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

Magic thrives on misdirection, and ‘The Prestige’ leans into that idea from start to finish. Look a little closer though and you can spot a handful of continuity hiccups and timeline quirks hiding in plain sight. These do not change the story, but once you notice them they stand out during every rewatch. Here are specific slips that keen eyes have called out inside the world of ‘The Prestige’.

Borden’s missing fingers switch hands

After the onstage accident Borden loses two fingers on one hand, which becomes a defining detail for his daily life. In a few later shots his injured hand appears more functional than it should be, with props gripped as if all fingers are present. There are moments where the camera angle shows a quick glimpse of the opposite hand bearing the injury instead. Wardrobe and hand doubles likely contributed to the confusion across scenes.

Wedding ring continuity

Borden’s marriage scenes give away a small jewelry error that repeats across the film. His wedding ring alternates between hands in different moments that are set close together in the story. Some shots place the band on the left while others show it on the right without narrative reason. The switch is easy to miss during dialogue but becomes obvious when you know to look at his hands.

The bullet catch aftermath

The bullet catch sequence leaves Borden with a dramatic injury that should affect his sleeves and bandages for a stretch of time. In follow up scenes the state of his wrappings changes more quickly than the timeline suggests. At points there is little to no visible blood where a fresh wound should stain fabric. The reset between shots signals a continuity reset during coverage.

Hat field headcount

When Angier visits Tesla he finds a field littered with identical top hats that the machine has duplicated. The number of hats visible shifts between wide and medium shots of the same location. A pile that looks crowded from one angle seems noticeably smaller in the next view. The changing count breaks the sense that the hats stayed fixed while the camera moved.

The cat duplicates mix up

Tesla’s demonstration with the cat uses the same duplication idea as the hats. The staging around the pen and the animals appears to change slightly between cuts. Fencing positions and the placement of the crate vary in ways that imply the set was reset between takes. The result is a small spatial jump that stands out once you have seen it.

Tank lock and key inconsistency

The water tank used in multiple sequences features a lock and key setup that should look the same every time it appears. Closeups reveal differences in the orientation of the padlock and the way the key sits in the ring. Angles change the style of the clasp in back to back shots as well. The escape prop does not match perfectly across the coverage.

Olivia’s letter details

A letter that passes between characters serves as a pivotal clue for shifting loyalties. The handwriting style and spacing on the paper are not perfectly consistent between insert shots and medium frames. Even the fold lines move a bit as the page is opened in different takes. These small paper differences make the prop feel like two versions of the same note.

Theater signage anachronisms

Exterior theater shots show printed displays and marquee lettering that look a touch modern for the period setting. The kerning and uniformity resemble mid century printing rather than the hand painted or uneven styles common to the era of ‘The Prestige’. Inside, some posters have borders that match later design standards. The polished signage lends a slightly out of time look during street scenes.

Electrical glow without visible power

Several scenes highlight lamps and bulbs that glow in spaces with no visible wiring or battery packs to feed them. The effect matches the film’s theme of experimental current but the set dressing sometimes removes any practical path for power. Shots cut between angles that show cords and then hide them again. The change creates a quiet mismatch for viewers tracing the source of light within the frame.

Journal page jumps

Both leads pore over journals that drive the investigation into each other’s lives. As pages turn, the density of handwriting and the placement of entries shift between closeups and wider angles. Page edges show differing levels of wear in consecutive shots as if multiple hero copies were used. The book prop continuity makes the written trail feel slightly unstable from scene to scene.

Share the sneakiest slip you spotted in ‘The Prestige’ in the comments and tell us which moment grabbed your attention first.