National Treasure

Factual error: In the scene under Trinity Church, Ben is holding on to the elevator and trying to get a grip to swing to safety (after Dr. Chase is already to safety). He grabs a board that falls off, then the last board pulls back an is shown to be held on with modern day nails. If it were built 200 years before, as the movie suggests, these would not likely be the kind of nails from the local hardware store as shown in the film.

Factual error: When Riley is sitting outside the Franklin Institute and sees the ad on the side of the bus with the close up of the Liberty Bell, the SEPTA bus is labeled with the 108 Airport route. That bus route goes from the 69th Street Transportation Center to the Philadelphia International Airport and would not pass near the Franklin Institute.

Factual error: The poem on the pipe stem reads Fifty Five in Iron Pen, and Nicolas Cage states "a document that fifty five men signed." The Declaration of Independence was signed by fifty six men.

Factual error: As Ben is clinging to the staircase while it is falling apart, there is a close-up of a nail being pulled out of the wood. This nail is round-headed, rather than square as it would have been over 200 years ago. It's also shiny instead of rusty, which indicates that it's galvanized. Galvanization as an industrial, metal-preservation process was not patented until 1837, and was not used in building materials until well into the late-1800s. Since the film states the staircase was made by "the Founding Fathers, " and there was no galvanization of iron nails in any industrialized nation in 1780s-1830's, this is a huge anachronism.

Kristal

More mistakes in National Treasure

FBI: Here are your options. Door number one you go to prison for a very long time, door number two you help us get back the declaration from Ian, and you'll still go to prison for a very long time, but you'll feel good inside.
Ben Gates: Is there a door that doesn't lead to prision?
FBI: Someone's gotta go to prison, Ben.

More quotes from National Treasure

Trivia: Andrew Jackson's 1832 White House was actually filmed at the Daughters of the American Revolution Building in DC.

shortdanzr

More trivia for National Treasure

Question: Ben explains the code on the Declaration reading 'Heere to the Wall' refers to the corner of Broadway and Wall St. But inside the church he reads 'Beneath Parkington Lane' and assumes that must mean beneath the church. But why is there no explanation for what Parkington Lane is and why wouldn't Ben think it's just another clue?

Answer: He doesn't simply assume "Beneath Parkington Lane" means beneath the church: Parkington Lane is the name etched on the tomb hiding the entrance to the tunnels. When he saw it, he naturally deduced what he had to do.

Sereenie

More questions & answers from National Treasure

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