Smokey and the Bandit

Revealing mistake: In a scene where Frog is riding with the Bandit, she's resting her head on the center gearshift console. Although they're supposed to be cruising down the road, the automatic transmission shifter is in neutral.

Revealing mistake: In the scene where the Trans Am is hiding among the truck convoy, you can see that the vehicles are all on the wrong side of the highway, as if to let the camera vehicle travel on the normal side of the highway. Notice the missing westbound lanes in the background as the vehicles are pointing directly to the viewer's right...then the lanes are back when the vehicles are shown from the front or rear.

Revealing mistake: When Frog makes her "We're going 110." comment, they then show a close-up of the dash-board. Even though the speedometer does show them to be going 110 (albeit km/hr, not miles), the ignition key is in the 'off' position, and the 'amp' gauge shows '0'. This is a clear indication that the engine was not actually running during this shot. (00:21:00)

Revealing mistake: In the chase scene with the cop taking a "10-100," the patrol car loses control and goes backwards into a lake. But if you look closely as it plunges in, you can see the backup lights lit, which is impossible if the car was in drive.

Revealing mistake: When Frog says "We're going 110" she's misreading the speedometer. It shows that they're going 110 kilometers/hr, which is 68 miles/hr. Also, the ignition is turned off and the oil pressure and temperature gauges read far lower than they would if the car was actually going 68mph. There's also far too much dust on the dash and gauges for a brand new car that hasn't been on any dirt roads yet. (00:21:00)

Patrick Clark

Revealing mistake: Just after the once local police officer has rolled his car, it shows another police car on the highway. This police car then does a hard turn left. When he does, you can see skid marks from previous takes in the exact spot that he turns.

Ssiscool

Revealing mistake: If you look closely at the pen tip when Snowman is writing the note to Coors to send the bill to Big Enos Burdett, you can see that it is not in the writing position, it is clicked shut. (00:15:57)

Revealing mistake: Buford catches the Captain in the trailer, and instructs Junior to take the cuffs off - if you look closely, the cuffs were already undone.

Revealing mistake: When Smokey jumps the ramp into the football field, there are no tyre tracks. When Sheriff Justice drives up to the ramp, there are tracks that stop short of the ramp. Obviously from previous takes.

Ssiscool

Continuity mistake: Sheriff Buford T. Justice gets out of his car and leaves the door open. A few moments later, we see a different shot of the car with the door closed. Then a truck drives by and tears the car door off which is open again.

More mistakes in Smokey and the Bandit

Alabama State Trooper: Did you see that? They went right through our roadblock!
Buford T. Justice: You som'bitches couldn't close an umbrella!

More quotes from Smokey and the Bandit

Trivia: Whenever you hear a County Mounty or Smokey without seeing him (i.e. on the radio), it is always the same person (director Hal Needham) doing the voice over.

More trivia for Smokey and the Bandit

Question: What did the trooper mean when he said, "Didn't you know this ain't Saturday"? It always makes me wonder.

Answer: The trooper on the motorcycle had just landed in the water. In older days, the typical day to take a bath, wash hair, etc. was Saturday. The trooper in the car (once he saw the motorcycle trooper was okay and wet) just made a joke about him taking a bath.

Zwn Annwn

Answer: I think the trooper makes this joke in reference to Evel Knievel, a popular performer of the day. His shows, which prominently featured motorcycle stunts (particularly jumping) usually occurred on the weekends (i.e. Saturday).

More questions & answers from Smokey and the Bandit

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