Continuity mistake: Mulwray's Secretary and Jake have a conversation as he waits to talk to Russ Yelburton. They do an excellent job keeping things tidy on her desk between shots but the white flowers and Jake's hat move without anyone going near them. (00:53:15)
Revealing mistake: When Jake returns a second time to talk to Russ Yelburton they go into Hollis Mulwray's office and a lot of the pictures have been taken off the walls. The crew makes a very lame attempt, using spray paint, to make it look as though the paintings have been hanging on a wall for very long time. Earlier in the movie we see these same spots and there is obviously no discoloration on the walls. (00:55:55)
Continuity mistake: As he returns to his office, Sophie tells Jake that Evelyn Mulwray is in there. Notice the three pictures on the wall between the two windows, which are perfectly straight. In the next shot after he walks in the bottom picture is crooked. (00:57:05)
Factual error: In Jake's office, Evelyn Mulwray stands by the window and a mid twentieth century modern building is outside it to the right. (00:57:20)
Continuity mistake: Jake and Noah Cross sit down to eat and the piece of lemon on Jake's plate moves between shots in the close-up. (01:01:15)
Continuity mistake: When Jake and Noah Cross sit down to eat, their glasses are empty. In the next shot Jake's glass is filled with white wine. Later the waiter fills the empty glass again with white wine. (01:01:20)
Continuity mistake: As Jake and Noah Cross sit down to eat lunch the column holding up the roof of the building is on his left. He gets up to leave only to sit down again and now the column behind him is on his right. (01:04:05)
Continuity mistake: Jake Goes to the Los Angeles County Hall of Records. The coat hanging on the coat rack and the chair behind "the weasel" move between shots without being touched. (01:06:55)
Other mistake: While reading a book in the Hall of Records, Jake notices some names are pasted in. One of the pasted in names is spelled "Clarence Speer." The name comes up again as Jake Gittes and Evelyn Mulwray are driving away from the orchards. The name is spelled in the subtitles "Clarence Speer" and Jake pronounces it "Clarence Speer." Later Jake and Evelyn are reviewing the Mar Vista Rest Home Activities Board. Here the name is spelled "Clarence Speers." (01:07:35 - 01:17:25)
Continuity mistake: As Jake gets chased by the farmers in the orange grove the marks on his windshield change between shots. (01:09:40)
Continuity mistake: A farmer shoots Jake's radiator, which spurts a steady stream of water and steam. In the next shot when the car crashes the radiator is not leaking. (01:10:30)
Continuity mistake: The farmer's son hits Jake over the head with his crutch and as he falls to the ground the bandage around his right nostril has moved from earlier in the scene. (01:12:25)
Continuity mistake: Before the farmer's son hits Jake over the head with his crutch there's blood on the right side of his shirt. In the next scene as he wakes up to see Evelyn Mulwray there's less blood on his shirt. (01:12:45)
Revealing mistake: As Evelyn Mulwray drives Jake home after his altercation with the farmer look closely at the side window next to Jake. The car appears to be driving down the road but the reflection in the vent window is stationary. (01:13:40)
Continuity mistake: As Evelyn Mulwray drives Jake home after his altercation with the farmer, look closely at the piece of paper he pulls out of his pocket with the landowners names on at. It doesn't have any of the paper tabs hanging off of it that we saw before as Jake stole it from the Hall of Records. (01:13:45)
Continuity mistake: After his altercation with the farmer, Evelyn Mulwray drives Jake home and he pulls out a piece of paper with Jasper Lamar Crabb's obit on it. This scrap of paper is not the same one that he tore out of the newspaper in the restaurant before he met with Evelyn Mulwray. The side of this scrap of paper is even, but if you watch as he rips the newspaper in the restaurant, the tear moves to the left as it goes up the sheet. (01:14:20)
Visible crew/equipment: Mr. Palmer walks up and introduces himself to Evelyn Mulwray and Jake as they enter the Mar Vista rest home. After Jake takes his hat off you can see the shadow of the camera on it. (01:15:20)
Audio problem: Evelyn Mulwray and Jake take a look around the Mar Vista rest home and the woman playing the piano is an obvious over-dub as her hands do not move in sync with what we hear. (01:16:55)
Continuity mistake: At the Mar Vista rest home, Evelyn Mulwray and Jake take a look into the room where the old women are sewing. In the next shot as they walk in, the woman on the left disappears. She's sitting next to the woman that points after Jake says, "Are any of you Emma Dill?". (01:17:25)
Continuity mistake: As they are escorted out of the Mar Vista rest home, Jake kicks Claude Mulvihill in the stomach and if you look closely his hat never leaves his left hand as he smashes his head into the front railing. In the next shot as Claude drops his gun to the floor we see the hat on the ground next to it. (01:19:10)
