of defiance. He was beaten and almost put to death (he had connections) for not wearing an arm band so having one on in the movie is inaccurate.
Factual error: Joan's brother Pierre did not die at the fight at Paris. He actually outlived her and testified at her Trial of Rehabilitation.
Factual error: Tony Gregory, the politician that Veronica meets, is seen wearing a suit and tie. Tony Gregory the TD, made a point of never wearing a tie.
Factual error: The movie is set in the late 1950s, yet Ed's car has yellow-on-black California license plates that weren't issued until 1963. The plates on Ed's car should be black-on-yellow 1956 issue plates.
Factual error: Halfway into the film, a scene shows Capote talking on a beige telephone. The receiver is a modular (plug in) type. Modular phones were not introduced until after 1966. The time frame for this movie is 1959 through 1963. All other scenes in this movie show the correct type of receiver (wired, not plug-in).
Factual error: Prime Minister Peter Stolypin is shown at the Romanov Tercentery, which marked 300 years of Romanov rule. Stolypin died in 1911, yet the Tercentenary was held in 1913. Also, Alexei's Spala incident happened in 1912, and was also shown after the Tercentenary.
Factual error: When Hughes flies the open cockpit H-1 at over 350mph he isn't wearing goggles. There isn't a sign of any wind at all in the cockpit. Even with a windscreen, the wind would cause your eyes to water well before 350mph.
Factual error: The year is 1969 when they steal the first aircraft (single engine Cessna), and there is a 757 taking off in the background. The 757 first flew on 02-19-82. (00:22:05)
Factual error: What on earth is the conductor at the premiere of the 9th doing with a baton? This was not used until around 1849, and the premiere of the 9th is in 1824.