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* In ''[[Dr. Strangelove]]'', [[General Ripper]]'s paranoia about fluoridating water is most likely to come across as simply a manifestation of him being insane. However, his suspicion was shared by the ultra-right John Birch Society, and thus was an allusion to an actual conspiracy theory which was shared by people with similar ideology as the fictional character.
** Sadly, this theory ''still'' exists. It is not uncommon in certain parts of rural small-town America to occasionally read local letters to the editor insisting on the "truth" of it (usually as part of a longer screed about the evils of government). Not helped when the "conspiracy" was given national voice in 2009 by conservative icon Glenn Beck.
* In ''[[Who Framed Roger Rabbit?]]'', Eddie charges A.K. Maroon $100 to spy on Jessica, and Maroon thinks that's too much, agreeing to it only when he demands paying half upon completion. It seems like a paltry amount to most viewers, until they remember the movie takes place in the 1930s.
* The [[Anachronism Stew]] in the [[Mel Brooks]] film ''[[History of the World Part One]]'' includes a "stand-up philosopher" in ancient Rome. There was a point in time when Romans actually hired philosophers to recite at dinner parties so that the host could look cultured.
** Which was just another custom they swiped from Greeks wholesale. In Ancient Greece there were traveling philosophers for hire who ''advertised'' their guest-entertaining services to wealthy hosts with pretensions of culture.
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** Though that scene takes place in 1937 at the absolute latest, and probably closer to 1935. It's before George decides to send his brother to a four-year college, and his brother graduates before George falls in love, gets married, and has a baby. All of that happens before WWII begins. So it was anachronistic, if not necessarily unrealistic.
** Also in ''[[It's a Wonderful Life]]'', there is a brief shot of a rotisserie powered by a record player. That may seem improbable today, but those things actually did exist.
** Also, $8,000? Surely that isn't more money than could conceivably paid back in a week, right? Well, some fans forget that this is the 30s, and given for inflation, that's about the equivalent of a quarter of a million dollars.
* ''[[Nacho Libre]]'': the story of a monk who wrestled under a mask to earn money for his orphanage? Too silly to be anything other than a comedy? Tell that to [http://www.traditioninaction.org/RevolutionPhotos/A180rc_FrayTormenta.htm Fray Tormenta].
* To a modern viewer, the "anti-drug" message of ''[[Reefer Madness]]'' is assumed to be straightforward. Not quite: that movie, and others like it, were made under the strict censorship of the [[Hays Code]], which didn't allow lurid material unless some kind of moral statement was made. Adultery? Murder? No problem, filmmakers could tack on some kind of token "moral message", and stay within the rules of the game. Another infamous example is ''Child Bride'', which [[Getting Crap Past the Radar|includes an extended scene of a 12-year old skinny-dipping]] by claiming to draw attention to the problem of child marriage.
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