#40. Back To The Future
Back to the Future is one of the most beloved movies of all time, and it still has great re-watching value nowadays even though it was made in the '80s. The movie follows the story of Marty McFly, a teenager who ends up traveling back in time and gets stuck in 1955.
Marty gets in all sorts of trouble but eventually manages to fix everything and come back to the present. But before he does so, there's an epic scene of him playing guitar. That guitar, however, wasn't invented until 1958, so apparently the guitar was also traveling back in time.
#39. The Notebook
The Notebook is a love story for the ages. All romance fans absolutely adore this movie, which features Rachel McAdams and Ryan Gosling as an explosive couple that fall in love as teenagers in the 1940s. They come from different backgrounds and her parents don't approve of the relationship.
Because of this, she starts dating Lon, a man her parents like, played by James Marsden. If you look at him closely, you may notice that his hair color changes from black to brown in several scenes. This is continuity error is pretty annoying for those who love nitpicking.
#38. Seabiscuit
Seabiscuit is a sports film starring Toby Maguire as a jockey, who drives his small but strong horse, Seabiscuit, to success in the racing world. The film is loosely based on a real story, which took place in the 1930s.
While the outfits look awesome and Maguire does a great job portraying this character, his clothes are not entirely accurate. That is because the kind of helmet you can see him wearing was invented in 1956, more than 20 years after the events that are shown in the film.
#37. The Last Samurai
While it has lost its popularity over the years, The Last Samurai was a huge success upon its release in 2003. The movie features Tom Cruise as an American soldier who travels to Japan and becomes involved with a group of samurais in the late 1870s.
While there were still samurais at that time, they certainly didn't look the same way they did when they first appeared in Japan. Yet, the movie shows Cruise wearing armor that was used 250 years prior to the time when the movie is supposed to take place. It looks really cool though.
#36. The Informant
The Informant was praised not only for its attention to detail, but also for Matt Damon's flawless performance as the main character. He plays Mark Whitacre, an employee of a big corporation that decides to investigate it and bring it down from the inside.
The story takes place between 1992 and 1994, and for the most part, it is done very well. However, some people on the internet with a lot of time on their hands realized that, during the scene where they are playing golf, Damon is wearing Nike spike shoes that were released in 1996.
#35. Picnic At Hanging Rock
Picnic at Hanging Rock definitely isn't the most famous movie out there, but it is still worth mentioning because of the historical inaccuracy of the characters. This Australian film is about the disappearance of a group of students and their teacher during a picnic at Hanging Rock, hence the name.
Although their clothes say "early 1900s", the hair and makeup of the characters just screams "1970s", which is when the movie was made. Not only are their hairstyles wrong, but also their makeup and even sunglasses. The girls look extremely trendy, but there is no way that girls at that time looked like that.
#34. Braveheart
Braveheart was a fantastic movie released in the '90s, starring Mel Gibson. In it, Gibson plays William Wallace, a real-life Scottish warrior that fought for his country in the 13th century.
When we think of Scotland, we instantly think of kilts, right? Well, although it is nice to see Gibson wearing the kilt, it is not historically accurate. In fact, the kilt wasn't invented until the 1720s! That's a 400-year difference, so they made a huge mistake right there.
#33. Public Enemies
Public Enemies is based on the real-life story of John Dillinger, played by Johnny Depp. Dillinger was one of the most notorious criminals of the 20th century, and he robbed countless banks during the Great Depression.
As most people know, the Great Depression took place in the 1930s, when a huge economic crash hit America. While the movie gets most things right, Depp's coat is actually too modern for those times. Of course, most people haven't noticed this small mistake and it is something that only fashion experts would catch.
#32. Gladiator
Gladiator was a groundbreaking film released in 2000, directed by Ridley Scott and starring Russell Crowe. The movie was critically acclaimed for portraying the Roman world so accurately. No movie is perfect, but they did miss some historically inaccurate details here and there.
