National Treasure (2004)

Factual error: As Ben is clinging to the staircase while it is falling apart, there is a close-up of a nail being pulled out of the wood. This nail is round-headed, rather than square as it would have been over 200 years ago. It's also shiny instead of rusty, which indicates that it's galvanized. Galvanization as an industrial, metal-preservation process was not patented until 1837, and was not used in building materials until well into the late-1800s. Since the film states the staircase was made by "the Founding Fathers, " and there was no galvanization of iron nails in any industrialized nation in 1780s-1830's, this is a huge anachronism.

Kristal

Riley Poole: Asuming Ben's theory is correct and my tracking model's accurate, we should be getting very close. But don't go by me, I broke a shoelace this morning. It's a bad omen.
Ian How: Should we turn around and go home?
Ben Gates: Or we could just pull over and throw him out here.
Riley Poole: Ha, ha, ha, okay.
Ben Gates: Well Riley, you're not missing that small, windowless cubicle we found you in are you?
Riley Poole: No, no. Absolutely not.

Trivia: Andrew Jackson's 1832 White House was actually filmed at the Daughters of the American Revolution Building in DC.

shortdanzr ★

Question: Ben explains the code on the Declaration reading 'Heere to the Wall' refers to the corner of Broadway and Wall St. But inside the church he reads 'Beneath Parkington Lane' and assumes that must mean beneath the church. But why is there no explanation for what Parkington Lane is and why wouldn't Ben think it's just another clue?