Goofs
Continuity
When Jane sucks Frank's finger, her hand jumps on and off of his between shots.
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Audio/visual unsynchronised (1) |
Character error (2) |
Continuity (15) |
Crew or equipment visible (3) |
Errors in geography (2) |
Factual errors (6) |
Miscellaneous (1) |
Incorrectly regarded as goofs (3) |
Plot holes (1) |
Revealing mistakes (9)
Audio/visual unsynchronised
When the driving instructor tells Stephanie to "extend your middle finger" he mouths an expletive instead. More than likely the original audio was voiced over so the movie could keep its PG-13 rating.
Character error
The mayor states that the city is presenting the queen with a "Revolutionary War musket," but the firearm Ludwig holds up is clearly a rifle, not a smoothbore musket.
When Ed looks at the picture in the hospital, he says "I LUV YOU, out of Caracas. A Panamanian ship.." Caracas is in Venezuela, not Panama. Also, when the picture is shown to the audience, there is no indication of the ship's registry (no visible flag, crest, or wording). Ed would have no way of knowing that the ship was from Caracas.
Continuity
In the video/theatrical release, in the final battle with Vincent Ludwig, Frank Drebin's chest protector has deflated without reason. (note: the network television broadcast adds a scene in which Ludwig shoots the chest protector, causing it to deflate.)
In the hospital scenes Nordberg has a cast on his right arm and his left arm is fine. In the final scene at the stadium Nordberg's right arm is fine and his left arm is in a cast.
During the baseball scrum, Seattle #41 in gray swings a chair at LA #5 (Beverly), just as the chair hits him, the camera cuts to a tighter angle showing the chair breaking apart across #50's (Lombardo's) back.
In the opening scene, just as the Ayatollah starts speaking Frank Drebin (in disguise) is standing side by side with the Ayatollah's chair. Immediately following the next edit he is suddenly standing facing the chair.
In a close-up of Dr. Alfred, the rear window of the Taurus can be seen smashed before Frank shoots it.
In the airport, we see a DC-10 (in United Airlines colors) landing, but when Drebin is deplaning, he's getting off a Lockheed L-1011 (in TWA colors).
As Frank gets up to speak during the press conference, the mayor sits with her chin resting on her hand. When Frank comments on how a queen might seem strange to Americans, it cuts to a close-up of the mayor and both her hands are resting on the table.
Frank's hair changes appearance while in the car outside Ludwig's apartment.
The sky is perfectly clear as Frank watches Ludwig fall from the stadium into the street. But seconds later, when Frank is talking to Jane, the weather is very foggy.
When Frank is at the press conference, he picks up an almost empty pitcher and we see a glass is sitting behind it, then he starts pouring water his water into his glass. When they cut back to the scene there is now a full pitcher of water where the empty on was sitting.
Frank tackles Reggie, sparking the bench-clearing brawl. Reggie drops the gun but crawls out of the pile with the gun back in his hand.
Early in the movie a commercial jet is shown landing that has the colors of PSA Airlines. Yet the next scene shows a fictional airlines labeled Atlantic Overseas Air.
At the ballpark, Ludwig drags Jane up the stairs which knocks popcorn out the hands of the only two fans who had popcorn. Instantly, when Frank follows up the same flight of stairs, six fans were holding popcorn which gets knocked out too by Frank ascending the steps.
When Ludwig asks Papshmir if he's ever witnessed "sensory-induced hypnosis," Papshmir moves his hand from his chest to the arm of his chair. It then cuts to a closer shot of Papshmir, and his hand is back on his chest and he moves it to the arm again.
During the opening scene in Beirut, Frank (In disguise) keeps changing position from shot to shot. When the Ayatollah gets the attention of the others, Frank is standing next to Gorbachev. In the closer shot of the Ayatollah, he is standing at the table in the corner of the room. Then, in the next shot, he is walking over to the table.
Crew or equipment visible
In the hospital, when Drebin climbs over Nordberg to go after Dr. Alfred, a microphone wire is visible coming from under O.J. Simpson's hospital gown.
Crew reflected in the side of the Taurus as it tries to stop before hitting the petrol tanker.
In the opening sequence, as the "car roof" and siren enters the house, the camera's shadow is visible.