For example, during a fight sequence when Crowe falls on the floor, you can see that under his armor he is wearing Lycra shorts, which were most definitely not a real thing in Roman times! Of course, nobody was supposed to see that and those working on post-production definitely let it slip.
#31. Dirty Dancing
Dirty Dancing is a classic film that launched Patrick Swazey and Jennifer Grey's careers back in 1987. It tells the story of Baby and Johnny, two teenagers that fall in love thanks to their passion for dancing.
Although it was released in the late '80s, the story takes place in 1963, yet the creators of the movie seemed to have forgotten this fact when putting together Baby's outfits. Those cute jean shorts she is wearing actually did not exist in the '60s and were only fashionable in the '80s.
#30. Legends Of The Fall
Set in the 1900s, Legends of the Fall tells the story of three brothers and their father living in Montana, whose lives are affected by World War I and the Prohibition Era. It stars great legends such as Brad Pitt and Anthony Hopkins. Everything up to here sounds normal, except for some details.
At first sight, we have nothing to say about Brad Pitt's hairstyle. It looks great on him but back in the 1900s, it was quite hard or even impossible to find men wearing their hair like that. Brad Pitt's hairstyle is from the 1960s to the very least. Bad call.
#29. Troy
Perhaps you've read Homer's great epic novel about the Trojan War or maybe you've just watched the movie. If you've done both, then you must agree with the fact that the movie is quite accurate. Of course, it came with a few Hollywood clichés, like Brad Pitt's romance, but all in all, it was a great adaptation.
But there was one little detail that made historians laugh: when the main characters enter the mythical city riding a carriage, they're carrying a modern umbrella, for some reason. But umbrellas were not invented until 800 years after the Trojan War. Of course, the amazing costumes stole the spotlight so nobody even noticed the umbrella was there.
#28. Raiders Of The Lost Ark
Famous for the Star Wars and The Adventures of Indiana Jones franchises, Harrison Ford is probably one of the most famous actors in Hollywood history. In the film Raiders of the Lost Ark, the archaeologist needs to find the Ark of the Covenant before Adolf Hitler does, which means the film is set around 1936.
Considering the story is set in the '30s, producers made a huge mistake that will make you laugh. If you look closely, in one of the scenes, you'll see a man wearing jeans and a grey T-shirt casually walking by behind Ford. Didn't he notice that nobody else was dressed like him?
#27. Pride And Prejudice
We have to say that the film adaptation of Jane Austen's novel Pride And Prejudice is just great. We all loved the film, as we were all anxiously waiting for the ending to find out whether Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Benner would leave their pride and prejudices aside and live happily ever after.
Everything in this film looks beautiful and harmonious and every actor portrayed their characters perfectly. However, we can't help but a little detail in Elizabeth Bennet's outfit: her rubber Welling boots. Those were definitely not a thing back in the 1700s.
#26. Captain America: The First Avenger
Captain America is one of the most successful franchises from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In fact, every movie the company creates is a complete box office success. What's special about Captain America: The First Avenger is that it's set in World War II.
Some costume mistakes on this list are so small that they probably went unnoticed, and this is definitely the case. During the WWII era, female soldiers were not allowed to have shoulder-length hair as Peggy Carter does. Women had to keep their hair up for their entire uniform to be seen.
#25. Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade
It's common knowledge that the Indiana Jones films are always related to some of the most important events in history, like the Nazi invasion and the World Wars. In Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Indiana Jones has to fight against Hitler's Nazi Army before they get to the Holy Grail.
The production crew certainly tried to make the film as accurate as possible, but they made some unbelievable mistakes along the way. It's widely known that soldiers tended to wear medals to symbolize their victories. However, the Nazi troops didn't wear any medals until the later parts of WWII. But wait a moment; wasn't this movie set in 1938?
