Goofs for
Gunga Din (1939) More at IMDbPro »

• Continuity: The level of the gin bottle that Cutter carries from the veranda.
  
  
• Continuity: Ballantine's bandolier is empty every time it is shown until its last scene, when it's full.
  
  
• Continuity: McChesney's bandolier is empty on the ride to the Gold Temple.
  
  

• Anachronisms: Instead of using authentic 19th Century British revolvers (Webleys?) they carry 20th Century U.S. Colt revolvers.
  
  
• Crew or equipment visible: In every scene with the snake pit, the strings making them move are visible.
  
  
• Factual errors: All of the weapons used in the production were US Army issue, from the 1873 trapdoor Springfield seen in dozens of westerns in the hands of Calvary troopers to the more modern M1903 Springfield issued in 1903 and a staple of the US Army till 1942.
  
  
• Factual errors: The knife used to threaten the Guru is a US issue bayonet (1903) not the normal spike bayonet issued to the British troops.
  
  
• Anachronisms: The breech-loading artillery brought up by the British infantry in the climatic battle are French 75s from World War I.
  
  
• Continuity: Ballentine and MacChesney are bound and gagged when the last Thuggee is about to behead them after Gunga Din sounds the alarm. Cutter shoots the Thuggee and Ballentine and MacChesney are unbound as they rush to Cutter's side.
  
  
• Revealing mistakes: During the rooftop combat at Tantrapur, as the troops run to hide behind a short structure, McChesney's revolver falls from his holster, and McLaglen evidently hears it fall, and goes back for it. There's a cut, and we next see McLaglen behind the structure with revolver in hand. In some prints, this mistake is minimized and does not show McLaglen going back to retrieve the gun.
  
  
• Revealing mistakes: During the fighting of the natives (none of whom speak English) a voice can be clearly heard shouting, "Watch out!"
  
  
• Continuity: The position of the curtain material in Ballentine's belt changes.
  
  
• Factual errors: When the British return to Tantrapur the second time, they posted guards. But when the guards reported, they never called out their post number. They all called out, one at a time, "Post number, all's well".
  
  
• Factual errors: When in the village, the command is given to "Form a Square". This type of military formation was used as a defence against large massed assaults, usually of cavalry and would not have been of much use against riflemen/ snipers in buildings. It would have made the troops a larger target.
  
  
• Factual errors: Two of the sergeants wear three chevrons with what appears to be a grenade above it. There are no ranks in the British Army with such rank designation. Staff-Sergeants and Colour-Sergeants have three chevrons with a crown above them.
  
  
• Continuity: When Din and Cutter first see the temple, it is in full sun. The next shot shows only the top of the temple in sun with dark shadows hiding the lower levels.
  
  
• Revealing mistakes: In the end, when they're taking Gunga Din's body away, Colonel Weed does the salute the American way (palm down). The British salute with the palm up (Sam Jeffe demonstrates it perfectly a few seconds later).
  
  
• Anachronisms: The rifle that Ballantine carries to the top of the temple is a M1896 Krag-Jorgensen.
  
  

Related Links