Back in 1956, when the movie was released, no one gave any thought whatsoever to it being released in about 25-30 years on a medium called VHS tape (and later DVD)to be watched again and again for the purposes of catching every minute little detail that could be pointed out as a a "mistake."
Some of the "goofs" aren't goofs at all, such as the car that is supposedly seen in the distance in the cavalry crossing in the winter. I've watched it over and over, even with a video having an arrow pointing to the car WAY off in the distance, and you STILL can't make out WHAT it is, let alone that alone it's that it's a car...
There has NEVER been a movie made that is free of goofs, Anachronisms, continuity errors, geography issues, historical problems, and the like. Ford wasn't a stickler for exact dates and verbatim quotes.
That being said, people LOVE to troll IMDb and pick on iconic movies, directors, and actors (not just this one, Ford, nor Wayne), it makes the feel somehow superior, and I get that, but in the end, in doesn't matter, as it rarely gets in the way of good story telling, unless the errors are so painfully out of place that it's just TOO much!!
A lot of these a nit-picky kind of things that 1. Aren't really goofs, and 2. Unless you're watching the film LOOKING for things to pick over, you wouldn't notice them.
Lastly, and this is a HUGE issue for not only me, but for most people who watch movies made before last year...you simply cannot view history through today's eyes. It not only applies to movie making. People want to do it with how people lived, politics, and almost every aspect of human life, but you simply can't.
You also have to remember that it's a movie, and some people try to tear down any and everything they can, as they have no life. It sounds far fetched, but it's true. THEY have no life, so they want everyone else to be as unhappy as they are.
I don't act...I react. John Wayne
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aa56
11 years ago
A valid and fair opinion, but I believe that if the producers hire a continuity person and a history advisor they should get their money's worth.
You are right that most people wouldn't notice many of the goofs listed for this film, but some--like it's daylight in this view, it's dusk in this view (Ed Wood, Jr. was notorious for these, only worse, mixing day and night)--I believe would jar an audience, and I'm surprised that a director like John Ford would miss it or couldn't care less about it. Even worse is seeing production equipment and crew in the released cut--a terrible letdown when one is engrossed in a film.
When I'm jarred by such sloppy production, I rate a film lower even though it has a good story and other redeeming qualities.
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bari2525
11 years ago
I tend to agree, but as for the daylight vs dark...this has to do with Marty and Mose being behind a log in shade...it's a different story.
There are a couple of issues of lighting having to do with filters (nighttime being shot in the daylight through filters and lenses), and some continuity shots, but otherwise, it's great film!
I respect your feelings and opinions, though!
I don't act...I react. John Wayne
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buddyboy28
11 years ago
Like bari said all films have goofs.Even ones considered the greatest of all time.But again,there's many listed on here that aren't goofs.I've tried to correct them but funny thing about IMDB they happily put on goofs,trivia or quotes seemingly wthout checking at times but you try and correct them and it almost never happens.
For instance there's a goof on there which makes out that Laurie has been sent two letters in one year because of Lars dialogue to Charlie "Two letters in one year by golly" and then this is contradicted later when Laurie tells Marty he only sent her one in five years.This is beyond stupid.What Lars is saying to Charlie is that it's the second letter the family have received in one year.One letter from Futterman and then one from Marty.I've tried to change some of them but no luck.
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Fill your hand you son of a bitch!
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