The Court Jester
The Court Jester mistake picture

Continuity mistake: When King Roderick's men ask Hawkins and Maid Jean if they've seen the Black Fox's men in the forest, Hawkins has his hat in both hands in front of him. When the shot cuts, he now has one hand, gripping the hat, wrapped around Jean, and the other down by his side. Jean's hand also jumps from Hawkins' wrist to his chest between the two shots. (00:15:50)

Cubs Fan

The Court Jester mistake picture

Continuity mistake: When Hawkins arrives at Gwendolyn's chambers, the carpet on the floor at her feet moves between shots. (00:43:50)

Cubs Fan

Continuity mistake: When Ravenhurst and Princess Gwendolyn keep snapping their fingers, the snapping causes Hawkins to alternately fall under and return from his hypnotized state of mind (as conditioned by Griselda). Hawkins has been hiding behind a closed curtain, and upon each of his flashes of bravery, he opens it, only to be snapped back into hiding. Watch the internal and external shots - he opens the curtain in both of them, as if for the first time upon each occasion.

redbaron2000

The Court Jester mistake picture

Continuity mistake: During the big swordfight with Ravenhurst at the end, Hawkins gets cornered by a row of candles. To show off, Ravenhurst slices through a candle near himself. Hawkins slices through the row to one-up him, and at first appears not to have cut them. Ravenhurst laughs, and then Hawkins blows at the candles, and they all fall apart, the cut bases angling downwards away from Hawkins. There's a shot of Ravenhurst being insulted, but then watch the candles in the next shot of Hawkins - the angled bases of the candles are all now *facing* him. A few of the cut-off pieces also reappear on the tabletop.

redbaron2000

Continuity mistake: When Giacomo's armor is magnetized, we see a spur that is lying to the left of the armor on a bench get pulled to the leg of the armor where it sticks. In the next scene it's back on the bench with nothing stuck to the armor.

Marlene Harkcom

Other mistake: The catapult on the battlements Jean uses to evict the castle guards is rather curious. First, there is neither a bow nor any torsion to 'power' the weapon, and secondly it just seems to cock itself, right after each shot. All that Jean does is pull the lever and none of her diminutive helpers stand by for any cocking work whenever the catapult arm is shown.

More mistakes in The Court Jester

Hawkins: After months of pleading for just this kind of action, what makes you think that anybody, anybody could make me reveal the identity of my confederate?
Jean: Because they'd put you on the rack, crack your every bone, scald you with hot oil, and remove the nails off your fingers with flaming hot pincers.
Hawkins: I'd... like to withdraw the question.

More quotes from The Court Jester

Trivia: For the rest of his life, according to his daughter Dena, if someone recognized Danny Kaye in public, they would approach him and recite the film's "pellet with the poison" rhyme.

Cubs Fan

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Question: I saw the theatrical release of The Court Jester in 1980. I remember a character being tortured to reveal information, but he refuses and dies. This scene was not in the VHS or DVD versions. No one else seems to remember it. Can anyone confirm it? I believe (but can't be certain) that the unfortunate character tortured was Fergus the Ostler.

Answer: Fergus was indeed the unfortunate one being tortured to death, although this is off-screen; the Captain mentions it to Ravenhurst and his compatriot right after Hawkins wins the tournament. However, as far as I can remember, that he had died was mentioned in all the versions I've seen up to date. And also, Fergus did reveal the critical information which caused the arrest of Hawkins and Maid Jean, and the revelation of the child's presence in the castle.

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