# Point out logic/plausibility flaws in classic movies and TV shows **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 27, 2014, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/point-out-logic-plausibility-flaws-in-classic-movies-and-tv-shows/679855 "2014-01-27T16:44:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2014, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/point-out-logic-plausibility-flaws-in-classic-movies-and-tv-shows/679855/41 "2014-01-28T15:24:59Z")
> [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](#): > > Speaking of the Godfather: why the hell would the guys watching Frankie allow him to have a visit from Tom, the consigliere of the very guy who wants to kill him? Often, the Consigliere is considered an untouchable person by rival families. They also rarely perform hits themselves. > **[Consigliere](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consigliere)** > > Consigliere (/ˌkɒnsɪliˈɛəri/ KON-sil-ee-AIR-ee, .mw-parser-output .IPA-label-small{font-size:85%}.mw-parser-output .references .IPA-label-small,.mw-parser-output .infobox .IPA-label-small,.mw-parser-output .navbox .IPA-label-small{font-size:100%}Italian: \[konsiʎˈʎɛːre\]; plural consiglieri) is a position within the leadership structure of the Sicilian, Calabrian, and Italian-American Mafia. The word was popularized in English by the novel The Godfather (1969) and its film adaptation. In the nov Th... ---
**Author:** ![JKilez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e5b9ba/32.png) [@JKilez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKilez)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2014, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/point-out-logic-plausibility-flaws-in-classic-movies-and-tv-shows/679855/42 "2014-01-28T15:49:35Z")
> [@nevadaexile](#): > > Either things happened roughly as she said that they did or she’s a psychopathic mass murder. There really isn’t any middle ground. Or, she forgot to add coolant to the ship’s reactor, and rather than own up to her mistake, she jumped in an escape pod and left everyone else to deal with the inevitable core meltdown. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2014, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/point-out-logic-plausibility-flaws-in-classic-movies-and-tv-shows/679855/43 "2014-01-28T16:17:55Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > There’s the whole Amidala issue. First she’s the Queen of Naboo - okay, we can accept that. But then Lucas suddenly decides he doesn’t want a hereditary monarchy so he declares she was elected queen and has her leaving office when her term is done. > > So we’re now supposed to accept that a fourteen year old decided to run for the office of Queen? And the voters of Naboo decided she was the best candidate for the job and elected her? Can you imagine how bad the guy who ran against her must have been? This reminds me of [a _Washington Post_ story](http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/rob-fords-scandal-filled-mayoral-years-through-the-eyes-of-people-who-lost-to-him/2013/11/20/53847a6a-5211-11e3-a7f0-b790929232e1_story.html) about the people who lost the Toronto mayoral election to Rob Ford. ---
**Author:** ![GreenElf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@GreenElf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenElf)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2014, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/point-out-logic-plausibility-flaws-in-classic-movies-and-tv-shows/679855/44 "2014-01-28T16:28:28Z")
In Jurassic Park III, the Kirbys pose as adventure tourists to lure Dr. Grant to Jurassic Park Site B in a desperate attempt to save their son. Amanda went so far in her assumed role as adventure tourist that she repeatedly calls out over a megaphone after they first land there, drawing the attention of dinosaurs. ---
**Author:** ![Dendarii\_Dame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2014, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/point-out-logic-plausibility-flaws-in-classic-movies-and-tv-shows/679855/45 "2014-01-28T16:30:32Z")
In the **Curious George** movie, there is no way that any nation would have allowed Ted to remove “The Lost Shrine of Zagawa” from its borders. It’s a sacred relic, and very valuable. In the same movie, I loved the question about the Shrine from the reporter at the press conference: “Is it made of solid gold?” She hasn’t seen it yet, but she’s seen posters, and the thing is about twenty feet high! It weighs tons! Which brings up the fact that it’s made of solid granite, but it’s ruby red. In Disney’s **Cinderella** , she finds a new mouse in a trap on a remote staircase. Why does she even have a mousetrap, especially since she’s horrified to hear that a mouse is inside? The mice are her friends. There’s no way the rest of the family checks for mousetrap placement. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2014, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/point-out-logic-plausibility-flaws-in-classic-movies-and-tv-shows/679855/46 "2014-01-28T16:41:21Z")
