MovieChat Forums > The Cassandra Crossing (1977) Discussion > Too many errors! Question about somethin...

Too many errors! Question about something...

posted 15 years ago by JohnHere
6 replies | jump to latest

There are so many blatant errors and continuity erros in this movie it's not even funny. I have some questions...

1. If the rail line was not in use for 4 decades why was the rail line approaching the bridge (with the mile markers counting down) in such good shape and the rails shiny (indicating trains were running over it) instead of being rusted solid with vegitation growing around it???? And why didn't the train operator not know of this?

2. The bridge had an electric wire above it. Supposedly it had been abaonded for 40 years, so that would be 1936. But Europe didn't electrify rail lines until the 1960s.

3. How was that map in the office connected to the rail line that showed the bridge blinking red?

So stupid.

[–] PeterSouth 15 years ago

1. The most obvious plothole indeed, to which there is no covering explanation.

2. Setting aside that the actual bridge is located in France, the first electrified railway in Poland opened in 1927. It is mentioned in the film that Cassandra crossing was abandoned in 1948. Even in a best case scenario where Cassandra crossing would be located on that very same railway, closing it down only 20 years after completion is very unrealistic. So yes, it can be considered a plothole aswell.

3. Poetic license I guess? Plenty of films show surveillance methods that would be totally impossible in reality. The filmmakers were (as usual) hoping that most people would just go with it without questioning it. But yes, this kind of monitoring is complete nonsense.

[–] dejavu73 15 years ago

3. The map in the office was not connected to the rail line but to the train which was under surveillance since the soldiers took possession of it. So when the red light stopped blinking, the doctor and the colonel thought that all the carriages were fallen into the ravine.

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[–] PeterSouth 15 years ago

Yes of course. But wasn't it a little too convenient that they happened to have a detailed railroad map of southwest Poland with incorporated geographic train surveillance and landmarks for a railroad that was supposedly closed?

Perhaps if they had been at the polish state railways central surveillance headquarters. But as far as the film shows, they were still in Geneva!

[–] dejavu73 15 years ago

I agree Peter. Undoubtedly there is an overstatement, even though one could imagine the military organization could have provided McKenzie with any sort of good and staff while he's stuffed in his temporary headquarters.

All the movie seems to be less than flattering when it comes down to the armed services. They have all the tools available to do their dirty job while the real heroes of the story - the doctors - have to struggle with nothing in their hands.

Maybe it's more than a poetic licence, who kows? As for the one concerning a shocked Sophia Loren disappearing from the last carriage while she is supposed to be on the door of it watching the disaster and holding Caterina in her arms.

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[–] saavik-girl 14 years ago

Why would the Americans want to involve Poland anyway, a country they have no influence over and one which they would probably be unable to send an investigative team ?
Weren't they worried the Soviets would investigate the train and discover the germ warfare elements, perhaps even develop it for their own use ?

"It tickles!"

[–] 14 years ago

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