# Something thing that always bothered me about Die Hard **URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-thing-that-always-bothered-me-about-die-hard/773038 **Category:** Cafe Society **Created:** [November 26, 2016, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-thing-that-always-bothered-me-about-die-hard/773038 "2016-11-26T13:41:16Z") **Posts on this page:** 1 **Showing post:** 53
### Author: ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach) #### Post date: [December 4, 2016, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-thing-that-always-bothered-me-about-die-hard/773038/53 "2016-12-04T14:11:38Z")
> [@aldiboronti](#): > > Englishman here. There’s a difference between the American and European manner? [From this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=95450) (2001) > [@Die Hard](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/die-hard/89814/4): > > My take on it: > McClean (sp?) had grabbed a pack of European cigarettes from one of the terrorists he killed. When he offered one, Hans just accepted one as if they were in no way unusual. John figured that an American (as Hans was pretending to be) would have commented on the foreign brand. But he just took one as if he had been smoking them all the time. Therefore, John figured he was a terrorist. > [@Die Hard](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/die-hard/89814/8): > > It was they way Hans held the cigarette when McLean offered him a light. Europeans tend to hold the ciggy between the thumb and forefinger, whereas 'Merkins tend to hold them between the forefinger and the middle finger. Also, Alan Rickman’s movement while doing this do seem a little exaggerated, either for effect or he’s not a smoker. There’s other suggestions not related to cigarettes. --- _[View the full topic](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-thing-that-always-bothered-me-about-die-hard/773038)._