#24. The King's Speech
Many films and series like to recreate royal families and their daily lives and personal struggles. One of our favorite films in this field is The King's Speech,starring Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush, and Helena Bonham Carter. To be honest, Firth's portrayal of King George was marvelous.
We could even say that the film is perfect, except for one detail. If you look closely at the image above, you'll see that Firth, who plays the role of King George VI, is wearing a free-form Irish kilt. While these are very common these days, they weren't a thing back in 1936. Rooky mistake.
#23. Glory
Glory revolves around the life of Robert Gould Shaw, the man who led the American Civil War's first all-black volunteer company. The film counts on an amazing and talented cast, including Matthew Broderick and Denzel Washington. But no matter how great the film is, the producers made some pretty silly mistakes.
As you can see, one of the sailors is seen wearing a modern digital watch in the middle of a battle in the Civil War period. Producers aren't to blame since we're talking about a super small detail and it's common to see these types of errors in films. FYI, wristwatches were not invented until the mid-1920s.
#22. Captain America: The First Avenger
And we're back to the Captain America franchise! It seems that the production crew did not do their job well since this costume mistake is even bigger than the one mentioned in #26. During WWII, many modern technological gadgets already existed, but wireless wearable communicators had definitely not been created yet.
It seems that producers didn't do much research as to what kind of weapons and technologies existed during that period. Come on people, this is what historians are for! In spite of that, the franchise is pretty awesome, so you shouldn't miss it!
#21. Almost Famous
Almost Famous is a famous drama film that tells the story of a high-school boy who has the opportunity to write for Rolling Stone Magazine about the adventures of a rock band during their concert tour. We all wanted to be like him when we were teenagers!
The film was set during the '70s, the golden age of rock and roll. In this scene, we see a boy with a Black Sabbath T-Shirt in the background. You would think that there's nothing wrong with that, as the band was formed in the late '60s, but those types of T-Shirts weren't used before the 90s!
#20. Pearl Harbor
If you're also a history geek, you should definitely give Pearl Harbor a watch. It tells the story of two long-life friends and a beautiful nurse who witness the terrible bombing of Pearl Harbor in December 1941. Even though most historical facts are accurate, there are a few mistakes we can't overlook!
Back at that time, women were not allowed to show their legs freely as they do now. Despite that, in the film, you can see a group of ladies wearing skirts without using pantyhose. That would have been a scandal during that era!
#19. Django Unchained
Quentin Tarantino is one of the most talented directors of the industry. Movies like Pulp Fiction, Reservoir Dogs, and Kill Bill Vol.1 and Vol.2 are among the greatest Hollywood classics ever.
Starring Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz, and Leonardo DiCaprio, Django Unchained is another of the director's most successful films. It was a whopping success, earning more than $400 million. We don't know why Tarantino let Django use those sunglasses, though. They were definitely not a thing during the mid 19th century!
#18. The Untouchables
The Untouchables is one of the greatest Hollywood crime-mystery films ever made. Starring legendary actors like Kevin Costner, Sean Connery, and Robert De Niro, it's definitely a must-see. It's set in the U.S. during the Prohibition era and it follows the misadventures of a Federal Agent as he tries to catch Chicago gangster Al Capone.
The film is famous for its historical accuracy and the actors' performances are great too. However, it seems that the crew made a few mistakes related to clothing. For example, let's take a look at Costner's suit. During that time, lapels on suits were not common, so why is the actor carrying one?
#17. Gone With The Wind
Gone With The Wind must be the most legendary romance film in Hollywood history. Starring Clark Gable, Vivien Leigh, and Thomas Mitchell, the film is about a love triangle between two men and a young woman during the Civil War and Reconstruction period.
Even though it's not strictly a historical film, historical events are still relevant to the story. Bearing this in mind, the producers made some ridiculous mistakes, and here's an example. Remember when Melanie picks up an electric lamp? Lamps like these were invented many years after the Civil War.
