Top 50 Inglourious Basterds Movie Details

While searching the internet for Inglourious Basterds movie facts, I found some interesting little known details. Obscure enough that most people could miss it, I want to make you a favor by creating ordered lists with the most intriguing hidden details.

Most of them are not blatantly obvious to be observed at first sight, so take your time and read carefully. We have extensive definitions that accurately explain any behind the scene meaning or famous dialogues.

In Inglorious Basterds (2009) the baseball bat used by Donny "The Bear Jew" Donowitz to beat Nazi soldiers to death with is covered in names written by the people of his Jewish neighborhood in Boston. They are the names of their loved ones in Europe who have been exterminated.
In Inglorious Basterds (2009) the baseball bat used by Donny "The Bear Jew" Donowitz to beat Nazi soldiers to death with is covered in names written by the people of his Jewish neighborhood in Boston. They are the names of their loved ones in Europe who have been exterminated.
Aldo Raine says every person they see wearing a Nazi uniform will die. Every member of the Basterds who is seen wearing a Nazi uniform on screen (Donowitz, Wiki, Stiglitz and Hicox) are all killed.
Aldo Raine says every person they see wearing a Nazi uniform will die. Every member of the Basterds who is seen wearing a Nazi uniform on screen (Donowitz, Wiki, Stiglitz and Hicox) are all killed.

Trivia

I have collected all the famous movie trivia questions with answers from Reddit and other sources. They can be very useful in quizzes or games, or simply to learn more information. Most of the fun Inglourious Basterds details are suitable for kids.

  1. Til Schweiger, who played Hugo Stiglitz in Inglorious Basterds (2009) was born and raised in Baden-W?rttemberg, Germany and had always refused roles that required him to put on a Nazi uniform. He only agreed to this role because he got to kill Nazis, rather that portray one.

  2. Lt. Aldo Raine wears the First Special Service Force's insignia of crossed arrows on his collar and red arrowhead shoulder patch. This was an elite US-Canadian commando unit in WWII and the precursor to modern special forces for both nations.

  3. When the 'Bear Jew' makes his debut you can hear him hit his bat against the wall 28 times. 28 in Hebrew is "??" meaning "strength".

  4. At the movie premiere in Inglorious Basterds (2009), Brad Pitt is introduced as stuntmant "Enzo Girolami". This was the birth name of the director of original The Inglorious Bastards (1978), Enzo G. Castellari.

  5. During the bar scene while the German soldiers play Who Am I? several names on their cards are code names for infamous double agents (explanation in comments).

  6. The reasons Goebbels snaps at the mention of Lilian Harvey is because she smuggled her Jewish friends escape Germany, and performed for Allied troops.

  7. The hands that chokes Diane Kruger were actually belonged to Quentin Tarantino not Christopher waltz. Quentin admitted that he wanted the choking by hands needs to be *realistic* .

  8. A swastika appears and then disappears during the Frederick Zoller movie, Stolz der Nation.

Easter Eggs

Finding Easter Eggs in movies is one of my favorite hobbies. Hidden objects, characters, and their meanings are wonderful ways to discover the filmmaker's perspectives of any given movie.

  • 1 - Mike Meyers' character briefs Michael Fassbender's character about an extraordinary plan to assassinate Hitler during a film screening at a small cinema. The operation is dubbed "Operation Kino". In German, Kino translated to English means cinema.
    Mike Meyers' character briefs Michael Fassbender's character about an extraordinary plan to assassinate Hitler during a film screening at a small cinema. The operation is dubbed "Operation Kino". In German, Kino translated to English means cinema.
  • 1 - One of the shots in the opening scene in Inglorious Bastards (2009) was a homage to a similar shot in the opening sc?ne of Once Upon A Time In The West (1968)
    One of the shots in the opening scene in Inglorious Bastards (2009) was a homage to a similar shot in the opening sc?ne of Once Upon A Time In The West (1968)
  • 1 - The character Donny Donowitz (Eli Roth) wields a bat adorned with multiple jewish refferences and people (like the star of david and the names of victims of the holocaust and persecution of the jews).
    The character Donny Donowitz (Eli Roth) wields a bat adorned with multiple jewish refferences and people (like the star of david and the names of victims of the holocaust and persecution of the jews).

Hidden Details

1 - Brad Pitt's character in 'Inglorious Basterds' (2009) has a distinct rope burn scar along his neck that's common among victims of hangings and lynchings, suggesting he escaped being hung at some point in his past. However it is never referred to or mentioned throughout the film in any way.
Brad Pitt's character in 'Inglorious Basterds' (2009) has a distinct rope burn scar along his neck that's common among victims of hangings and lynchings, suggesting he escaped being hung at some point in his past. However it is never referred to or mentioned throughout the film in any way.
1 - Hans Lander subtly checks the pulse of the girl he is interrogating.
Hans Lander subtly checks the pulse of the girl he is interrogating.

" a leaf falls onto an Austrian-born, Jewish soldier, and its appearance mimics the yellow "Star of David" that Jewish people were forced to wear on the left side of their chest by the Nazis.