> [@GreenElf](#): > > In Jurassic Park III, the Kirbys pose as adventure tourists to lure Dr. Grant to Jurassic Park Site B in a desperate attempt to save their son. Amanda went so far in her assumed role as adventure tourist that she repeatedly calls out over a megaphone after they first land there, drawing the attention of dinosaurs. The ruse was already up at that point. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2014, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/point-out-logic-plausibility-flaws-in-classic-movies-and-tv-shows/679855/47 "2014-01-28T18:04:12Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > So we’re now supposed to accept that a fourteen year old decided to run for the office of Queen? And the voters of Naboo decided she was the best candidate for the job and elected her? Can you imagine how bad the guy who ran against her must have been? Considering that Naboo also selected Jar-Jar Binks as its delegate to the Galactic Senate, one must assume that the electorate was not among the most sophisticated in the galaxy. ---
**Author:** ![davidw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c4cdca/32.png) [@davidw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidw)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2014, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/point-out-logic-plausibility-flaws-in-classic-movies-and-tv-shows/679855/48 "2014-01-28T18:26:31Z")
> [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > Often, the Consigliere is considered an untouchable person by rival families. They also rarely perform hits themselves. > > [Consigliere - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consigliere) But it wasn’t a rival family holding Frank Pentangeli. It was the feds. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2014, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/point-out-logic-plausibility-flaws-in-classic-movies-and-tv-shows/679855/49 "2014-01-28T18:54:18Z")
> [@davidw](#): > > But it wasn’t a rival family holding Frank Pentangeli. It was the feds. Wouldn’t Frank be legally entitled to consult with a lawyer of his own choice? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2014, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/point-out-logic-plausibility-flaws-in-classic-movies-and-tv-shows/679855/50 "2014-01-28T19:52:42Z")
> [@JKilez](#): > > Or, she forgot to add coolant to the ship’s reactor, and rather than own up to her mistake, she jumped in an escape pod and left everyone else to deal with the inevitable core meltdown. Exactly. The review board’s position seemed to be that Ripley caused the destruction of the ship though negligence and made up a wacky excuse. For a hole in a classic, how about one in _Citizen Kane_? I first encountered this one by way of an anecdote told by Spider Robinson, not having ever given the film much thought myself. (Classic though it may be, it’s not a movie that has ever held my attention.) In the movie, much is made of Kane’s last word. He died alone. Who heard him say it? ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2014, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/point-out-logic-plausibility-flaws-in-classic-movies-and-tv-shows/679855/51 "2014-01-28T19:57:08Z")
Of course there’s the much-talked about ones in **Radiers of the Lost Ark**. I can hand-wave away the “Indy should have stayed home, then Hitler would’ve had his face melted” one, and begrudgingly ignore the one about how when Indy climbed aboard the submarine it decided to stay on the surface, even though they showed scenes of the crew preparing to dive, which would have drowned him. But the one that can’t be explained is the fact that the Germans had a platoon inside Egypt, in 1936, digging for the Staff of Ra. Somehow I think the British would have had a problem with that. ---
**Author:** ![JKilez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e5b9ba/32.png) [@JKilez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKilez)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2014, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/point-out-logic-plausibility-flaws-in-classic-movies-and-tv-shows/679855/52 "2014-01-28T20:13:00Z")
> [@Balance](#): > > He died alone. Who heard him say it? This has been addressed in previous threads. His butler was there (although not onscreen) to hear his final words. The butler’s presence is referred to twice in the movie. ---
**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2014, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/point-out-logic-plausibility-flaws-in-classic-movies-and-tv-shows/679855/53 "2014-01-28T20:18:43Z")
> [@JKilez](#): > > This has been addressed in previous threads. His butler was there (although not onscreen) to hear his final words. The butler’s presence is referred to twice in the movie. I’ll take your word for it–as I said, it’s not a movie that interests me much. ---
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2014, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/point-out-logic-plausibility-flaws-in-classic-movies-and-tv-shows/679855/54 "2014-01-28T20:30:24Z")
No specific film for this, but I notice it from time to time: They’ll show a car being driven in a crazy chase sequence, the guy blasts through the intersection and crashes horribly into the cross traffic…except…he had the green light. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2014, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/point-out-logic-plausibility-flaws-in-classic-movies-and-tv-shows/679855/55 "2014-01-28T20:32:15Z")
> [@runner pat](#): > > [Here’s a shot](http://www.retroweb.com/40acres/king_kong_gate.jpg) from the 1933 film (on set). Which you see on fire during the “burning of Atlanta” sequence in GWTW. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2014, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/point-out-logic-plausibility-flaws-in-classic-movies-and-tv-shows/679855/56 "2014-01-28T20:50:19Z")
