Continuity mistake: When Benjamin Martin grabs the bone out of John Billings' hand, Martin is next to Billings, but when Martin throws the bone to get the dogs out of the wagon, he is at least three feet away from Billings, enough distance to allow the dogs to pass between them.
Continuity mistake: Early in the film, as Benjamin says goodnight to the girls, the candles he's carrying are approximately 3" long and remain so as he descends the stairs. As he reaches the bottom step the camera cuts and from there forward the candles are at least ½" longer.
Continuity mistake: When the movie begins it is 1776 and that is when Gabriel enlists in the Continental Army. In his letter home he mentions the fall of Charleston, which occurred in 1780. After Benjamin gets his commission as a colonel after the pitched battle, Gabriel states that he has been a soldier for 2 years. That would put the formation of the militia in 1778, 2 years before Charleston was captured by the British.
Continuity mistake: In the final confrontation between Benjamin and Tavington, when Tavington is charging and Benjamin is running at him with the flag, during the closeups of Benjamin, he's charging at Tavington, but when the focus shifts to Tavington, Benjamin can be seen in the foreground already kneeling, with the shaft of the flag planted in the ground. This back and forth occurs 2 or 3 times and each time Benjamin's position is different, until he flips Tavington's horse.
Answer: Guns were less powerful during Revolutionary times and the wounds were more survivable. Deep and ripping knife stabs to areas like the abdomen and the neck area are more likely to be fatal. Tavington may not die instantly, but he would probably bleed out and/or bleed internally fairly quickly.
raywest ★
Would being stabbed in the stomach, and in the throat have been enough to kill a person as tough as Tavington?
Absolutely. A deep stab to the stomach/intestinal area would be very deadly even today. Being stabbed directly in the throat would kill someone very fast due to a lack of air and inhaling blood into the lungs.
LorgSkyegon