Factual error: In the final trial scene, held outdoors in the town center, tribunal members who are on the raised platform are shown sitting by or leaning on tables spread with small, Persian-style carpets. It is likely that the set designer based this choice on an early American painting, which does include many subjects posing with furniture thus bedecked; however, the practice of laying a carpet on a table was employed only when posing for an artist's portrait under particular pricing terms set for a commission. Artists charged their rich patrons based on a scale of bodily detail. The more limbs, the greater the price. (You've no doubt heard the related expression 'to cost an arm and a leg.') A composition from the waist up would be more affordable, but would necessarily exclude a prized carpet, which was an icon of personal affluence. So, the artist adapted and cleverly laid an admired carpet on a desk or table to satisfy the vain, yet thrifty patron.
Factual error: There is a scene where the teenage girl says "She lets me drive her car and I don't even have my Learner's Permit yet." The setting is in New Hampshire. New Hampshire does not issue Learner's Permits. NH law is that the driver must be at least 15 1/2 years of age and accompanied by a licensed driver who is at least 25. You can then get a license at 16.
Factual error: The morning after Katherine found out that Max was cheating on her, while Max is getting dressed for work he dumps out a box of aluminium cased ammo on the dresser, which was unavailable until the early 80's. (01:18:05)
Factual error: In the movie, Wild Bill has a shootout with the bad guys in the stables. He is holding two colt revolvers, each having the capability of holding six rounds each. However as a safety precaution, only five rounds were loaded in the revolver with the hammer resting on an empty chamber as a safety. Therefore, he could only have ten rounds total from the two colt revolvers. He fired far more than ten rounds without reloading.
Factual error: George is paid an extra $15,000 to move out of the house in ten days and he his paid in $1,000 bills. Although $1,000 bills do exist, they are not used by private citizens. They are only used by large banks.
Factual error: The cap badge worn by Captain Halliday of the RAMC is the Queen's crown version, which didn't come in to use until the 1950's. It is also made of brass, when it should be in a bronzed finish for officers.
Factual error: When Calvin is invited to sit at the table with King Arthur and his daughters, as he is sitting down you can see that King Arthur is wearing a t-shirt under his robe.
Factual error: Set in 1955, Tom Holman enters a construction site with an orange warning sign. Prior to 1971, construction signs were yellow.
Factual error: When Helen is launching the video that shows the girl turning into worms (the killer's next victim later found at the dumpster), typing "tomorrow.avi" as she does would have returned an error in Linux. She should have typed "call tomorrow.avi" to launch the video. (00:43:00 - 00:44:00)
Factual error: When Kitt drops her mom off at the airport, that's not Chicago O'Hare. She is actually dropping her off at BWI airport so Claudia can fly...to Baltimore, Maryland.
Factual error: When Malcolm's head is ripped off by the corn stalks, his spinal cord is absurdly long.
Factual error: Calamity Jane was not Pecos Bills love interest. According to legend Pecos Bill was married to Slue Foot Sue another tall tale. Whereas Calamity Jane was an actual historic figure.
Factual error: There is absolutely no way that Internal Affairs would have any authority or power to shut down an entire police force because of stolen drugs. As in the plot of the film, that type of decision would be decided by the city council on a vote and approved by the mayor. In any case, an extensive investigation would take place and the culprits would be arrested and prosecuted. No police force would be disbanded because of this absolutely fictional scenario.