Goofs for
Kelly's Heroes (1970)

photos

board

trailer

details

• Revealing mistakes: When Kelly and the guys pick up the boxes of gold at the in the bank, the boxes appear to weigh nothing at all. The boxes can be seen being tossed around as if they were empty.
  
  
• Factual errors: When the Tiger is shooting up the city at the end there is a clear gap in time between the sound of the cannon and the actual explosion. At that distance of next to nothing it would have been almost simultaneous.
  
  
• Continuity: The scene where the squad attacks the Germans at the mine field Kelly is carrying an M1A1 Thompson submachine gun that is different shot to shot. One has rear sight guards and the other doesn't
  
  

• Factual errors: The German said there were 14,000 gold bars. Crapgame says that's "$16 million". When Kelly breaks open the box, it appears there are 12 bars per box (three wide, stacked four high) As they load it Crapgame says the 12 remaining men get 125 boxes, at $8,400 a box, totaling $10.5 million. But it's $84,000 per box. Also, at 12 bars per box, 125 boxes is only 1,500 bars. The errors go on from there (the boxes should weigh 146 lbs each) even if the value is about right for 200 troy ounce bars of gold.
  
  
• Factual errors: Near the end of the movie when Crapgame asks Fisher to compute the amount of gold left if there are 125 boxes left each containing $8,400. The reply is $10,500,000. This is incorrect this would total $1,050,000. For 125 boxes to total $10,500,000, each box would have to contain $84,000.
  
  
• Audio/visual unsynchronized: When Kelly and the others go through the town/village at the crossroads and are firing their Thompson machine guns, in several cases there's sound coming from them but no rounds or fire from the barrel.
  
  
• Factual errors: The number and type of mortars used for the bombardment on the crossroads would not cause the amount of damage depicted.
  
  
• Continuity: speaker: When we first see Oddball's tank, it's on the right-hand side of the tank. In every other shot later on, its on the left side. The dents come and go from the bell of the speaker horn as well.
  
  
• Incorrectly regarded as goofs: German tanks of WWII indeed had hydraulic turrets, but no diesel engines. There were only some prototypes with diesel engines.
  
  
• Continuity: When fighting the Germans at the mine field, you can't hear Kelly's voice over the gunfire but Big Joe's is perfectly clear.
  
  
• Anachronisms: The typefaces used in the "liberation" signs for the town weren't available until the late 1950s.
  
  
• Incorrectly regarded as goofs: Oddball's hair style and beard are non-regulation for the era. But he's not real big on following regulations, and those are the least of his infractions.
  
  
• Plot holes: Big Joe drives off to try and get some "dirty movies" to entertain the men. He returns with a chaplain, goes inside, and gets distracted by other developments. No further mention is made of the chaplain sitting outside, presumably needing a ride back to HQ.
  
  
• Continuity: When Oddball's Sherman is in the alley behind the second Tiger tank, Kelly fires the Sherman's machine gun at the Tiger to keep the crew inside. The amount of ammunition in the feeder box of the machine gun increases/decreases between shots.
  
  
• Crew or equipment visible: Camera shadow visible on men as they walk out of mine field.
  
  
• Continuity: When Kelly goes to see Mulligan to arrange the artillery bombardment on the crossroads, he is carrying the bottle of whiskey that Crapgame gives him a few scenes later.
  
  
• Revealing mistakes: One of the German soldiers that disembarks from the truck during the minefield sequence appeared earlier as one of the soldiers atop the train during the train station sequence.
  
  
• Anachronisms: The sniper rifle used in the church bell tower is a Russian made Moisin Nagant 91/30 with a 4X power sidemount telescope, which is correct for the rifle and time period. However, the rifle fires Russian ammunition, in a caliber unique to the Russian military, which would not have been available to U.S. soldiers in WWII. The 91/30 sniper rifles were however imported in great quantity after World War II by many U.S. importers, and would have been readily available to serve as props in movie making.
  
  
• Anachronisms: In Crapgame's supply tent, there is a box of Almond Joy candy bars. This movie is (obviously) set in World War II and the Almond Joy candy bar was not introduced until 1946.
  
  
• Continuity: At the beginning of the movie, when Kelly drives the jeep through enemy lines, there is a hole in the back of the canvas. Shortly afterwards, there is no hole.
  
  
• Audio/visual unsynchronized: Cowboy's words do not match what his mouth is apparently saying when he crashes through the wall in the beginning as the Germans are approaching.
  
  
• Continuity: The 50cal MG on the half-track changes throughout the film. It's shown at some points to have a perforated barrel jacket (like on an M1919A4 30Cal), and then at other times seen to have a normal barrel
  
  
• Continuity: While Kelly is driving around in the jeep, the ammunition belt hanging from the Browning .30 changes length from shot to shot.
  
  
• Anachronisms: The song Oddball plays during the tank attack on the railway yard ("All for the Love of Sunshine") was not written until 1970.
  
  
• Anachronisms: Many of the girls in the celebration crowds are wearing short skirts and leather boots, a fashion combination that wasn't in vogue until 1970.
  
  
• Continuity: At the initial meeting with Oddball, Kelly walks outside to inspect his tank. Oddball's name tag chain clip alternates when he is inside to when he goes outside.
  
  
• Errors in geography: In the scene played in the railway station you can read "JZ" on the side of a train. JZ means Jugoslovanske Zelenznice (Jugolavian railways).
  
  
• Continuity: In the openings scene, when Kelly is driving his Jeep through the bombshelled field, the top of his Jeep appears and disappears between inside and outside shots.
  
  
• Continuity: When Kelly, Big Joe, Oddball, and the German Tank Commander enter through the blown up bank door, the other soldiers pour in from adjoining rooms. The front door was supposedly the only entrance into the bank and one of the reasons for enlisting the help of the German Tank Commander.
  
  
• Factual errors: When the trucks haul the bridge parts to the river they are loaded with Bailey Bridges. They build a Floating Bridge.
  
  
• Anachronisms: Major General Colt is wearing the ribbon for the National Defence Service Medal (with one service star), which did not exist until 1953 and was first approved for wear for service during the Korean War.
  
  
• Revealing mistakes: When the Sherman first rolls into the back of town, they stop while Kelly scouts ahead. Oddball climbs down the front of the tank and grabs the main gun as he jumps. When he does this the gun barrel moves several inches up and down. This is impossible on a real Sherman (or any other tank).
  
  
• Crew or equipment visible: As Kelly and Big Joe retreat across the bridge, leaving the Kraut Colonel behind, rain can be seen spilling off the camera guard.
  
  

Related Links