Visible crew/equipment: Near the beginning of the movie, the old priest is in Northern Iraq and you can see the shadow of a microphone on his hat.
The Exorcist (1973)
Plot summary
Directed by: William Friedkin
Starring: Max von Sydow, Ellen Burstyn, Lee J. Cobb, Linda Blair, Jason Miller
When Chris McNeil begins to notice strange things going on with her daughter, Regan, she takes her to the hospital. However, the doctors can't find anything wrong with Regan. Finally, believing that Regan is possessed by a demon, Mrs. MacNeil asks a priest who used to be a psychiatrist, Damien Karras, to exorcise the demon.
More mistakes in The Exorcist
Demon: What an excellent day for an exorcism.
Father Damien Karras: You would like that?
Demon: Intensely.
Father Damien Karras: But wouldn't that drive you out of Regan?
Demon: It would bring us together.
Father Damien Karras: You and Regan?
Demon: You and us.
Trivia: William Friedkin's first choice for the role of Chris MacNeil was Audrey Hepburn, but she would only take the role if filming would take place in Rome. Anne Bancroft was another considered actress, but once it was known that she was pregnant, she was dropped.
Question: What was the significance of the father being an absentee dad? Did that make Reagan more vulnerable to being possessed?
Answer: It's possible it made her more vulnerable, but the mother, being a big movie star with an adolescent child would probably be divorced at this stage. It was more likely a literary choice by the author. Fewer characters make for a less complicated plot and eliminates the need to add an additional character who may not serve the story in a meaningful way.
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.
Answer: The demon wants everyone to lose hope for the girl and give up on her. Her father, having already flown the coop, just makes this goal that much easier.
TonyPH