Continuity mistake: After Chris puts her to sleep and walks down the steps, Willi the maid is cleaning up Regan's mess on the living room carpet from the previous party scene. We saw a nice close-up of the wet carpet as it happened and now Willi is not even close to cleaning the right spot. In fact she's kneeling right on it, yikes. (00:44:20)
The Exorcist (1973)
121 continuity mistakes
Directed by: William Friedkin
Starring: Max von Sydow, Ellen Burstyn, Lee J. Cobb, Linda Blair, Jason Miller
Continuity mistake: When Chris is taking a walk with the priest Damien, she throws her cigarette to the ground, but in the next shot it's back in her hand again.
Demon: I'm not Regan.
Father Damien Karras: Well, then let's introduce ourselves. I'm Damien Karras.
Demon: And I'm the Devil. Now kindly undo these straps.
Father Damien Karras: If you're the Devil, why not make the straps disappear?
Demon: That's much too vulgar a display of power, Karras.
Trivia: William Friedkin's first choice for the role of Chris MacNeil was Audrey Hepburn, but she would only take the role if filming would take place in Rome. Anne Bancroft was another considered actress, but once it was known that she was pregnant, she was dropped.
Question: What was the significance of the father being an absentee dad? Did that make Reagan more vulnerable to being possessed?
Answer: It's possible it made her more vulnerable, but the mother, being a big movie star with an adolescent child would probably be divorced at this stage. It was more likely a literary choice by the author. Fewer characters make for a less complicated plot and eliminates the need to add an additional character who may not serve the story in a meaningful way.
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Answer: The demon wants everyone to lose hope for the girl and give up on her. Her father, having already flown the coop, just makes this goal that much easier.
TonyPH