Although both Garibaldi's army and Sicilian army were using muzzle-loading guns, none of the soldiers involved in battle scenes is shown as recharging his firearm.
During one of the long shots of the journey to Donnafugata, a blur crosses the screen near the center, apparently caused by a fly crawling over the lens.
At the begging of the film, Prince of Salina uses de word "mafiosi" to describe Garibaldi's supporters. This word settled few years later, as a result of the popularity of the play "I mafiusi di la Vicaria" from 1863. The mafia organization as we know it, was just starting its activities as such during the post unification period.
There is much kissing of hands during the movie. According to the book "Histoire de la politesse de 1789 à nos jours (History of good manners from 1789 till today)" by F. Rouvillois, the kissing of hands only appeared at the turn of the 20th century when the story in the movie was supposed to take place in 1860-1862, more than 40 years before.
In the hunting scene, Burt Lancaster is shown using a double-barrel gun with centrefire cartridges. This was invented after 1860, when the action takes place.
In Hure's first appearance a circular smallpox vaccination scar on her left arm is visible.
When the Prince and his family enter the church for mass after their arrival at the summer palace, Don Ciccio, the organist, plays a short excerpt from Mascagni's Cavalleria rusticana, which was first performed in 1890. The main action of the film is set c. 1860.
In his first scene the prince makes a mistake when he folds his handkerchief.