Mistakes in Taps

Mistake #1

When the adults are inventorying the weapons in the armory, one of them walks over to a case of pistols and says, "Pistol, 45 millimeter, M 1911A." The M1911A is a .45 caliber pistol and is listed as such right on the crate. There's no way the actor could have read "45 millimeter" anywhere on the crate.

Mistake #2

When Cadet Major Morelan is unbuttoning his jacket he unbuttons the top 2 buttons and the bottom 2 buttons. This leaves the middle 3 buttons fastened. He then sits down and is talking to Tom Cruise, Sean Penn and 1 other Cadet. In the next shot when he stands up, the bottom 3 buttons are now unbuttoned and only 2 buttons are fastened. He had sat down with his hands on his knees and that never changed. The button could not/would not unbuttoned itself.

Mistake #3

When Gen. Besh is seen preparing for the Ball, he is shown holstering his pistol. (A Presentation model .45) The hammer of the pistol is visible and uncocked. Later in the fight scene when the kid jumps on the Generals back and pulls the pistol he is able to fire it w/out cocking the pistol. Pistols of this type are single action on the first shot, in order to fire you must 1. Chamber a round or 2. Pull the hammer back with your thumb. The boys' hands are visible from the time he draws till he fires and he does neither.

Mistake #4

During the fight scene, when the young man pulls Gen. Besh's pistol and fires it, the pistol is shown close up and slow motion. The pistol doesn't cycle. (I.E. the slide doesn't recoil to load another round) This make it obvious that the pistol is loaded w/blanks and no blank adaptor.

Mistake #5

During the fight/shooting scene we are shown a town boy jumping on Gen. Basche's back and struggling with him for the pistol. The we are shown in slow motion the town boy firing the pistol under Gen. Basche's arm. In the very next shot, the boy is sliding off Gen. Basche's back and the gun is in Gen. Basche's hand. And Gen. Basche is taking responibility for the shooting. There's no way that Gen. Basche could have grabbed the gun back from the boy and held it in firing position with one hand in that short a time. Nor could he have neglected to notice that it wasn't in his hand when it fired.