# "Blues Brothers" nitpick **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 13, 2008, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blues-brothers-nitpick/445180 "2008-04-13T18:08:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2008, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blues-brothers-nitpick/445180/1 "2008-04-13T18:08:45Z")
What’s this about a tax lien on a Catholic orphanage? Aren’t Church properties tax-exempt? ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2008, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blues-brothers-nitpick/445180/2 "2008-04-13T18:28:34Z")
[QUOTE=BrainGlutton] What’s this about a tax lien on a Catholic orphanage? Aren’t Church properties tax-exempt? [/QUOTE] Actually, that was the only accurate part of the entire movie. There was a proposal to do so at the time in Chicago. It did not pass. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2008, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blues-brothers-nitpick/445180/3 "2008-04-13T18:29:07Z")
You’re concerned about a plot hole? In “Blues Brothers?” The same movie that has Elwood Blues jump the Blues Mobile over a freeway gap while executing a 1 1/2 gainer in the tuck position, only to land without trashing the suspension, among other things? The movie with the car chase through a shopping mall? _That_ “Blues Brothers?” Yeah, that always bugged me too. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2008, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blues-brothers-nitpick/445180/4 "2008-04-13T18:36:13Z")
[QUOTE=silenus] The movie with the car chase through a shopping mall? [/QUOTE] That was a [real (though abandoned) mall](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dixie_Square_Mall), at least. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2008, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blues-brothers-nitpick/445180/5 "2008-04-13T19:02:41Z")
[QUOTE=BrainGlutton] What’s this about a tax lien on a Catholic orphanage? Aren’t Church properties tax-exempt? [/QUOTE] Maybe they ran the orphanage on a for-profit basis. No exemption for those. Maybe the nuns rented the orphans out to sweatshops? ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2008, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blues-brothers-nitpick/445180/6 "2008-04-13T21:24:30Z")
The one thibng that bugged me the most about BB (one of my absolute all-time favorites) is in Elwood’s apartment, Elwood said he falsified his renewal to 1060 W. Addison, Jake says “That’s Wrigley Field.” I always though that the 1060 W Addison reveal should have been when the Nazis showed up. Jake kinda spoils the joke by telling us so quickly. ---
**Author:** ![Intravenus\_De\_Milo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Intravenus\_De\_Milo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intravenus_De_Milo)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2008, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blues-brothers-nitpick/445180/7 "2008-04-14T01:27:28Z")
> [@Troy McClure SF](#): > > I always though that the 1060 W Addison reveal should have been when the Nazis showed up. Jake kinda spoils the joke by telling us so quickly. Yeah, that would have been great, I agree, except that the parole officer and cops also blow the gag when they come to the sleazy boarding house to bust Elwood (right before the building undergoes, ah, _urban renewal_). John Candy’s character says how much he liked the “Wrigley Field bit”. It does add a certain “those Nazis are so dumb LOL” angle to the gag, though 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Khampelf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Khampelf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khampelf)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2008, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blues-brothers-nitpick/445180/8 "2008-04-14T02:32:17Z")
Curtis (Cab Calloway) does address that issue in passing, oh wait, not that issue. He says the church has no interest in keeping the place, not that it’s exempt because it’s church property. Yeah, the nazi’s are pretty dumb. Paint a mean eagle stautette, though… ---
**Author:** ![Cluricaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Cluricaun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cluricaun)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2008, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blues-brothers-nitpick/445180/9 "2008-04-14T03:13:14Z")
Churches are exempt from paying income taxes, but not property taxes… ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2008, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blues-brothers-nitpick/445180/10 "2008-04-14T03:42:15Z")
No, no, no! The \*wrong \* part of that movie is when “The Good Ole Boys” show up at Bob Country Bunker, obviously late and after closing and still think they need to \*rush in \* and do a gig. What were they thinking? Huh? STEIN? ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2008, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blues-brothers-nitpick/445180/11 "2008-04-14T03:51:01Z")
