Deliberate mistake: Every time Nicholas enters his gate at home, it's daylight and then when he drives up to the house it is night. Either he has a 300 mile property or there is something else going on. It would appear that it is deliberate as it happens many times in the film. Symbolically, Nick is leaving the world as he appears with wealth and privilege (light) and entering the real van Orton world of solitude and sadness (dark). (00:09:00 - 00:09:55)
The Game (1997)
Plot summary
Directed by: David Fincher
Starring: Michael Douglas, Sean Penn, Deborah Kara Unger, James Rebhorn
Nicholas Van Orton is an alienated millionaire businessman whose ne'er-do-well brother buys him a strange birthday gift: an invitation to play "The Game." Suspicious but curious and desperate to change the monotony of his life, he accepts the invitation and finds himself drawn into a labrynth of deception and intrigue. He must discover the objective of the game, to solve the puzzle and save his life. But where does the game begin and reality end? Who are the mysterious people behind the game, and how far does their reach extend?
More mistakes in The Game
Nicholas: Seymour Butts. Never get tired of that one.
Trivia: The final party scene was filmed over a three night period at the real Palace Hotel. To save money, the same food was used all three nights, which stank up the place for days.
Question: Why did Nicholas react very rudely when his assistant wished him a happy birthday?
Answer: The story parallels "A Christmas Carol" with Nicholas being a modern day mirror to Ebenezer Scrooge. When wished "Merry Christmas" Ebenezer famously would say "Humbug." When wished "Happy Birthday", Nicholas is equally as unhappy with the sentiment "I don't like her" he says to his assistant.
Answer: No, he admits to his ex-wife after 11:40pm that day that he didn't even realise he was the same age as when his father committed suicide until she just brought it up. I'm guessing he was annoyed because he was just a grumpy man and was resentful of celebrating his birthday due to the painful memories associated with his father.
I always thought he was lying or being sarcastic when he said that.
Chosen answer: Nicholas' father committed suicide on his 48th birthday, something that has haunted Nicholas ever since. Nicholas himself has now reached the same birthday, putting him in a very sour mood and in no place to receive birthday wishes cordially.
Tailkinker ★