Badbird

Factual error: This happens throughout the entire film. Whenever bullet hits are shown on objects like cars or walls, the hits always appear to have been made from a weapon fired directly at the object - no matter what angle the shooter is actually firing from. This is particularly noticeable in the highway scenes. Bullet hits make very different impact scars/holes depending on the object and the angle.

Badbird

7th Nov 2003

U-571 (2000)

Factual error: Submariners are trained to always listen to the sounds of the boat, since anything out of the ordinary could mean death. Given that training, the small size of a German U-boat and the less-than-skeleton crew aboard it is not possible that the sounds of the fight in the forward torpedo room, or the sounds of the German commander operating the chain on the torpedo loading rail would have gone unnoticed or uninvestigated for so long.

Badbird

6th Nov 2003

U-571 (2000)

Factual error: At the beginning of the film the diesel fuel in the German U-boat is shown being ignited by a spark and bursting into flames during the depth charge attack as if it were gasoline. In reality diesel fuel is quite hard to ignite when not compressed and does not burn quite so readily as shown in the film. (00:06:05)

Badbird

6th Nov 2003

U-571 (2000)

Factual error: At the beginning of the film the depth charge attack is shown rupturing a diesel fuel line in the engine room, which showers the fuel DOWN on the crew stationed there. In fact the fuel lines ran UNDER the deck plates and so a broken line could not shower fuel in that manner. (00:05:55)

Badbird

6th Nov 2003

U-571 (2000)

Factual error: At the beginning of the film the German commander is shown directing an attack using the periscope in the control room. German U-boats had two periscopes: a 'sky' scope (the one in the control room) used exclusively for searching the area directly above the boat prior to surfacing, and the 'attack' periscope located in the conning tower (turm). There'd be no sense in the commander using the sky scope - the attack scope had an integrated firing switch, much more stable view, smaller outline over water and better magnification. (00:03:00)

Badbird

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