Continuity mistake: Right after George makes the Oscar Wilde quote about work, Wanda leans over to kiss him and then they both lean back in their chairs. The camera angle changes as Otto gets up to talk to Ken and you see Wanda and George doing the same kiss again. (00:06:28)
Continuity mistake: When Otto is awakened by the alarm clock, he sits up in bed to shoot it and the book that was lying on his chest falls to his left side. The camera angle changes and the book is now opened and sitting perfectly in his lap. (00:00:55)
Continuity mistake: When Archie is trying to put the locket in his mouth he is seen kneeling about 3 feet from the ground. The camera angle changes and he is now seen at about 6 inches from the ground. (01:09:47)
Continuity mistake: When Archie comes back into the den with the champagne, you see him starting to get startled to see his wife instead of Wanda, and when the camera angle changes you see him getting startled again. (00:47:42)
Continuity mistake: When Otto is about to shoot Archie, Archie tells him to turn around and look behind him. When Otto turns around to see Ken on the steam roller, you can see footprints in the cement that were not there in the previous camera angle. (01:41:36)
Continuity mistake: When Ken crashes into the garbage can to avoid hitting the witness' dog, you see garbage being strewn all over the front of his car, but not in it. The camera angle changes and you now see Ken throwing garbage out of the driver's side after opening the door to get out. (01:03:29)
Continuity mistake: When Otto pulls Ken into the hallway to talk to him, he pushes him up against the wall and places his left hand flat on the wall. The camera angle changes and his hand is now wrapped around the edge of the wall. The camera angle changes again and his hand is flat on the wall again. Happens about 3 times during the entire scene. (00:25:18)
Continuity mistake: When Otto is hanging Archie upside down outside the window, as Archie apologises, you can see Otto's thumb visible as he is holding Archie's legs. When it cuts to a close-up of Otto Archie's trousers are now covering Otto's thumb. (01:00:10)
Continuity mistake: When the Doberman grabs the dog there is nobody in the background behind the old lady. When it cuts to the Doberman running away there is suddenly a couple walking in the background. (00:51:15)
Continuity mistake: When Otto and Wanda returns to Ken's apartment and Wanda is changing clothes, as Otto says he might get jealous, Wanda reaches into the closet with one hand. When it cuts she has both her hands in the closet. (00:21:30)
Continuity mistake: When they enter the vault you can see a pencil holder with two pencils in it. A blue and a red one. A few shots later we see the holder again and a green pencil has appeared. (00:07:40)
Continuity mistake: When Archie gets into the barrel, you see a large amount of the waste oil spill out and the top level drops about 2-3 inches below the rim. The camera angle changes and the top level is now all the way up to the rim and overflowing. (01:40:36)
Continuity mistake: When Ken tells Wanda that George moved the diamonds, he starts to stutter and Wanda starts to kiss him to calm him down and you see Wanda putting her left arm around his neck. The camera angle changes and she is now holding his face with both hands. (00:27:27)
Continuity mistake: Right before Wanda sees where Ken puts the key, she and Otto are in the bedroom and Otto starts kissing her after he starts speaking Italian. You see Wanda holding his face in her hands and when the camera angle changes her right hand is now pressed up against the wall behind her and her left hand is now on his shoulder. (00:22:28)
Continuity mistake: When Otto is about to open the safe he stops the wheel at '20'. When he opens it it's back on '0' without him having touching it. (00:13:45)
Continuity mistake: Right before the Doberman grabs one of the witness' dogs, all 3 dogs are near each other, but when the angle changes 2 of the dogs are behind the witness and the dog that the Doberman grabs is in front of her. The angle changes again and the other 2 dogs are now in front of the witness again as the Doberman runs off with the other dog. (00:53:22)
Continuity mistake: When the family walks into the flat and Archie is naked, he grabs a picture and puts it in front of him and you see his arms bent. The camera angle changes to a rear shot and his arms are now straight. The camera angle changes again and his arms are bent again. Happens about 3 times throughout the scene. (01:14:28)
Continuity mistake: When Archie gets the locket in his mouth, he lays his head on the ground and you can see pearls near his head. His wife runs up to him to help him and the pearls have moved and there is now a silver chalis in front of the pearls. (01:09:54)
Continuity mistake: Right before Otto hits Archie during Archie's staged robbery at his house, Archie runs by a door and you can see his shadow on the door moving. You then see the shadow disappear and then a few seconds later you hear Otto talking and another shadow appears on the door. This was defintely where they stopped and then started the camera. (01:07:49)
Continuity mistake: When Archie breaks into his house to stage a robbery, you see him break the window of the door and most of the glass falls onto the ground. When Otto is seen walking into the door a few seconds later, there is more glass left in the door then there was when Archie walked in. (01:06:45)
Answer: John Cleese was reciting the poem "Molitva" by Mikhail Lermontov. He learned and memorized it phonetically and has admitted that he had no idea what the words actually meant.
Angela Brown