Factual error: The film takes place in the Thirties. The song "You are My Sunshine" is featured, but was not recorded by Jimmie Davis (its composer) until 1940. [Acknowledged by the directors]. (00:11:15)
O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000)
Plot summary
Directed by: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
Starring: John Goodman, George Clooney, John Turturro, Holly Hunter, Tim Blake Nelson
3 convicts escape jail in the deep south. They are continuously searching for a treasure while being hunted down by the warden. They meet several characters along the way such as a black guitarist who has sold his soul to the devil. They record a bluegrass type song that becomes an instant smash and are constantly thrown off track by various events. The story is based on The Odyssey Homer which details a long journey home. Several of the characters in The Odyssey are represented in the movie such as the cyclops is represented by John Goodman and the sirens are also encountered.
More mistakes in O Brother, Where Art Thou?
Ulysses Everett McGill: What'd the devil give you for your soul, Tommy?
Tommy Johnson: Well, he taught me to play this here guitar real good.
Delmar O'Donnell: Oh son, for that you sold your everlasting soul?
Tommy Johnson: Well, I wasn't usin' it.
Trivia: George Clooney (Everett) was going to sing "Man of Constant Sorrow" for the film but his singing voice was very poor so he ended up lip-synching the songs instead. He said "I'm not my aunt [referring to the late singer/actress Rosemary Clooney, best known for her role in "A White Christmas" (1954)]. I decided it would be easier to just do a passionate lip-sync." He was so nervous that the tapes of his singing would get out that he returned to the studio to ensure all the evidence had been erased. The musical director of the film confirmed this but said "George is a very good singer but that style of music is very difficult and one almost has to grow up singing it in order to sing it convincingly. George did a really good version of the tune but it wasn't as good as he wanted."
Question: The only way that the valley could be flooded by rampaging water is that a dam was broken up river. Otherwise the water rises very slowly. Does the movie explain this? If so I missed it. In which way was that river flooded?
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Answer: Probably they have dismantled the coffer dam that was used while constructing the main dam. Hence, the flooding.
Good and reasonable last resort explanation - have the Coens ever addressed it?