> [@nevadaexile](#): > > _ **Aliens** _ (1986): The Weyland-Yutani board meeting with Ripley disbelieves her story ( that her crew was killed by an alien lifeform that they were instructed to retrieve from the planet) when they really don’t have much of a choice. > > To state that you disbelieve Ripley is to believe that:[ol] > [li]She somehow murdered her entire crew[/li][li]She blew up the ship on which they were traveling and the refinery it was towing[/li][li]She then abandoned the vessel in the lifeboat to save herself[/li][li]She was able to tell a coherent story after being in stasis for 58 years[/li][/ol] > > Either things happened roughly as she said that they did or she’s a psychopathic mass murder. There really isn’t any middle ground. You forgot another option: The purpose of the board meeting was to discredit Ripley, not to investigate the truth or conduct a criminal investigation. The board doesn’t disbelieve Ripley. They know she’s telling the truth - after all, the company was the one issuing the secret order in the first film, the one that ended with “Crew expendable.” Their job is to make sure that everybody sees her as that slightly crazy, possibly dangerous crackpot. One has to fanwank the “why didn’t the company just kill Ripley” question - I assume that anybody found in space after 50+ years in hibernation would achieve some level of fame, therefore killing her wasn’t an option. ---
**Author:** ![erysichthon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d07c76/32.png) [@erysichthon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/erysichthon)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2014, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/point-out-logic-plausibility-flaws-in-classic-movies-and-tv-shows/679855/57 "2014-01-28T20:54:45Z")
> [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](#): > > I like how the alien landing is the biggest thing to ever happen on Earth, and yet as soon as the sun goes down the only people around the saucer are a couple of bored sentries. My favorite scene: a couple of doctors puffing on cigarettes as they discuss Klaatu’s miraculous healing abilities. What is the deal with low security in SF movies? In _The Satan Bug_, a biological warfare lab has a toxin capable of wiping out all life on Earth. It’s stored in a GLASS flask and kept inside an ordinary refrigerator. The lab is surrounded by a chain-link fence, and there’s a guy at the gate with an embroidered patch on his uniform that says “SECURITY GUARD.” In another thread I mentioned _Lifeforce_, in which the body of an extraterrestrial (aka naked Mathilda May) is kept in an unlocked room in the basement of a London office building, guarded by pudgy guys who are slurping coffee and stuffing their faces with sandwiches. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2014, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/point-out-logic-plausibility-flaws-in-classic-movies-and-tv-shows/679855/58 "2014-01-28T21:14:51Z")
I would think that guarding a naked Mathilda May would be the sort of task one would fight for, regardless of rank. “Why is the captain, chief of police, _and_ the commissioner guarding that one prisoner? _Ohhh_…” ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2014, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/point-out-logic-plausibility-flaws-in-classic-movies-and-tv-shows/679855/59 "2014-01-28T21:18:00Z")
Remmington Steele. Nobody will use a female private investigator, so she invents a male name to use and then subs for him. A guy walks in claiming to be Remmington Steele, and she works with him, despite knowing nothing about who he really is. You’re a private eye, lady. Can’t you find out who this joker is??? I wouldn’t hire you either if you couldn’t. ---
**Author:** ![ExTank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@ExTank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ExTank)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2014, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/point-out-logic-plausibility-flaws-in-classic-movies-and-tv-shows/679855/60 "2014-01-28T23:31:35Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > You forgot another option: The purpose of the board meeting was to discredit Ripley, not to investigate the truth or conduct a criminal investigation. > > The board doesn’t disbelieve Ripley. They know she’s telling the truth - after all, the company was the one issuing the secret order in the first film, the one that ended with “Crew expendable.” Their job is to make sure that everybody sees her as that slightly crazy, possibly dangerous crackpot. This. It’s even possible the orginators of the Nostromo’s secret orders dumped the secret file from the computers to cover their tracks, and have long since retired/passed away, leaving no one in the “present” to have any idea about any secret orders from decades ago. So from the POV of Weyland-Yutani, Ripley’s story smack of paranoid delusion, yet (and they even say it), there’s some evidence to corroborate her story, like perhaps some unexplained pitting/scarring on the outside of the shuttle, or on the engine nacelle, from after Ripley harpooned the beastie. > [@](#): > > One has to fanwank the “why didn’t the company just kill Ripley” question - I assume that anybody found in space after 50+ years in hibernation would achieve some level of fame, therefore killing her wasn’t an option. I partially agree, but it doesn’t even need ot be that elaborate; she was found, awakened, and treated by people not employed by Weyland-Yutani. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/point-out-logic-plausibility-flaws-in-classic-movies-and-tv-shows/679855.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/point-out-logic-plausibility-flaws-in-classic-movies-and-tv-shows/679855.md?page=4)