Continuity mistake: As Achilles and Patroclus sword play in Phtia, at the bottom of a particular area with stairs, in the first shot after the first close-up of the horses' hooves, there are large clumps of greenery at the corners of these individual stairs. However, when Odysseus speaks with them and says, "My wife will feel much better if she knows you're by my side..." now some of the clumps of greenery are gone from the stairs, and there is a water 'canteen' on the third step, which Achilles drinks from. There are a number of significant differences among surrounding shrubbery and small rocks, including from the opening aerial shot, and the sun's shadow changes drastically during this entire scene. (00:21:35 - 00:23:25)
Continuity mistake: In Phtia, Achilles throws the spear into the tree beside Odysseus as he rides near. When Odysseus removes the spear from the tree, the area of tree around the spear tip is different. (00:22:00)
Continuity mistake: While in Phtia after Odysseus says, "My wife will feel much better...I'll feel much better," Achilles takes the sword out of Patroclus' hand and then pats him on the bottom with his own sword. As he does this in the shot from behind Achilles, the ground area in front of the bushes is sword free. However, as Odysseus says, "A thousand ships," there is a sword lying on the ground in front of the bush. This is either a continuity error or simply the lack of sound of a sword being thrown to the ground, since it's likely to be Patroclus' sword that Achilles threw. (00:23:30)
Continuity mistake: When Thetis says, "Like the ones I used to make you when you were a boy. Remember?" she puts her hand in the water to pick up the sea shell and the bottom of her right sleeve gets soaked in the close-up. However, in the next shot as she turns to face Achilles, that sleeve is dry. Her clothing material darkens greatly when wet, note the bottom of her clothing as she stands in the water when Achilles first walks over. (More noticeable on VHS.) (00:24:40)
Continuity mistake: When Achilles goes to see his mother, Thetis, as they speak the position of her long hair differs repeatedly, e.g., behind her shoulder then in front, depending on the camera angle. (00:25:30)
Continuity mistake: When Hector and Paris return to Troy with Helen, in the last wide shot as they ride in the chariot the camera pans toward the palace, high up in the distance over particular buildings. Later, just after Odysseus sets fire to the pyre with Achilles' body, when Odysseus' voiceover says, "...I walked with giants. Men rise and fall like the winter wheat," the entire palace is actually GONE in this shot, though it should be visible over the very same buildings as the earlier shot, since the angle of the camera is similar. Composite people simply neglected to add the palace in this pyre shot. (00:28:20 - 02:32:15)
Continuity mistake: After Priam kisses and welcomes Helen to Troy, they all walk inside. In the next wide shot, when Andromache (Hector's wife) steps forward to greet Hector, there is nobody to her left in front of the large column. However, in the next close-up there are two people who stand beside her, directly in front of that column. (00:29:30)
Continuity mistake: After Hector, Paris and Helen arrive home, when Hector hugs Priam and Andromache, there are at least six small gold clasps at the back of Hector's hair, yet when Hector kisses Briseis, the large one differs and all the small clasps are gone. (00:29:35)
Continuity mistake: As Helen says, "They're coming for me. The wind is bringing them closer..." she leans on the large pillar, even as Paris walks over she stands beside it when they embrace. In the following wide shot, as Paris lets go of her, they are not standing in the same location as the previous close-ups. (00:32:00)
Continuity mistake: As the ship heads toward Troy's shores, Eudorus walks toward Achilles at the bow. There is a close-up of his feet as he passes many spears, helmets, swords, armor and shields lying on deck, and in the next shot many of the items on deck are either gone or positioned differently, and the shadows that are cast significantly change between shots, while Achilles and his Myrmidon are aboard their ship. (00:35:55)
Continuity mistake: In the scene near the start of the film where Achilles ship has just arrived on the sands of Troy, the ship gets fired upon by flaming arrows. The camera cuts to a shot aboard the ship where you can see a soldier jump over the side, his shield and spear on his right arm. Yet when he lands the shield and spear have switched to his left arm. (00:36:15)
Continuity mistake: At the start of the first battle when we see Achilles' soldiers penetrate the sands of Troy, Achilles throws a spear through a guys head. But if you look closely at the previous shot, the soldier's body is side-on, obviously so he can shoot the arrow, yet when it cuts to the spear going through the head, the soldier is completely facing Achilles. (00:39:25)
Continuity mistake: On the Trojan beach, when the shields of Achilles and the Myrmidons are united in front of them, some of the arrows protruding from the shields disappear and reappear in consecutive shots. (00:40:25)
Continuity mistake: When Achilles and his Myrmidons line up on the beach and then bring their shields together, things located on the beach, surrounding them, ie large and small rock formations/boulders, wood, carts, etc., differ greatly from the previous and following shots. The way they form the tight group differs between shots as well. (00:40:25)
Continuity mistake: In the first shot that pans Ajax's ship, as he walks towards the bow, Ajax's weapon leans on the rail at the prow and to HIS left there is a green shield, blanket and other items lying on deck, as well as the seated men rowing. The first seat is empty, on the second seat sits a dark-haired man and a bald man sits on the fourth seat. However, when he yells, "Row you lazy whores..." in the close-up, he yanks a man sitting in the first seat that was previously empty, the man on the second seat has gone grey (from stress?) and the (bald) man on the fourth seat has grown a full head of hair. Ajax's weapon, the green shield and the other items are gone too. (00:41:30)
Continuity mistake: When Ajax walks to the bow of his ship, the men in front of him are standing spread apart. However, in the next shot when he pushes the two men apart, they are very close together. (00:41:30)
Continuity mistake: In the scene near the beginning, where Achilles is standing at the palace where the golden statue is, he throws a spear into one of Hector's men. When the shot goes to him, you can see that he has his left arm stretched out; you can see his hand. Yet when Hector rides on, the soldier on the floor now has his arm beside him and not outstretched. (00:43:20)
Continuity mistake: Achilles runs up the stairs of Apollo's temple, kills some men, including one after he runs up the stone base of the gold statue. He then turns around, with the two blades in his hands, to be face to face with a Trojan whose helmet is all askew and Achilles pushes the tips of the blades into the center of the soldier's chest armor. At the start of the very next shot the man's helmet is perfectly straight, and Achilles' two blades are conspicuously not in the soldier's chest, both are clearly visible at the soldier's side, under his left arm (NOT in his chest), already bloody, with the dripping blood stain on the center of his armor where the blades should be. Then Achilles pulls the blades 'out of' the soldier accompanied by the dramatic sound effect. (00:43:20)
Continuity mistake: From the time Achilles stands outside the temple of Apollo, after he sticks one of his swords into the man's head, just before he speaks with Eudorus, through the moment he allows Hector to leave the temple grounds, the blood on the front and shoulders of his armour changes. (00:43:40)
Continuity mistake: Throughout the film, when Achilles wears the hair ribbon, or not, his hair position, its twist and/or ribbon position changes significantly in consecutive shots. (00:43:50)
Answer: They didn't know the Greeks weren't bringing cavalry. The Greeks did use them and sometimes brought them by sea. It was there to stop a cavalry charge and to break up fighting formations.
LorgSkyegon