O Brother, Where Art Thou?

Factual error: The film takes place in the Thirties. The song "You are My Sunshine" is featured, but was not recorded by Jimmie Davis (its composer) until 1940. [Acknowledged by the directors]. (00:11:15)

Factual error: When the escapees are hiding in the movie theater, the door opens and a deputy steps in, silhouetted by the light behind him. The movie is set in the 1930's, but the shotgun the deputy is holding appears to be a 1960's model Remington pump. (01:05:40)

Factual error: When the "Little Wharvey Gals" are singing they show a shot of the crowd in which there is a man smoking a filtered cigarette. Cigarettes were not filtered until the late '40's.

Sam Martin

Factual error: Notice the Confederate flag in the KKK meeting at night. This takes place in the 30's and they didn't fly the Confederate flag until the 50's. Before then they flew the US flag.

Rob245

Factual error: Newspaper says "July 18, 1937" but Baby face died in 1934.

Factual error: Boy says he nicked the census man but the film is set in 1937. Last census would have been 1930.

Factual error: The film takes place in the Thirties. The song "You are My Sunshine" is featured, but was not recorded by Jimmie Davis (its composer) until 1940. [Acknowledged by the directors]. (00:11:15)

More mistakes in O Brother, Where Art Thou?

Washington Hogwallop: Mrs. Hogwallop up and R-U-N-N-O-F-T.

More quotes from O Brother, Where Art Thou?

Trivia: When Everett asks the hobos on the train if any of them are "smithys", look closely and you'll see that they're sitting on big bags of Pappy O'Daniel flour. Pappy is a major character later in the film.

Nicki

More trivia for O Brother, Where Art Thou?

Question: In the KKK scene, Homer Stokes says "The color guard is colored." Did he mean this literally, like Everett was a black man, or did he mean that he was white (unlikely because John Goodman is white and so is he), or is he mistaking Everett for a black man because of his dirty face?

Answer: He mistook Everett for a black man because of his dirty face. It's the only way the line makes sense.

J I Cohen

More questions & answers from O Brother, Where Art Thou?

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