Bad Day at Black Rock

Factual error: The opening scene shows Spencer Tracy on a crack streamliner in the desert east of Los Angeles, featuring red and orange coaches. Such equipment was used by the railroad on only two trains, neither of which crossed the desert east of Los Angeles, and both of which had matching red and orange locomotives. In the film the train is pulled by a dark gray locomotive normally used only to haul freight, and in a close-up shot the number in the locomotive is preceded by an X, which in the language of railroading refers to an extra train.

Other mistake: In one scene a station wagon pulls up with a 300 to 400 pound dead deer draped over the hood. Later, as the shot changes, one of the hunters can be seen in the background easily carrying the obviously fake deer.

More mistakes in Bad Day at Black Rock

John J. Macreedy: Your friend's a very... argumentative fellow.
Reno Smith: Sort of unpredictable, too. Got a temper like a rattlesnake.
Coley Trimble: That's me all over. I'm half horse, half alligator - you mess with me and I'll kick a lung outta' ya! What d'ya think of that?
John J. Macreedy: No comment.
Coley Trimble: You know, talkin' to you is like pullin' teeth. You wear me out.

More quotes from Bad Day at Black Rock

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