Broadcast News

Broadcast News (1987)

6 mistakes

(2 votes)

Other mistake: How could Jane not be aware that Tom had only used one camera for the date rape interview, recording his fake tears later? That's the way things are done on television news shows and as an experienced, hard-bitten television producer she could not possibly be unaware of that. The reporter always records his or her reaction shots (called 'noddies') after the interviewee has left. Shooting with two cameras would involve two crews, two lighting rigs, a vision switcher and so on and so on and a straightforward interview simply would not justify such a complex and expensive set up.

PEDAUNT

Continuity mistake: When the William Hurt character is talking to Holly Hunter after her boring lecture, the first shot (from behind Hurt) shows him walking backwards while talking to Hunter. As he continues to walk, he comes perilously close to banging his head on an archway. Yet, on the reverse angle, Hurt has been repositioned about five feet from where he was.

Factual error: When the Joan Cusack character bolts into the control room with the "Mercenary" cassette, you can here the director counting down to roll the tape. A 3/4" tape being inserted and threaded up in the machine normally takes about 8 to 10 seconds, yet the tape plays when the operator hits the play button.

Factual error: When Tom Grunick is leaving and he and Jane Craig are at the airport, the first shot has them at Baltimore Washington International Airport. Then it shows Tom leaving on a people mover which is only at Washington Dulles Airport.

Continuity mistake: As Jane is walking to her position to produce the special report, the monitors behind her show Tom already seated at the anchor desk. In the next shot, he is just arriving at the desk. (00:45:35)

Continuity mistake: When Jane runs from her office to meet Aaron at a restaurant, before meeting Tom at the airport, her pink sweater remains draped on her chair. When she meets Aaron she is wearing it.

Martin Klein: OK. What about this? Here's a tough ethical one. Would you tell a source that you loved them? Just to get some information?
Aaron Altman: Yes.
George Wein: Yes.
Ernie Merriman: Me too.
Jennifer Mack: Sure.
George Wein: You bet.
Aaron Altman: Jennifer didn't know there was an alternative.

More quotes from Broadcast News
More trivia for Broadcast News

Join the mailing list

Separate from membership, this is to get updates about mistakes in recent releases. Addresses are not passed on to any third party, and are used solely for direct communication from this site. You can unsubscribe at any time.

Check out the mistake & trivia books, on Kindle and in paperback.