The Thomas Crown Affair

Factual error: When the thieves are coming out of the Trojan horse, during a shot a pile of sawdust in a cone formation on the ground. This formation couldn't have formed since the thief was sawing a line in the horse, not drilling one hole. (00:09:05)

Factual error: The man in the security room, when watching the thermal video footage states that the thermal cameras needs a difference of ten degrees (or something like that), thermal cameras operate within a range of two degrees so it would have to be a fairly rubbish camera and that's unlikely, seeing how it's guarding a Monet and all. (00:28:45)

Factual error: The Monet stolen by TC is credited as being the first painting in the Impressionist school, a clear reference to Monet's "Impression: Sunrise" of 1872. However, the painting shown during the entire film is "San Giorgio Maggiore by Twilight," a 1906 Monet painting.

Factual error: When Russo and Brosnan are talking at the meal when they first met it is said that he "went from Glasgow to Oxford on a boxing scholarship". Oxford have a firm policy throughout the colleges of only offering academic and music scholarships.

Factual error: The Trojan horse is transported into the vault area by a motorised pallet jack. The pallet jack operator is behind the load and his forward vision is totally obstructed by the load. The operator should have been in the front (as required by OSHA). Also they must turn the load around in the narrow hall because later the operator is in the front.

Continuity mistake: When TC steals the Monet, he places the painting in the briefcase and closes the case breaking the frame in half and thus ripping the edges of the painting. When at home he opens the briefcase and the frame is obviously crooked but when he holds the painting up to place it above the fireplace it is perfectly intact and the painting is not damaged. (00:20:10 - 00:22:30)

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Trivia: After Thomas has stolen the first painting and is coming out of the museum main gates, you can see a balcony in the background with a man in a bowler hat and suit standing on it. A clue to viewers who notice it maybe?

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Question: I know this is all part of the mystery, but how the hell does he steal the second painting? Everything else he's planned you can see the logic behind, how it worked, etc., but there's no possible way he could have got to the second picture - all the gates were shut and locked, the metal fireguards were in place...any ideas? If anyone involved in the making/writing of it is reading this, can they please get in touch with me?

Answer: On the commentary track for the DVD the director states that he has no idea how Thomas Crown stole the final painting.

Answer: The soft piano music at the start of the film is by Bill Conti, who is the soundtrack composer. I believe the piece is called Glider as it is used later in the film during the Glider flying scene.

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