‘The Prestige’ Mistakes You’ll Never Be Able to Unsee

by

The movie ‘The Prestige‘ is all about illusion and trickery, and it consistently delivers on that promise. However, if you pay close attention, you’ll find a few minor inconsistencies and timeline issues. These don’t affect the overall story, but once you spot them, they become noticeable every time you watch the film. Here are some of the specific details that viewers have pointed out.

Borden’s missing fingers switch hands

Following an accident during a performance, Borden loses two fingers on one hand, and this injury becomes a significant part of his character. However, inconsistencies appear in later scenes – sometimes his injured hand seems more capable than it should be, and he’s shown gripping objects as if all his fingers are intact. Occasionally, the camera briefly shows the other hand appearing injured. These errors were likely due to the use of props and hand doubles throughout the film.

Wedding ring continuity

A small continuity error appears in the wedding scenes involving Borden. Throughout the film, the wedding ring repeatedly switches hands – sometimes it’s on his left hand, and other times on his right – with no explanation. It’s easy to overlook during conversations, but noticeable if you pay attention to his hands.

The bullet catch aftermath

After a dangerous stunt leaves Borden injured, the bandages covering his wounds don’t consistently match how much time has passed. Sometimes the wrappings appear to heal much faster than they should, and there’s a noticeable lack of blood where a fresh injury would normally cause staining. This suggests the filming process involved restarting and resetting details between each take.

Hat field headcount

When Angier goes to see Tesla’s machine, he discovers a field full of identical top hats that it has created copies of. However, the number of hats seems to change throughout the scene. A pile that appears large in one shot looks smaller in the next, disrupting the illusion that the hats remained still while the camera moved around them.

The cat duplicates mix up

Tesla’s cat demonstration, like the hat trick, relies on creating a copy. If you watch closely, the arrangement of the pen and the animals seems to shift slightly between shots. The location of the fence and crate also change, suggesting the scene was reset and re-shot. This creates a subtle jump in space that becomes noticeable upon closer inspection.

Tank lock and key inconsistency

A water tank used in several scenes has a lock and key that’s meant to look consistent throughout. However, close examination shows the padlock isn’t always in the same position, and the key doesn’t always hang the same way. Additionally, the clasp on the back of the tank appears to change slightly between different camera angles. The prop used for the escape doesn’t quite match up consistently across all the footage.

Olivia’s letter details

A letter exchanged between characters is a key piece of evidence revealing changing allegiances. However, inconsistencies in the prop letter itself – like variations in handwriting, spacing, and even the fold lines – create the impression that there are actually two different copies of the same note being used.

Theater signage anachronisms

Some of the outdoor theater signs and lettering appear a bit too modern for the film’s historical setting. The precise spacing and neatness of the text are more typical of printing from the mid-20th century, rather than the hand-painted, less uniform signs common during the time period depicted in ‘The Prestige’. Even some of the poster borders inside don’t quite fit the era, and the overall polished look of the signage feels slightly out of place during scenes set on the street.

Electrical glow without visible power

The film features several shots of lamps and bulbs lighting up in impossible ways – with no visible cords or batteries powering them. This visually reinforces the film’s theme of innovative energy, but sometimes the set design doesn’t offer a realistic way for the lights to work. The editing deliberately shows power cords in some shots, then quickly hides them in others, creating a subtle disconnect for viewers trying to figure out where the light is coming from.

Journal page jumps

The two main characters meticulously examine each other’s journals as they investigate their pasts. The camera focuses on the handwriting and how entries are placed on the pages, sometimes zooming in close and then pulling back. The journals themselves seem to change slightly between scenes – the wear and tear on the pages isn’t consistent, suggesting different copies were used. This inconsistency in the props creates a feeling that the written evidence isn’t entirely reliable.

Tell us about a subtle detail or hidden moment you noticed in ‘The Prestige’ – what was the first thing that really caught your attention?

Read More

2025-11-03 20:18