#16. The Other Boleyn Girl
Another famous historical film is The Other Boleyn Girl, starring Natalie Portman, Scarlett Johanson, and Eric Bana. The movie accurately follows the story of the Boleyn sisters and their fight to win over King Henry VIII's love.
The costumes are amazing and it really does take us back to the 1500s! However, the production crew made some mistakes with the characters' hairstyles. Natalie Portman, who plays Anne Boleyn, has her hair down most of the time, but back in the 16th century, such a thing would've triggered a major scandal!
#15. Pirates Of The Caribbean: The Curse Of The Black Pearl
Starring Johny Depp, Orlando Bloom, and Keira Knightley, the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise has earned many millions around the world. Even though they shouldn't be considered as historical films, the events do take place in specific locations and historical periods.
In the film The Curse Of The Black Pearl, Jack Sparrow and Will Turner need a ship to rescue Will Turner's love. The film is set somewhere around the 1720s, but we see a group of British soldiers wearing their typical red coats. It happens to be that those signature coats were first designed in 1747. Ouch!
#14. Saving Private Ryan
American actor Tom Hanks has been a part of many classic Hollywood films. Thanks to his roles in Forrest Gump, Philadelphia, and Cast Away, among others, Hanks has become one of the most beloved actors in the industry. Saving Private Ryan is another of his greatest classics, and let's talk about the film's historical accuracy.
Set in the WWII era, at the Normandia Landing, Hanks and his troops are seen wearing typical army uniforms from that time. But they missed out on one little detail: black boots were not invented until 1950, six years after the Normandy War.
#13. Julius Caesar
The 1953 film Julius Caesar tells the story of Julius Caesar and his ambitions into taking the crown of the Roman Empire. Even though it's not strictly a historical film, it's set during the time of the Roman Empire.
It's needless to say that fashion has radically changed ever since the times of the Roman Empire. But wait a moment! In the film, we see the ladies wearing bullet bras, which were really common back in the '50s, but I seriously doubt women wore them back in 44 BC.
#12. Catch Me If You Can
Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hanks, Christopher Walken, and Amy Adams, Catch Me If You Can is considered one of the greatest Hollywood classics ever. It tells the story of the persecution of professional swindler Frank Abagnale Jr.
But let's talk about the film's flaws. Amy Adams is seen wearing braces, and even though they look adorable on her, these weren't invented until 1970, while the film is set in the 1960s. But let's not judge the production crew because, all in all, the film was great!
#11. The Tudors
King Henry VIII was one of the most mysterious figures in history. Many films and series narrate his life, and such is the case of the series The Tudors.Touring the years of Henry VIII's reign and his marriages, it's one of the best historical TV shows ever.
The costume designers did a really great job, except for one small detail: the use of ruffs. In the 1500s, ruffs were allowed but it was almost impossible to use one without an undershirt. Only women who challenged the crown did that since doing otherwise would be considered a scandal.
#10. Good Night And Good Luck
Starring David Strathairn, George Clooney and Patricia Clarkson, Good Night And Good Luck was the first film that showed the conflicts between politics and media. It went around the story of broadcast journalist Edward R. Murrow and the conflict with Senator Joseph McCarthy.
The film is set in the 1950s, but although the choice of locations and costumes was great, they made a teenie tiny mistake. The nametags that men used in the film were not invented until 1967, many years after the events of the film took place.
#9. American Hustle
American Hustle was released in 2013 and received a whopping 10 Academy Award nominations. Starring Christian Bale, Amy Adams, and Bradley Cooper, it tells the story of a con man and his girlfriend who must suddenly help a wild F.B.I. Agent to catch a mafia group.
Despite the film's success, it had some inaccuracies. For example, in one of the scenes, you can see one of the main characters wearing a specific model of Rolex. The film was set in the '70s, so it was quite hard to find someone wearing a 2010 Rolex at that time!
