Fawlty Towers

Fawlty Towers (1975)

88 mistakes - chronological order

(6 votes)

The Germans - S1-E6

Revealing mistake: When Basil is turning the fire alarm on and off, he puts the key next to the red box and turns it. However, there isn't a slot for the key to actually go in; he's just holding it close and turning it.

David Mercier

The Germans - S1-E6

Audio problem: When Basil has lost the key to the fire alarm he decides to throw the typewriter at it. The typewriter sound hitting the (hidden) floor is a sort of scraping sound. Surely the typewriter would have crashed down or smashed.

The Germans - S1-E6

Deliberate mistake: When Basil asks Manuel to pull the hose on the fire extinguisher, the top of the hose falls off easily, resulting Basil to be squirted in the face. The bit where the hose is attached to squirts water out diagonally, but this would cause water not to go down the hose. This fire extinguisher was especially constructed to make sure the water was directed at Basil's face.

The Germans - S1-E6

Visible crew/equipment: When Basil runs from the restaurant and into the office, as the door opens to the hallway you can see a monitor in the office, showing what we can see. The director must be watching the action from in there.

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Suggested correction: Most places like this are likely to have CCTV and the office would be the optimum place for the manager to watch on the monitor.

CCTV was very uncommon in 1975. It wasn't until the late 80s it became more popular and even then it was of poor quality. Not like what is in the mistake.

Ssiscool

The Germans - S1-E6

Character mistake: When the first German guest enters reception, he asks Polly, in German, if she would tell him what time lunch is served. She replies in German "at 9am, in five minutes." Which would be a strange time to be serving lunch! Actually her pronunciation of "9" sounds more like the German word for "no", so could be mistaken for "at no time. In 5 minutes."

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Suggested correction: He asks what time lunch is being served. Lunch would not be served at 9am, it would be served around midday. Polly's response is "In no time. In 5 minutes" is absolutely correct. She does say "nein", not "neun" but it is not a mistake.

The Germans - S1-E6

Continuity mistake: When Basil is being pursued by the doctor, the left antler on the moose's head on the wall is broken. When the head lands on Manuel, the antler is not broken or limp any longer, and when the Major wraps the head on the snout, the antler breaks and goes limp again.

Communication Problems (a.k.a. Theft) - S2-E1

Plot hole: Basil torments Mrs. Richards by miming when he is speaking to her, so she will think her hearing aid has failed. However, she speaks twice during the scene, and she would hear herself - obviously - and would know that he was trying to fool her.

The Psychiatrist - S2-E2

Revealing mistake: When Basil is climbing up the ladder to view the inside of Mr Johnson's room, he accidently peers inside Dr Abbott's room. When he starts doing his "checking" routine on the window before he falls backwards, the pane flexes, indicating that it's made of clear perspex.

The Psychiatrist - S2-E2

Revealing mistake: When Basil sneaks into Raylene's room to listen for the "extra guest" in Johnson's room, Raylene wakes up screaming. When Sybil comes in, turns the light on and Basil says "I didn't know she was there, I just came in to check the walls", look at the extreme right of the screen. You can see the shadow of a boom light on the wall.

Communication Problems (a.k.a. Theft) - S2-E1

Mrs Richards: And another thing. I expect to be able to see the sea.
Basil: [whispering to Manuel.] Deaf, Mad and Blind. [To Mrs Richards.] Yes, this is the view as far as I can remember... Yes, yes it is.
Mrs Richards: When I pay for a view, I expect something more interesting than that.
Basil: But that is Torquay, madam.
Mrs Richards: Well it's not good enough.
Basil: Well may I ask what you expected to see out of a Torquay hotel bedroom window? Sydney Opera House perhaps? The Hanging Gardens of Babylon? Herds of wildebeest sweeping majestically across the plain...
Mrs Richards: [interrupting.] Don't be silly. I expect to be able to see the sea.
Basil: You CAN see the sea! It's over there between the land and the sky!
Mrs Richards: I'd need a telescope to see that.
Basil: Well might I suggest you move to a hotel closer to the sea. Or preferably in it.
Mrs Richards: Now listen to me. I'm not satisified but I've decided to stay. HOWEVER, I shall expect a deduction.
Basil: Why, because Krakatoa isn't erupting at the moment?
Mrs Richards: Because the room is cold, the bath is too small, the view is invisible and the radio doesn't work.
Basil: No, the radio works. You don't.

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More trivia for Fawlty Towers

Answer: It's "Leisure Complex" by Dave Gold and Gordon Rees. Can be found on YouTube. The relevant clip is around 25 seconds in.

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