Crimson Tide
Crimson Tide mistake picture

Continuity mistake: When the incomplete second EAM is shown in the movie for the first time, its subject line states "nuclear missile launc..." However, when this same message is finally received at the end of the movie the subject line states: "terminate launch all missiles". If the first one had been consistent with the second this would have made quite a difference. (00:55:45 - 01:45:25)

Paul Reinders

Continuity mistake: After the submarine is hit by the first torpedo, all the crew are picking up things that have fallen down in the underwater turbulence. Then when the captain returns to his personal cabin, all his belongings (most noticeably on his desk) are all in position as though the attack never happened.

Crimson Tide mistake picture

Continuity mistake: As the Alabama dives for the first time you will notice that the periscope and antennae masts protruding from her conning tower keep switching from up to down, indicating that the film crew used footage from two different sub dives to achieve that sequence. (00:18:50)

Continuity mistake: The captain says to make torpedo tubes 1 and 4 fully ready. When they're fired, they use torpedo tubes 2 and 4. (00:46:15)

Crimson Tide mistake picture

Continuity mistake: When the fat sailor gets on the bus, Dougherty is adjusting his hat with his left hand. In the very next shot he has his right hand on his hat. (00:11:45)

Mister Ed

Continuity mistake: In the scene where the "Alabama" dives, what we see isn't a ballistic missile-carrying submarine (SSBN), but an attack sub (SSN); actually more than just one, since the masts and periscopes keep going up and down in different shots. It seems that the navy wasn't too willing to cooperate in the production of a film depicting a mutiny onboard a nuclear sub, so the shots were "stolen" from a helicopter in the vicinity of some navy base.

Jack the Rigger

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Mistakes

Factual error: Throughout the movie, all sorts of messages are passed over the 1MC (ship's intercom) when the boat is supposed to be stealthy. They've set "Ultra Quiet" to avoid the enemy sub but no-one was any quieter, and everyone was still using the 1MC. Worse, people are shouting commands and status updates, both in person, and over the intercom! No wonder that Akula found them. The only thing protecting this ship was plot armor! In real life, messages would be passed quietly using sound powered phones (which we also see), rather than blasting the info loudly to the entire crew, because sonar will literally pick up the sounds of loudspeakers and people shouting. Let's not even mention classified target data being passed to the entire ship's crew on the 1MC. (00:49:00)

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Quotes

Hunter: Chief of the Boat.
Chief of the Boat: Sir?
Hunter: Thank you, COB.
Chief of the Boat: Thank you? Fuck you! Get it straight Mr Hunter, I'm not on your side. Now you could be wrong! But wrong or right, the Captain can't just replace you at will. That was completely improper! And that's why I did what I did. By the book.
Hunter: I thank you anyway.

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Trivia

Trivia: In the beginning of the movie, where it shows a rather scenic footage of the sub about to dive, the exact shot was also used in G.I. Jane. Note that Crimson Tide was directed by Tony Scott and GI Jane by brother Ridley. A bit of sibling teamwork?

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Questions

Question: The disagreement between Hunter and Ramsey centers on the interpretation of the message that got cut off - Hunter says it might be a recall order so it has to be verified before they launch missiles; Ramsey says it is meaningless because it got cut off, so they should proceed with their original orders. I do understand that the captain was working within a scary time limit (one hour till the Russians could fire their missiles), but I don't understand how anyone could justify not spending part of that hour trying to confirm the cut-off message. Naval command would hardly have radioed them again to say "Yes, we really want you to fire your missiles, we're just telling you again for emphasis," so that means it was not just possible but extremely likely that the cut-off message was a recall order. Given that, how could anyone in their right mind want to cause a nuclear holocaust without first trying to find out what the cut-off message really said?

Answer: In a war situation, the Captain is absolutely NOT allowed to try and contact anyone, lest it gives their position away, which is why he was unable to question or confirm the order.

GalahadFairlight

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