15 Stupid Harry Potter Movie Mistakes You Probably Missed

4. The Sword's Safety Tip

Harry Potter Wounds
Warner Bros.

If filmmakers can't give a sword to a 12 year old without someone stepping in to say it's dangerous then Health & Safety truly has gone mad but that's precisely what happened on the set of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.

Hidden away within the Sorting Hat, the Sword of Godric Gryffindor can be summoned when a worthy soul is in danger and facing down the terrifying Basilisk is one such occasion when one could do with something sharp and pointy to defend themselves with.

Although the prop sword's edge would no doubt have been dulled down and made to look razor sharp, there's no camera trickery that can make the pointed tip look pointy when it isn't and CGI would have been expensive, difficult and potentially ineffective.

The solution was obvious and the filmmakers opted to put a cover over the tip to protect Daniel Radcliffe whilst he was swinging it wildly in the direction of the Basilisk... or where it would have been after post-production but during the fight scene wherein Harry climbs the giant statue of Salazar Slytherin's face, the safety tip is clearly visible.

This mistake is somewhat forgivable as the crew were acting to protect their young lead actor but still an obvious goof.

Contributor
Contributor

Probably the only person ever to see all the endings of the awful Shadow the Hedgehog video game. Professional proofreader, football fanatic, lion tamer and occasional liar.