[QUOTE=Ferret Herder] That was a [real (though abandoned) mall](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dixie_Square_Mall), at least. [/QUOTE] Yup, Harvey is my home shithol… er, town. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2008, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blues-brothers-nitpick/445180/12 "2008-04-14T04:13:30Z")
[QUOTE=Gatopescado] The \*wrong \* part of that movie is when “The Good Ole Boys” show up at Bob Country Bunker, obviously late and after closing and still think they need to \*rush in \* and do a gig. What were they thinking? Huh? STEIN? [/QUOTE] That’s the part that always bothers me. I mean, for car chases I already have my bullshit meter turned off. Somehow this sort of human detail annoys me more. Go figure. ---
**Author:** ![Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a9a28c/32.png) [@Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oslo_Ostragoth)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2008, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blues-brothers-nitpick/445180/13 "2008-04-14T04:52:26Z")
[QUOTE=E-Sabbath] Actually, that was the only accurate part of the entire movie. There was a proposal to do so at the time in Chicago. It did not pass. [/QUOTE] Yet another shining moment for the Chicago City Council? ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2008, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blues-brothers-nitpick/445180/14 "2008-04-14T07:53:51Z")
[Here’s a video](http://youtube.com/watch?v=_aCtsv6aytw) of a kid who apparently thought he was Elwood. The police say this was definitely a planned stunt, and not an accident. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2008, 8:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blues-brothers-nitpick/445180/15 "2008-04-14T08:06:24Z")
[QUOTE=cochrane] [Here’s a video](http://youtube.com/watch?v=_aCtsv6aytw) of a kid who apparently thought he was Elwood. The police say this was definitely a planned stunt, and not an accident. [/QUOTE] See, when you’re doing this stunt it’s very important to choose a _single level_ mall, as Elwood could tell you. Not a two level mall with openings you can fall through. That kid was doing it wrong. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2008, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blues-brothers-nitpick/445180/16 "2008-04-14T13:05:54Z")
[QUOTE=Cluricaun] Churches are exempt from paying income taxes, but not property taxes… [/QUOTE] Eh? They’re property-tax-exempt in every state of the Union, AFAIK. ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2008, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blues-brothers-nitpick/445180/17 "2008-04-14T13:13:35Z")
Hehe. What about the Illinois Nazis (I hate Illinois Nazis) falling off the end of the freeway at about 5000 feet above sea level? The malls ain’t nuthin’. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2008, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blues-brothers-nitpick/445180/18 "2008-04-14T14:22:08Z")
[QUOTE=Oslo Ostragoth] Yet another shining moment for the Chicago City Council? [/QUOTE] Would they even have the authority to tax church property in Chicago? I believe the tax exemption is a matter of **state** law (in every state). ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Angel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d26b3c/32.png) [@Johnny\_Angel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Angel)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2008, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blues-brothers-nitpick/445180/19 "2008-04-14T15:19:28Z")
> [@TheLoadedDog](#): > > What about the Illinois Nazis (I hate Illinois Nazis) falling off the end of the freeway at about 5000 feet above sea level? That has my vote for the silliest thing that happens in the film. Sure, the wild coincidence that The Good Ol’ Boys just happen to be extremely late the night that Jake decides to scam them is kind of a weird burp in the plot, but compared to the fact that after the phone booth is blown sky high, they fall and as they are writhing on the ground after it crashes they begin reaching for the payphone change now scattered on the ground is crazier to me. Okay, they just see the world differently. A record company executive just happens to show up at the end of the concert and obviate the need to collect the gate money because he’s got all the cash the brothers need on him. Highly unlikely. But, Ackroyd built _deus ex machina_ into the story itself, which if it isn’t clear by the time they make it to Daley Plaza is absolutely clear when the Bluesmobile which had been held together by the will of God finally falls all to pieces. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2008, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blues-brothers-nitpick/445180/20 "2008-04-14T15:40:15Z")
[QUOTE=Ferret Herder] That was a [real (though abandoned) mall](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dixie_Square_Mall), at least. [/QUOTE] Wow. Endlessly fascinating. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blues-brothers-nitpick/445180.md?page=2)