Character mistake: The story arc set on the Mole covers one week. The Highlanders attempt to refloat the beached trawler on the last day of that week. One of them confidently states that the tides are three-hourly. (The audience know this isn't true because we've seen a similar conversation between the Admiral and the Colonel.) At least some - if not all - of those Tommies have been on the beach all week. Have none of them have noticed that the tides are six-hourly?
Dunkirk (2017)
1 character mistake
Directed by: Christopher Nolan
Starring: Kenneth Branagh, Tom Hardy, Cillian Murphy, Mark Rylance
Deliberate mistake: The Messerschmitts have painted yellow fronts, this wasn't done by the Germans until after Dunkirk. Christopher Nolan has admitted doing this deliberately so the audience could tell the difference between the Spitfire and the Messerschmitt during the combat scenes.
Commander Bolton: Well, we'll know in six hours' time.
Colonel Winnant: I thought the tides are every three.
Commander Bolton: Then it's a good that you're Army and I'm Navy, isn't it?
Question: Why did Peter Dawson lie to the shell-shocked soldier about George and not retaliate or have him charged for George's death?
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Answer: When George got injured, before he died, Peter did not understand what the soldier had been through. In fact he was honest with him when he asked if George was OK the first time. After he got to Dunkirk he saw what happens in war. What people went through. He understood why someone would be shell-shocked and empathized with the soldier more. After that he wanted to spare the soldiers feelings and not make him feel worse.