The Lives of Others

Continuity mistake: When Grubitz talks to Wiesler in the cafe, the amount of beer in their glasses keeps changing.

Continuity mistake: After Dreyman's neighbour helps him in tying his tie, he folds down his collar and closes the top button of his shirt. After a cut the collar is turned up again and he folds it down once more.

mage52

Continuity mistake: Wiesler is called into the office and his boss opens the humidor to get a cigar. As Wiesler is talking you can hear Grubitz lighting a match. The next shot his left hand is nowhere near his mouth and his right is holding the cigar in his mouth and is already a bit smoked. This would be impossible as if he used his left hand it would have been seen coming down after he lit the cigar. Even if it was his right hand then how did he get it out of his hand so quickly and then hold the cigar all at the same time.

Continuity mistake: While Sieland is putting up the birthday decorations, towards the end she is starting to walk up the small step ladder. The next shot she is suddenly at the top of it.

Lummie

Continuity mistake: As Sieland is putting up Birthday decorations, the shot shows her looking right at the camera. Few shots later they are both in frame and her head has instantly changed from looking ahead to looking to her right.

Lummie

Continuity mistake: While Dreyman is meeting Jerske at his apartment, Dreyman is smoking a cigarette. As Jerske says, "Happy author can write," the shot shows Dreyman at the same time and smoke from his cigarette coming from holding it in his right hand below at least his chest. The next shot, Dreyman is holding the cigarette in his left hand and smoking it.

Lummie

Continuity mistake: When Grubitz talks to Wiesler in the cafe, the amount of beer in their glasses keeps changing.

More mistakes in The Lives of Others

Georg Dreyman: You are a great artist. I know that, and your audience knows it, too. You don't need him. You don't need him. Stay here. Don't go to him.
Christa-Maria Sieland: No? I don't need him? Don't I need this whole system? What about you? Then you don't need it either, or need it even less. But you get in bed with them, too. Why do you do it? Because they can destroy you too, despite your talent and your faith. Because they decide what we play, who is to act, and who can direct.

More quotes from The Lives of Others

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