Revealing mistake: In the middle of the battle of Five Points Monk swings his club horizontally at shoulder level, but the swing ends on a victim's ankle. When the bones break it's very obvious that it's a prop. (00:09:15)
Continuity mistake: In the scene where the future Ghoul Gang shares the booty, Amsterdam provokes the leader who is sitting down while the others are standing behind the table. The guy jumps at him, while the others stay where they are, but before he reaches Amsterdam the others guys separate them, emerging mysteriously from the sides. (00:30:20)
Continuity mistake: Before the Ghoul Gang leaves the Portuguese ship, Amsterdam throws the captain's body into the boat. It lands more or less under the seat, but in the next shot the body is placed right at the bow. (00:38:35)
Continuity mistake: When Amsterdam is in the Chinese ballroom the first time, he shows an unfolded sheet of paper with a drawing to the man sitting across the table from him. In the next shot, he hands the paper - which is now folded - to the man, who then unfolds it. (00:33:30)
Revealing mistake: In the battle of The Five Points, there are at least two instances where you see "blood" splattered over the lens. (00:09:35)
Factual error: The lords are playing Snooker in a scene. This movie is set in 1862. Snooker was not invented till 1875.
Continuity mistake: When Bill wraps meat up in newspaper and tosses it to Vallon to give to the old women and the two kids the little girl gets up and stands on the left side of the old women in the next shot the girl is on the right side of the old women.
Other mistake: In the scene where Jenny is showing Amsterdam the advertisement for the ship (the Commodore) leaving for San Francisco, the movie makers made a misprint on the card. On the sail of the ship it says "Randolph M. Cooley - 118 Wall St". In the low right corner of the card, the address is "Randolph M. Cooley - 118 Water St. - Cor. Wall" (corner of Wall St.). (01:49:00)
Continuity mistake: When Bill gets shot, he is standing above the man who shot him and depending on the camera angle, the blood spot on his left arm changes size and location. Happens about 4 times during the scene. (01:14:45)
Factual error: At the end of the movie (before the credits roll) you see the skyline of modern New York, with the World Trade Center Towers included. As patriotic as this is, the towers are placed incorrectly in relation to the Brooklyn Bridge. They should be more to the left.
Answer: Well, rather obviously, Amsterdam hates him because he killed his father. I mean, wouldn't you? It hardly matters that the fight was fair and that Bill showed respect about it, Amsterdam's not exactly likely to turn round, say "oh, that's alright then" and walk away. William Cutting (or William Poole, as he was in reality) was a ruthless, vicious man, who pretty much stopped at nothing to cement his control of the area. Whether he was actually worse than many of the others is questionable, but the film is based on Amsterdam's view of things - in that view, Bill is the enemy and we're supposed to see him as such.
Tailkinker ★