#8. Amadeus
Starring F. Murray Abraham and Tom Hulce, Amadeus is about the life and the troubles of gifted musician Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and his archnemesis Antonio Salieri, who was incredibly jealous of him. Recreating this era must have been very complicated, don't you think?
I'm sure that the costume designers must have carried out a great deal of research to fulfill their jobs. However, they made quite a few mistakes. Even though Mozart's costume was brilliantly designed, zippers didn't exist at that time. In fact, these were invented over a century after Mozart's death.
#7. The Color Purple
Alice Walker's book The Color Purple was adapted to film in 1985. It tells the story of a black Southern woman during the 20th century that has suffered different types of violence from her father. Yeah, the film is great, but I'm sure you never noticed this mistake.
Actor Danny Glover is in the role of Albert and in one scene we see him using a fashion accessory that does not seem to belong to the 1920s, decade in which the film is set. We're talking about those clips on his tie! Clips for ties were invented in the '50s.
#6. Gangs Of New York
Gangs Of New York is, unsurprisingly, about the gangs of New York during the 19th century. It goes around Amsterdam Vallon, who returns to the big city to take revenge against his father's killer, Bill The Butcher. Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Cameron Diaz, and Daniel Day-Lewis, it is one of the greatest period films ever made.
Even though the actors' performances are brilliant and the settings were perfectly chosen, some details in the movie are not exactly accurate, considering it is supposed to be set in 1862. Take a look at the uniforms, for instance: most of them, such as the one the firefighter is wearing, are rather modern!
#5. My Girl
Raise your hand if you couldn't stop crying while watching My Girl. Released in 1991, this touching movie is set in 1972 and has young actress Anna Chlumsky and Macaulay Culkin as lead characters. But no matter how adorable this film is, there's one mistake that didn't go unnoticed.
In one scene, we see Macaulay in the role of young Thomas giving Vada a mood ring. Those types of rings were a total hit in the 70s, but they came out in 1975, three years after the events of the film take place.
#4. Sense And Sensibility
Jane Austen was a famous and talented 19th-century English writer who died tragically at a very young age. Her books are still popular these days and most of them have film adaptations. Such is the case of Sense And Sensibility, a book whose film adaptation was released in 1995.
Finding the appropriate costumes to recreate that era must have been a challenge. But here's where the costume designers spoiled it: that baby is seen wearing diapers, but diapers weren't invented until the 20th century! Maybe they just couldn't come up with anything similar to diapers, and just gave it a shot, hoping nobody would notice.
#3. Singin' In The Rain
This iconic '50s musical is one of Hollywood's greatest classics ever. It depicts the difficult adaptation process that silent film productions went through after the first sound films were released. Starring legends such as Gene Kelly, Donald O'Connor, and Debbie Reynolds, it's definitely a must-watch.
But the moviemakers made one major mistake, and once again, it's related to clothing. Some of the dresses that the women wear look totally normal for the '50s, but the film was set in the early 1920s! There's no way you would see such designs back in the '20s.
#2. The Wedding Singer
As we've seen, some mistakes are not specifically related to clothing, but rather to hairstyles. The Wedding Singer was released in 1998 and it tells the love story of Robbie, a singer played by Adam Sandler, and Julia, a waitress portrayed by Drew Barrymore.
The events of the film take place in the '80s, but if that's the case, what is it with Barrymore's haircut? That short bob flip was a trend during the 90s and every girl wanted to have it. We can't blame Barrymore for wanting to have it at all cost too!
#1. Schindler's List
Starring Liam Neeson, Ralph Fiennes, and Ben Kingsley, The Schindler's List is based on the events of WWII in Poland where many Jewish people were captured and slaughtered by the Nazis. We highly recommend this movie, as it's one of the greatest WWII classics ever.
There's nothing we can say about the actors' performances or the script, but one thing we noticed is that film producers decided to stick to modern aesthetic norms. For instance, the women in the film all have shaved armpits, which was not too common at that time.