Legends of the Fall

Factual error: During the battle scene the voiceover says that it is February 1915. The battle being portrayed is obviously the Second Battle of Ypres because it involves Canadian troops and it's the first time that gas was used in the war. The actual battle didn't take place until the end of April 1915.

Factual error: Prior to WW1, Colonel Ludlow picks up Samuel and Susannah at the train station in an all steel Model T Ford. This style of car did not come out until 1917. The correct car would have brass lights and radiator.

Factual error: The three Ludlow sons were leaving for England on October 14, 1914. When they were walking outside guiding their horses, the small trees in front of the house had green leaves. In Montana, Fall foliage typically begins by early - or mid-September. In most of the state, there should be peak Fall foliage (yellow/orange/red leaves) by early - to mid-October, not green leaves on the trees. Also, some time later when the sons were riding their horses through the field, the leaves were still green. (00:28:21 - 00:32:00)

KeyZOid

Factual error: It has already been mentioned that, although the war scenes are set in early 1915, gas was not used until April of that year. There are further inaccuracies regarding this particular scene. The mask worn by the German cavalryman is not the sort of mask that was in use in 1915. It looks like a late WW1 or WW2 gas mask. Furthermore, since horses can also suffer from gas, a cavalry horse taking part in an attack in which gas was used would also be equipped with a gas mask. However, by early 1915, when both sides were dug into trenches, cavalry would not have been used anyway.

Continuity mistake: At the fair when Isabelle goes to give Suzanna the baby, she actually hands it to her in one shot, but in the next (a split second) Suzanne shows no sign as if the baby ever left Isabelle's hand. (01:38:24)

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Colonel Ludlow: Screw'm! Screw'm all! Screw the gov'm'nt.

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Trivia: When shooting the scene where Isabelle Two is shot and Tristan gets beat up by the policemen, the actor playing the policeman accidentally really hit Brad Pitt on the head with the baton, giving him a black eye. Shortly after that, they shot the tennis scene that's near the beginning, and Brad Pitt still has his black eye. They had to make up a couple of lines about his "shiner" to explain it.

Krista

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Question: Before committing suicide, why did Susannah cut her hair? I've seen this behaviour in other films but have never known the psychology behind it.

Hobbes

Answer: Cutting locks of hair is often done in memory of the deceased. Knowing of her impending death, she cut two locks so as not to have them tainted by blood, but dropped one on the floor. I imagine it was the one for Alfred, but it is just my opinion.

I have goosebumps with this interpretation. I always thought that it was related someone with "scalping." She kills herself. She is her own victim. I don't know.

Answer: I think Susannah cut two locks of hair, one for her husband Alfred and the other for her true love Tristan. They were mementos in some respect, but also a clue for her suicide - being married to one brother while loving the other who no longer wanted to be with her. Susannah was torn apart, in pain over losing Tristan and probably felt she could not be true or faithful to Alfred if/when Tristan came around again. She would also have guilt over violating her marriage vows if she were to be with Tristan again while married to Alfred.

KeyZOid

Chosen answer: To give a definitive answer would be misleading because there's no one specific reason why someone does this type of thing. People considering suicide often start exhibiting odd and/or uncharacteristic behavior such as suddenly cutting one's hair. In Susannah's case, it could be a form of self-mutilation, an attempt to change who she is by altering her appearance, or it is a way of controlling something in her life while other events spiral out-of-control, and so on.

raywest

Answer: I always thought it was she wanted people to know. She didn't want the wound to be covered.

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