: Colonel Hans Landa says that the Basterds often wear German uniforms to ambush unsuspecting German soldiers. The next scene shows blood stains on the uniforms the Basterds are wearing when they conduct such an ambush, implying they were taken from previous victims

Lt. Aldo at the very beginning says "Any and every son-of-a--b**** we find wearin a Nazi uniform, there gonna die." And every one of the bastards that wore one for undercover, did.

1 - Col Landa asks to switch to English saying "..I've exhausted the extent of my French. To continue to speak it so inadequately, would only serve to embarrass me." Until now, his French has been so perfect that this suggestion is absurd and obviously suggests ulterior motives.
Col Landa asks to switch to English saying "..I've exhausted the extent of my French. To continue to speak it so inadequately, would only serve to embarrass me." Until now, his French has been so perfect that this suggestion is absurd and obviously suggests ulterior motives.
1 - : you can clearly see the "oh shit" in her eyes right away.
: you can clearly see the "oh shit" in her eyes right away.
1 - After interrogating Shosanna, Hans Landa remarks that he had something to ask her, but he couldn't recall what. He proceeded to place his cigarette into the strudel with the end still smoking, creating a little house... showing us that he really does knows who she is
After interrogating Shosanna, Hans Landa remarks that he had something to ask her, but he couldn't recall what. He proceeded to place his cigarette into the strudel with the end still smoking, creating a little house... showing us that he really does knows who she is

The Bear Jew's bat in Inglorious Basterds (2009) is covered with the names of Jewish people who are trapped under Nazi rule, including Anne Frank.

Michael Fassbender's character Archie Hicox pretends to be in the film that Shosanna was playing at her movie theatre before Nation's Pride.

1 - LaPadite splashes himself with water not only because he's been working, but so he doesn't get caught sweating during his interrogation.
LaPadite splashes himself with water not only because he's been working, but so he doesn't get caught sweating during his interrogation.
1 - Archie Hicox is questioned by a German officer on the validity of his accent. Hicox says his accent is odd because he grew up near a mountain called Piz Palu. When Shoshana is changing her theater promo, you can see the title of a movie about Piz Palu, directed by G.W. Pabst.
Archie Hicox is questioned by a German officer on the validity of his accent. Hicox says his accent is odd because he grew up near a mountain called Piz Palu. When Shoshana is changing her theater promo, you can see the title of a movie about Piz Palu, directed by G.W. Pabst.
1 - During the tavern scene, Lt. Archie Hicox wrote G.W. Pabst on the Guessing Game card. Earlier in the film we found out that he was an expert in German cinema, and had written a book about G.W. Pabst in his life before the war.
During the tavern scene, Lt. Archie Hicox wrote G.W. Pabst on the Guessing Game card. Earlier in the film we found out that he was an expert in German cinema, and had written a book about G.W. Pabst in his life before the war.

The Jew Hunter tells Aldo that 999 *point* 999 times out of a million, Aldo would be right. In German, large numbers are separated by periods, not commas.

1 - Hans uses the proper German form for separating the hundreds and thousands places, with a period as opposed to a comma. Hans says "nein nein nein *point* nein nein nein times out of a million".
Hans uses the proper German form for separating the hundreds and thousands places, with a period as opposed to a comma. Hans says "nein nein nein *point* nein nein nein times out of a million".
1 - A yellow leaf falls on a member of the basterds that resembles the Star of David
A yellow leaf falls on a member of the basterds that resembles the Star of David

Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt) tenses his facial muscles and keeps his jaw trying to look Italian. This way he looks like Vito Corleone (Marlon Brando) in "The Godfather" (1972)

1 - Hugo Stiglitz--a German soldier who murdered 13 Gestapo officers--stole the knife he used to kill one of these officers. Inscribed on the knife is the phrase "Meine Ehre heisst Treue", which translates to "loyalty is my honor".
Hugo Stiglitz--a German soldier who murdered 13 Gestapo officers--stole the knife he used to kill one of these officers. Inscribed on the knife is the phrase "Meine Ehre heisst Treue", which translates to "loyalty is my honor".
1 - Hans Landa is seen grabbing the wrist of one of the farmers daughters. This is firstly a subtly threat against the family. However, you can see Landa is actually checking the girls pulse as well.
Hans Landa is seen grabbing the wrist of one of the farmers daughters. This is firstly a subtly threat against the family. However, you can see Landa is actually checking the girls pulse as well.
1 - Hans Landa calls everybody who serves him "Hermann"
Hans Landa calls everybody who serves him "Hermann"
1 - As Major Hellstrom is guessing which character he is, King Kong, the questions he asks about him are continuous allegories (hidden meanings) for slaves, representing the Jews in the Holocaust during World War 2, when the movie takes place.
As Major Hellstrom is guessing which character he is, King Kong, the questions he asks about him are continuous allegories (hidden meanings) for slaves, representing the Jews in the Holocaust during World War 2, when the movie takes place.

Col. Landa brings exactly three Nazi soldiers to trick the Deryfuses into thinking they're LaPadite's three daughters.

