Continuity mistake: When 009 is knifed in the back, the knife goes in all the way to the handle. When he crawls out of the water, the blade is visible. And if the knife had moved out by itself, it would be loose and would have fallen out.
Continuity mistake: In the Circus scene towards the end of the movie James Bond holds up a program to cover his face, and you can clearly see a clown's face on the back of the program. A few seconds later (and in subsequent shots) the back of the program is blank.
Continuity mistake: As Bond reaches the air base entrance, he passes a soldier in a yellow hat walking towards the entrance. A shot later, the soldier reappears metres behind him in the following shot walking away, with Bond driving past him again. And yet, a couple of shots later, he is walking towards the entrance again.
Continuity mistake: When Bond arrives at the air base, the guard's position changes between shots, alternating from crouched near the window to standing upright.
Continuity mistake: When Q is fishing, the bag beside him rests slanted against the rock, but in the reverse shot it's suddenly upright.
Continuity mistake: When Grischka pins Bond to the cabin door with his knives, the first knife appears slightly slanted to the left, but in the next shot its position and angle are completely different. Seconds later, another knife pins Bond's shirt at bicep level, lifting the fabric - yet a shot later, its position has shifted again (slightly upwards now) and the shirt is no longer raised.
Continuity mistake: During the circus train scene, the lighting changes inconsistently, alternating randomly between bright sunlight and overcast skies.
Continuity mistake: When Kamal spots Bond outside the carriage, he sneaks out and shoots at him. In the wide shot, there's a large bush visible behind Bond in the field - but in the next immediate shot, the bush has completely disappeared.
Continuity mistake: When Bond climbs out through the car roof before jumping onto the train, the sun visor is up. However, just before the empty car crashes into the train, the visor is suddenly down.
Continuity mistake: When Bond escapes from the train and drives away the number and position of the bullet holes changes between shots.
Continuity mistake: During the pre-credits sequence, Bond pulls the ripcords on the parachutes of the two guards who are in the truck with him and the guard on the right is holding a rifle in his right hand, but when he is flying in the air in the next shot, the rifle has gone.
Continuity mistake: When Bond is fighting Gobinda on the roof of the train carriage, Grischka appears and you can see from behind he puts his left hand on the roof, but when the camera angle changes in the next shot, Grischka now has his right hand on the roof.
Continuity mistake: Bond arrives in West Berlin to travel to Karl-Marx-Stadt. The Mercedes stops just before Checkpoint Charlie and the other guy gets out of the car. One can see the license plate - which appears to be genuine German (DIN font and spacing etc). When the "same" car later arrives at the Circus the plates are obviously props. The font is off and the plates are obviously fake.
Continuity mistake: When Bond is pinned to the wooden door by the knives we see each knife cut his shirt, trapping him to the door, but when he opens the door and grabs the knife with his left hand, his left arm is now completely free, with no holes or rips on his sleeve.
Continuity mistake: When Bond is beside the train going through the station there is nothing on the left, but as the train leaves a platform has appeared, and an engine shed and a brick bridge This was filmed back at the main station because of the double track set up.
Continuity mistake: When the train passes the signal box and the points get changed you can see the train in in the background and it is halfway past the station. When the Mercedes passes the train, it's still halfway past the station, and when the Mercedes catches it up again it's no further along. The train is moving at a constant speed the whole time.
Continuity mistake: When Bond asks for the jet's tank to be filled, his cockpit swaps from closed to open between shots.
Continuity mistake: While with Q, Bond rolls-up his sleeve to show his watch. In the close-up the shirt is further down.
Continuity mistake: When Bond approaches a gas station with the jet, in the close-up of Bond's face the background changes (cars and buildings disappear).
Continuity mistake: When Bond is about to fly through the second door of the hangar there are no soldiers holding it. A shot later a bunch of them have suddenly appeared.
Chosen answer: The satisfaction of knowing he'll win, the thrill of pulling one over on someone; maybe like Goldfinger, he just doesn't like to lose under any circumstances.
Captain Defenestrator