The Court Jester
The Court Jester mistake picture

Continuity mistake: During the big swordfight with Ravenhurst at the end, Hawkins gets cornered by a row of candles. To show off, Ravenhurst slices through a candle near himself. Hawkins slices through the row to one-up him, and at first appears not to have cut them. Ravenhurst laughs, and then Hawkins blows at the candles, and they all fall apart, the cut bases angling downwards away from Hawkins. There's a shot of Ravenhurst being insulted, but then watch the candles in the next shot of Hawkins - the angled bases of the candles are all now *facing* him. A few of the cut-off pieces also reappear on the tabletop.

redbaron2000

The Court Jester mistake picture

Revealing mistake: During the "Outfox the Fox" number when Hawkins "cuts" the copies of himself in half, the copies are obviously all grown men, which then obviously become little people standing on each others' shoulders; it's easy to tell where the cloak hems of the little people on top end. (00:09:00)

Cubs Fan

The Court Jester mistake picture

Continuity mistake: When King Roderick's men ask Hawkins and Maid Jean if they've seen the Black Fox's men in the forest, Hawkins has his hat in both hands in front of him. When the shot cuts, he now has one hand, gripping the hat, wrapped around Jean, and the other down by his side. Jean's hand also jumps from Hawkins' wrist to his chest between the two shots. (00:15:50)

Cubs Fan

Continuity mistake: When Ravenhurst and Princess Gwendolyn keep snapping their fingers, the snapping causes Hawkins to alternately fall under and return from his hypnotized state of mind (as conditioned by Griselda). Hawkins has been hiding behind a closed curtain, and upon each of his flashes of bravery, he opens it, only to be snapped back into hiding. Watch the internal and external shots - he opens the curtain in both of them, as if for the first time upon each occasion.

redbaron2000

More mistakes in The Court Jester

Hawkins: I've got it! I've got it! The pellet with the poison's in the vessel with the pestle; the chalice from the palace has the brew that is true! Right?
Griselda: Right, but there's been a change. They broke the chalice from the palace.
Hawkins: They broke the chalice from the palace?!
Griselda: And replaced it with a flagon.
Hawkins: A flagon?
Griselda: With the figure of a dragon.
Hawkins: Flagon with a dragon.
Griselda: Right.
Hawkins: But did you put the pellet with the poison in the vessel with the pestle?
Griselda: No! The pellet with the poison's in the flagon with the dragon! The vessel with the pestle has the brew that is true!
Hawkins: The pellet with the poison's in the flagon with the dragon; the vessel with the pestle has the brew that is true.
Griselda: Just remember that.

Charles Austin Miller

More quotes from The Court Jester

Trivia: For the rest of his life, according to his daughter Dena, if someone recognized Danny Kaye in public, they would approach him and recite the film's "pellet with the poison" rhyme.

Cubs Fan

More trivia for The Court Jester

Question: I saw the theatrical release of The Court Jester in 1980. I remember a character being tortured to reveal information, but he refuses and dies. This scene was not in the VHS or DVD versions. No one else seems to remember it. Can anyone confirm it? I believe (but can't be certain) that the unfortunate character tortured was Fergus the Ostler.

Answer: Fergus was indeed the unfortunate one being tortured to death, although this is off-screen; the Captain mentions it to Ravenhurst and his compatriot right after Hawkins wins the tournament. However, as far as I can remember, that he had died was mentioned in all the versions I've seen up to date. And also, Fergus did reveal the critical information which caused the arrest of Hawkins and Maid Jean, and the revelation of the child's presence in the castle.

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