Errors in geography
The opening panoramic shot of the city labeled as "Beirut" is actually Cairo, Egypt, as seen from the Citadel of Saladdin.
The Angels play in Anaheim, not Los Angeles. While the game scenes were filmed at Dodger Stadium, it was identified in dialogue as Anaheim Stadium. While Anaheim is considered to be part of the Greater Los Angeles area, it is located outside the municipality and county of Los Angeles, and would be outside police and governmental jurisdiction of Los Angeles.
Factual errors
The British National Anthem is played as HM the Queen is entering the baseball stadium, but the Queen keeps walking. In reality, she always stands still (and to attention) when the anthem is played.
When the Queen enters the reception at the hotel, the Mayor introduces her as "Her Royal Highness..." but the proper form of address for the Queen is "Her Majesty..."
Ludwig mentions that the fish in his tank are 'Japanese Fighting Fish'. They are actually Lionfish. There are no actual 'Japanese Fighting Fish'. Siamese Fighting Fish, or bettas, are much smaller and cost much less than Ludwig says.
When Drebin is singing the national anthem, the American flag behind him is in the wrong position. The Union Jack is to the flag's right. US Flag protocol mandates that no flag should be on the American Flag's right (the viewer's left) when flown at the same height.
When Frank steals the unconscious umpire's wardrobe. He wears white underwear, but it should be black in case the umpire splits his pants during a game.
When Frank is pretending to be the home plate umpire, the first pitch is thrown. The catcher catches it, and everyone stops and looks at him for his call. In reality, if the home plate umpire makes no call and says nothing, it's a ball.
Miscellaneous
When Frank hits the trash cans in front of the police station, the airbags deploy and the second "airbag" pushes the gear selector up, causing the car to roll down the hill. In a car with an automatic transmission, the selector must be moved down to take the car out of 'park'.
Incorrectly regarded as goofs
When Frank Drebin is umpiring the baseball game, a scene shows four Angels players crossing second base during the same play. This is a joke, as the situation is impossible in baseball; even during a grand slam, only three players touch second base. The scoreboard later shows no more than 2 runs scoring in any inning, in keeping with the joke.
When the queen throws out the first pitch in the ball game, the wire the ball is traveling along is faintly visible. This is meant to be a joke.
When they enter the Police Lab, we see the words on the glass door from the inside. "Police" is in reverse, but "Lab" appears as normal - they can't both be right. This is obviously an intentional joke, continuing a running gag from the series (with "Police Squad" written in opposite directions on the door).
Plot holes
Even given that the movie is a satire of police ineptitude, it is unlikely absolutely no other cops would have been in on Nordberg's undercover operation and able to clear his name.
Revealing mistakes
At the end of the movie, when Drebin slaps Nordberg on the back, sending him down the stairs, the wheelchair that Nordberg is in starts to roll before Drebin slaps him.
Enrico Pallazzo is somewhat heavier and slightly shorter than Frank, yet his tuxedo fits Frank perfectly.
When Drebin is riding in the back seat of the "driver's ed" car, the gear shift stays in the same position even while the car is reversing.
Although the baseball stadium is filled to capacity for the Queen's visit to the ballgame, the background view to the outside during the final scene shows the parking lots to be completely empty.
After Nordberg has been sent careening down the steps of the stadium by Drebin, he hits the fence and flies out of his wheelchair. The gas from the gas cannon that fired his stunt dummy out of the chair can be clearly seen.
When Jane removes her dress in Frank's house, she is supposedly nude, but her bra is visible in a shot from the front.
During the baseball players fight, Reggie Jackson can be seen already robotic walking in the background towards third base. Moments later, only then is he subject to "secondary-induced hypnosis" and robotic walks over to third base to retrieve the hidden gun.
Neither team wears proper MLB batting helmets as evidenced by the lack of team logos, and each helmet with two sided ear flaps. Notably, the Angels are seen wearing red batting helmets, when at the time they were dark blue with a red bill, matching the team's baseball caps.
During the baseball game one of the Angels players hits a grand slam. However we see all four runners "round" second base meaning they are running from first base, touch second base, and then continue on to third. This is impossible because the players on third and second would not "round" second base as they are already past it. There should have only been two players rounding the base, the man on first, and the player who hit the home run.
