Other mistake: When Hyman Roth's assassin runs at the airport, he is turning around with one (of two) bullet holes already in his jacket before the sound of any gunfire. (03:10:50)
Other mistake: When young Vito Corleone shoots Fanucci in the chest at the doorway to his apartment, in a continuous shot, a wound/blood bursts from Fanucci's white vest. When Fanucci proceeds to tear his vest open seemingly in disbelief he has been shot, there is no entry-wound, blood or hole in his white shirt directly under where the wound appeared in his vest.
Continuity mistake: In the first "Godfather" film, we see Vito Corleone's tombstone, and it says there that he was born on April 29. In this movie, however, Sonny curses the Japanese for bombing Pearl Harbor on Vito's birthday. The attack on Pearl Harbor happened on December 7, 1941.
Factual error: When Vito is about to kill Fanucci during a street festival, it is a cold winter's day. Fires are burning in 55 gallon drums along the street and Vito is wearing a heavy overcoat under which he conceals his weapon. But the scene begins with the shot of a banner that reads "Festa Di San Rocco" which is August 16, i.e. in the summer.
Continuity mistake: In the scene where Roth's symbolic birthday cake is divided among his partners, we see a shot in which Michael is seen, in long-shot, putting a forkful of cake into his mouth while talking about the rebels. The thing is, it does not sound as if he is talking through a mouthful of cake. What is more, when the scene cuts to closeup, he is not chewing anything, even though it's just seconds later.
Visible crew/equipment: In the scene where Vito shoots Fanucci, you can see the squib in Fanucci's waistcoat before it detonates.
Continuity mistake: During the parade, young Vito sits down with baby Michael. A kid behind plays with a flag and when the angle changes to a close-shot his position and the flag's are totally different.
Factual error: When an adult Vito returns to Sicily, and visits Don Ciccio to take his revenge, the sea can be seen over his shoulder. There is no sea anywhere near Corleone, Sicily.
Factual error: After the attempted murder of Frank Pentagalli takes place, as the shootout in the street continues a Mark II Jaguar is parked across the street. Not in 1958.
Visible crew/equipment: In the flashback scene shortly after young Vito has killed Fanucci and then joins his family on the front steps, a boom microphone is visible above and to the right of the steps.
Factual error: When Michael meets with Hyman Roth at his home in Florida the television is on and you can hear the announcer calling a USC/Notre Dame game. The meeting takes place in the late 1950's, but the announcer is Tom Kelly, a long time USC announcer who didn't start calling their games until the 1960's.
Suggested correction: The announcer calls out Don Buford and Luther Hayes. These players were on USC's roster together only in 1958. Therefore, the game must be the 1958 matchup that Notre Dame won 20-13. This is not a factual error.
The announcer has the voice of Tom Kelly, who did not announce USC games until the early '60's.
The point is that given the announcer heard is calling a real game from 1958, it's almost certainly the actual announcer from that game. There'd be no point in hiring Tom Kelly to call a fake game. The announcer must just sound like him, but be someone else. Tom Kelly isn't in the credits, which he would be if he was specifically cast in that role.
Other mistake: When Paolo is shot dead, there's blood dripping down the rocks he's lying on, but there shouldn't be. The rocks are under his shoulder, and he was shot in the back, and a little blood dripped out sideways. And there's no blood on his shirt where his body is touching the rocks.
Factual error: Corleone and Roth meet in Havana in Christmas 1958. The initial scene shows a panorama of a full street with people and American cars passing by. Among the cars we see a Jaguar Mk.2 in the opposite lane driving away. New Years day 1959 Batista flees the country and Fidel Castro takes over. The Jaguar Mk 2 wasn't introduced until late 1959.
Factual error: When Fredo arrives at the hotel to meet Michael in Havana, the flag at the entrance is from the Dominican Republic, not Cuba.
Audio problem: When Fredo is wakened by a phone call from Johnny Ola, the audio doesn't match up with Fredo talking. You can see his mouth moving at times when nothing is said, and talking that doesn't match his mouth movement's. Any idea what the original lines were?
Other mistake: When Michael visits Pentangeli's house, Pentangeli closes the double door to the study. There is a dead bolt handle on the right hand door. There is no deadbolt coming out of the door side, nor a striker plate on the opposite door.
Factual error: When a rebel sets off a grenade killing himself and a captain, you can see some soldiers carrying FN FAL assault rifles. Batista's army didn't have those. They used M1 Garand carbines and rifles as main infantry personal weapons. Barista's armed forced used legitimately supplied US ordinance and they did not need or use black market European weapons.
