The Court Jester

Factual error: When Hawkins prepares to leave Princess Gwendolin's chamber, a pet cockatoo sits on a pole near the window. Now how could a parrot native to Australia - or even a "papagei" from South America, as Hawkins intones - appear in medieval England when neither continent would be discovered for several centuries?

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Suggested correction: Birds, of course, range widely and flexibly, a storm in the 1800's introduced small African storks to the Americas, Australian birds, to a degree, can be found in Tropical Asia, and therefore could have found their way to Europe via the exotic animal trade (which did well enough for the wealthy at the time),, and the word papagei? Medieval information, and word origins are notoriously fuzzy, ie the first animal to ever be called "penguin" was a similar Northern Hemisphere creature called the Great Auk.

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: I've got it! I've got it! The pellet with the poison's in the vessel with the pestle; the chalice from the palace has the brew that is true! Right?
Griselda: Right, but there's been a change. They broke the chalice from the palace.
Hawkins: They broke the chalice from the palace?!
Griselda: And replaced it with a flagon.
Hawkins: A flagon?
Griselda: With the figure of a dragon.
Hawkins: Flagon with a dragon.
Griselda: Right.
Hawkins: But did you put the pellet with the poison in the vessel with the pestle?
Griselda: No! The pellet with the poison's in the flagon with the dragon! The vessel with the pestle has the brew that is true!
Hawkins: The pellet with the poison's in the flagon with the dragon; the vessel with the pestle has the brew that is true.
Griselda: Just remember that.

Charles Austin Miller

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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