In a recent episode of the Unspooled podcast, an industry expert pointed out a major historical inaccuracy in Christopher Nolan’s ‘Oppenheimer,’ which might impact the film’s chances of receiving an Oscar.
Amy Nicholson, a critic known for her keen eye for historical accuracies in cinema, was the first to point out this goof. Speaking on the podcast, Nicholson expressed her surprise at finding such an error in a Nolan-directed film, who is known for his precise attention to historical details. This error, she argues, could diminish the film’s chances of winning an Oscar:
“I want to talk one more thing about ‘Oppenheimer,’ which is I picked it to lose a category. I picked it to lose production design for one specific reason. Because in that scene, when he’s giving a speech about how they dropped the bomb in front of that gymnasium and people are freaking out and waving flags. The flags they use in that scene are the 50-star flags, which did not exist yet.”
‘Oppenheimer’ has 13 nominations for the 96th Academy Awards, which will be held on March 10, 2024. However, this goof might prevent the film from clinching an Oscar in the Best Production Design category, an award that honors the art direction and historical accuracy of a film’s setting.
Some Fans Say This Might Be Intentional
In some scenes, ‘Oppenheimer’ features the flag that represents the current configuration of the United States. This detail wasn’t accurate until 1960, following the addition of Alaska and Hawaii as states. Some sharp-eyed fans already saw the 50-star USA flag that predates its existence.
While some viewers have speculated that the use of the flag might have been an intentional decision. One of the fans wrote on Twitter at that time, saying:
“Personally, I think it was done intentionally because colored scenes were from Oppenheimer’s perspective, which is his present day’s memory that was after the 50-star flag was established.”
However, the consensus is that it was an oversight.
With the Oscars right around the corner, how this mistake might influence the jury’s decision in the category of Best Production Design remains to be seen.
