This romantic supernatural thriller, Ghost, may seem flawless on the surface, but even the most iconic films have little-known slip-ups. Below, you’ll find eight fun and subtle mistakes from the film that fans may not have noticed.
1. Sam’s Shadow—But He’s a Ghost!
One of the most noticeable errors is that Sam, the film’s main ghostly figure, occasionally casts a shadow. Since ghosts in the film’s lore don’t interact with the physical world, shadows are a surprising oversight. This slip-up challenges the ghostly rules the movie sets up for itself and has eagle-eyed fans scratching their heads.
2. Visible Breath in Chilly Scenes
Patrick Swayze, who plays Sam, had to act in frigid conditions without proper warming clothes to avoid showing his breath on screen. However, in some scenes, his breath is still faintly visible—a tricky detail that snuck by, even with the film crew’s efforts to prevent it.
3. The Plant That Moves on Its Own
Continuity fans might spot a mysterious movement from a plant behind Sam in certain scenes. The plant’s shifting position from one shot to another gives away that the scene was shot over multiple takes, despite efforts to keep the set looking consistent.
4. Sam Grabbing Objects
While Sam isn’t supposed to physically interact with the world, there are a few moments where he seems to touch things. At one point, he appears to grip a chair, creating a puzzling contradiction in the film’s logic. This interaction inadvertently adds an unintentional layer of ambiguity to his ghostly state.
5. The Moving Coke Can
In a subtle goof, a can of Coke on the table in Molly’s apartment seems to move between shots. The can’s slight shifts in position reveal that continuity wasn’t perfect, adding a small inconsistency to an otherwise meticulous setup.
6. The Mirror Mystery
In one scene, a background reflection seems to include an unexpected figure. This unintentional cameo by an off-screen crew member or a background extra wasn’t meant to be part of the story, and sharp-eyed viewers might catch the accidental addition to the scene.
7. The Disappearing Cigarette
Another small continuity error involves the case of a disappearing cigarette. During a scene with Molly, her cigarette vanishes from one frame to the next without explanation, creating a visual jump that fans with a keen eye might spot as a cinematic error.
8. The Changing Grip on Sam and Molly’s Hands
In one of the most tender scenes, Sam and Molly’s hand placement changes slightly between shots. This subtle shift breaks the continuity in the sequence but doesn’t take away from the scene’s emotional impact. It’s one of those minor inconsistencies that most audiences won’t notice unless they’re looking for it.
These small mistakes may go unnoticed by most viewers, but they’re a reminder of the challenges in creating a movie. Ghost remains a beloved classic, even with these small blunders, and they add a fun layer for fans to discover on repeated viewings.