Doubt

The film is set in 1964.

The "Ubi Caritas" sung by the choir during one of Fr.

Flynn's sermons was written in 1979 by Jacques Berthier for the Taize community.

When Sister Aloysius talks to Mrs.

Miller, the nun's umbrella handle moves from her left to right hand several times.

At one point, it hangs from the nun's arm.

During the conference in the Principal's office, the door is left ajar.

The amount of space between the door and and jamb varies from take to take.

As Father Flynn sits alone in Sister Aloysius' office after their final confrontation, he handles his breviary and arranges two pressed flowers on its cover.

His notoriously long fingernails are suddenly trimmed short in that scene.

Set in 1964, but a Wurlitzer electric piano model 200 (introduced in 1968) or 200A (introduced in 1975) appears in the dance class and the Christmas pageant rehearsal.

When Fr.

Flynn and Sister James are on the bench outside the school, Fr.

Flynn opens his breviary.

It's an English "Liturgy of the Hours," which was introduced in 1970, not the Latin "Breviarium Romanum" that was in use in 1964.

During the final conflict between Sister Aloysius and Father Flynn, the camera pans down and to the left, and the boom microphone appears briefly.

As Sister Aloysius walks Mrs.

Miller to work, they pass an outdoor basketball court with a 3-point line.

The ABA introduced the 3-point line in 1971.

The Mass vestments are contemporary, not the type in use in 1964.

In the beginning, an altar boy "fires up" the thurible (incense burner) in the sacristy before Mass.

Incense would only be used at a solemn High Mass, not the Low Mass shown.

Father Flynn turns during the basketball scene in the gym, showing the backs of his Converse Chuck Taylor All-Stars.

They have a white heel tag with black writing, which makes them contemporary shoes.

In 1964, they would've had a black heel tag with white writing.

The choir sings at the beginning of the movie.

The film shows an outdoor scene, then (while choir is still singing the same song) an empty choir loft, then the boys singing in the choir loft.

In 1964 free throws were often, but not always, shot underhand.

Sister Aloyisius confronts a student about earphones in class.

Stereo earbuds didn't exist in 1964, but the monaural version she confiscates did (they were also used in hearing aids).

During Mass, a song is sung before and after the Homily (sermon).

In a Catholic Mass, the Gospel reading is right before the Homily, and the Profession of Faith (Nicene Creed) is immediately afterward.

The bit at the end of Gospel and right before the Creed may be sung or chanted, but they would not sing a hymn.

In the final scene, Sister James walks up to the seated Sister Aloysius.

When the camera zooms out at the very end, there are no footprints in the snow on the sidewalk.

The snow was added in post-production.

William is sent home for having a bloody nose.

He walks through an intersection with crosswalk indicators.

The traffic signal changes from red to green, but the crosswalk indicators don't change.

The classroom door opens inward.

Ever since the 1908 Collinwood school fire in Cleveland, laws have required classroom doors to open outward.

It was initially believed that the panicking children pushed against the doors, which prevented escape from the fire and resulted in 172 deaths.

However, later investigations proved that the doors did in fact open outward.

The school was rebuilt and renamed Memorial school.

It's surrounded by gardens in memory of the children who died there.

After Sister James asks the children to turn to page 687, the books on the children's desks are different pages.

Students don't necessarily pay attention or turn to the right pages.

A boy is caught listening to a World Series Game.

The leaves had fallen off the trees, which generally doesn't happen until mid-to-late November.

The 1964 World Series took place in early October.

During the sermon, the burse (the rectangular object on top of the chalice veil on the altar) is incorrectly placed.

At a Low Mass in 1964, the burse would have been removed from the chalice at the beginning, and placed to the left of the chalice, leaning upright.

In the movie, the street signs have black letters on a white background, without cross-streets.

In 1964, NYC street signs had white letters on blue enamel backgrounds, with the cross-streets printed in smaller letters above.

When Sister Aloysius leaves Father Flynn in her office, the lighting, Flynn's facial expression, and the position of Flynn's coat change dramatically after she closes the door.

During the Consecration, Miller, an altar boy, should've raised the bottom of the priest's chasuble while the other altar boy was ringing the bells.

(at around 1 min)The priest and one of the sister walk into the principal's office, there is a lamp behind the principal's desk, turned on.

Eight minutes later, the light is off even though no one touched the lamp.

Sister Aloysius at one point says the people of ancient Sparta resolved issues by who shouted the loudest, but in fact, it was the Athenians who did this, not Sparta.

This was the year of 1964 and Sister Aloysius Beauvier was going to decorate the classroom with a portrait of the Pope Pius XII.

Then Sister James said that this Pope died "last year" (1963).

Pius XII died in 1958.

And the Pope that died in 1963 was John XXIII.

When Sr Aloysius and Mrs Miller are walking through the local housing development, Parkchester, there are air conditioners in and awnings on the windows.

In 1964, there were neither air conditioners or awnings on Parkchester windows.

Air conditioners were not allowed in Parkchester windows until 1998.