1 - Hans Landa pulls out the original calabash pipe of Sherlock Holmes when he realizes where the Jews are hiding as a way of mocking us and the French farmer with his detective skills.
Hans Landa pulls out the original calabash pipe of Sherlock Holmes when he realizes where the Jews are hiding as a way of mocking us and the French farmer with his detective skills.
1 - Major Hellstrom addresses Wicki (Lieutenant Munich) and Stiglitz (Lieutenant Frankfurt) not by name, but rather where they are from, demonstrating Hellstrom's "acute ear for accents" that aroused his suspicion of Hicox.
Major Hellstrom addresses Wicki (Lieutenant Munich) and Stiglitz (Lieutenant Frankfurt) not by name, but rather where they are from, demonstrating Hellstrom's "acute ear for accents" that aroused his suspicion of Hicox.
1 - When meeting with Aldo Raine after catching him falsely impersonating an Italian film director Hans Landa serves him Chianti wine. Chianti is native to the Tuscany region of Italy and Hans' choice further proves his knowledge and expertise of Italian customs and culture
When meeting with Aldo Raine after catching him falsely impersonating an Italian film director Hans Landa serves him Chianti wine. Chianti is native to the Tuscany region of Italy and Hans' choice further proves his knowledge and expertise of Italian customs and culture

Oberst Landa congratulates the farmers cows. In french, this is a derogatory term for women and very insulting.

1 - As the music begins with Hans Landa he says the word "masquerade" which is French, revealing to Shoshana what is going on and giving her the chance to escape.
As the music begins with Hans Landa he says the word "masquerade" which is French, revealing to Shoshana what is going on and giving her the chance to escape.
1 - Hans Landa orders the Mademoiselle a glass of milk, a reference to the opening scene in the movie, implying that he knew, or at least suspected, that she was the escaped Shosanna Dreyfus girl from the first moment he met her.
Hans Landa orders the Mademoiselle a glass of milk, a reference to the opening scene in the movie, implying that he knew, or at least suspected, that she was the escaped Shosanna Dreyfus girl from the first moment he met her.

Shosanna doesn't speak German. When Landa first reappears at the restaurant and Zoller questions his intentions, she has no idea what they are discussing. She flinches in terror every time she hears her name because it's the only part she understands.

1 - Shosanna's theater has a poster for L'Assassin habite au 21. Its about an inspector looking for a killer in Paris. Also Shosanna was reading Le saint New York which is about an inspector looking for a killer.
Shosanna's theater has a poster for L'Assassin habite au 21. Its about an inspector looking for a killer in Paris. Also Shosanna was reading Le saint New York which is about an inspector looking for a killer.
1 - Hans Landa states "in 999 -POINT- 999 times out of a million". In Mainland Europe, the convention for showing decimals uses a comma (,) instead of a point (.) and when showing thousands, a point is used instead of a comma eg 1,000.1 UK/US would be 1.000,1 in Germany.
Hans Landa states "in 999 -POINT- 999 times out of a million". In Mainland Europe, the convention for showing decimals uses a comma (,) instead of a point (.) and when showing thousands, a point is used instead of a comma eg 1,000.1 UK/US would be 1.000,1 in Germany.

. Dieter Hellstrom was able to hear the strange accent of Archie Hicox because the song stopped playing on the gramophone when Archie Hicox started yelling at the soldier (until that time, music had been playing throughout the scene).

In the scene where Fredrick Zoller shoots and kills Shosanna Dreyfus, You can catch a glimpse of a shot from "Nation's Pride (Stolz der Nation)" where the actor playing Zoller is pointing his riffle at Shossan.

1 - When Hans Landa captures Aldo Raine and Utivich, Landa serves them wine from a type of bottle called "Fiasco", hinting that not only he has outsmarted Aldo Raine, but also that Aldo Raine is not even smart enough to understand it.
When Hans Landa captures Aldo Raine and Utivich, Landa serves them wine from a type of bottle called "Fiasco", hinting that not only he has outsmarted Aldo Raine, but also that Aldo Raine is not even smart enough to understand it.
1 - The clothesline is foreshadowing the coming events. The outfit represents the home owner, the 4 pairs of black socks represent the Nazi soldiers, and the white sheet is an International display of surrender.
The clothesline is foreshadowing the coming events. The outfit represents the home owner, the 4 pairs of black socks represent the Nazi soldiers, and the white sheet is an International display of surrender.
Inglourious Basterds poster
Inglourious Basterds poster

Inglourious Basterds Plot: In Nazi-occupied France during World War II, a plan to assassinate Nazi leaders by a group of Jewish U.S. soldiers coincides with a theatre owner's vengeful plans for the same.

I am pretty sure that you've watched Inglourious Basterds, maybe in a theater near you or on the small screen, but probably not many of the small details have taken your attention. Most of the previous facts are hidden for some reason, but still, there is plenty of randomly forgetten stuff that makes the movie unique and interesting. The more you know, the more fascinated you'll be about Inglourious Basterds and will watch it online, download or stream it again and again.

Genre Adventure, Drama, War
Director Quentin Tarantino
Main Actors Brad Pitt, Mélanie Laurent, Christoph Waltz, Eli Roth
IMDB score 8.3

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