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In which film were they at their best? [CONCLUSION]

DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
edited August 2011 in Bond Movies Posts: 24,157
It's a new multi-poll, ladies and gentlemen!

The idea, as per usual, is quite simple. We consider actor-character combinations and decide in which film they gave their best performance. I'll add a new entry every day or so, depending on this thread's popularity. ;;)



<font color=tomato size=3><b>Entry #1:</b></font> <font color=steelblue size=5> <b><i>Bernard Lee as M</i></b></font>

Lee's first appearance in the Bonds was already spot-on in my opinion. The man's almost never let me down afterwards either. Sometimes there were lesser moments but I'll blame the script before I blame the man. So deciding when he was at his best really narrows it down to the film that gave his M a true chance to shine. I must admit I'm not too hot for his last couple of Bond films, say since LALD. The real competition is between GF (the brandy talk, immediately after M's rather cold lecturing of Bond is brilliant!) and OHMSS. TB, DN and FRWL are solid competitors as well.

I suppose I'll go for <b>GF</b> though. Both scenes I just mentioned set me on fire each time again. That tasty smile on M's face when the gold bar is not given to Bond just yet, as he whirls the glass in the meantime, is priceless!

Ergo: <b>GOLDFINGER</b>
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Comments

  • KerimKerim Istanbul Not Constantinople
    edited July 2011 Posts: 2,629
    I'm going to go with On Her Majesty's Secret Service. I fee both Lee and Lois Maxwell realized they needed to step up for the young and inexperienced George Lazenby, and they did. Lee was brilliant in the scenes telling Bond that the chase with Blofeld was off and showing his softer side thanking Moneypenny, the butterfly collection briefing and the wedding. In OHMSS, we got to see more than one dimension of Lee's M.

    Bernard Lee Rankings:

    1. OHMSS
    2. GF
    3. DN
    4. FRWL
    5. MR
  • TheWizardOfIceTheWizardOfIce 'One of the Internet's more toxic individuals'
    edited July 2011 Posts: 9,117
    Have to agree with Kerim. The M scenes in OHMSS are probably the series best - although credit to Lazerrs too as he holds his own against Lee.
    Just wish we had got the Man from Ag and Fish scenes from the book as well.
  • PrinceKamalKhanPrinceKamalKhan Monsoon Palace, Udaipur
    edited July 2011 Posts: 3,262
    Bernard Lee's M was always good but I'll agree with Kerim and TWOI that OHMSS featured his finest performance, largely because he was given a little more than usual to work with script-wise and character-wise in his scenes. I particularly like the line "This department is not concerned with your personal problems." Very refreshing, especially here in the Dame Judi Dench era where M seems overly concerned with Bond's personal problems.
  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    Posts: 24,157
    So far, OHMSS takes the lead. Good show everyone! More votes, please. :)
  • 007JamesBond007JamesBond
    Posts: 321
    Another one for OHMSS here. Just another reason that makes it one of the best Bond movies.
  • JBFan626JBFan626
    Posts: 1,497
    It's a toss-up between DN and OHMSS for me. But the way he cold and plainly says "Request Granted" while not even looking up from his desk in OHMSS is so good.

    I have to go with OHMSS
  • SJK91SJK91
    Posts: 1,310
    I'm going with the flow and saying On Her Majesty's Secret Service.

    I always got a kick when Bond says, "Unusually small for a [scientific butterfly name]", and M just slowly looks up and Bond. Very nice.
  • DoubleOhhSevenDoubleOhhSeven
    Posts: 1,778
    Im gonna have to agree with the majority and go with OHMSS. It's as if after Connery left everyone realised they were gonna have to pull out all the stops to make this series continue. And worked marverously. As if all the stars has aligned except for one. That one being James Bond. OHMSS boasts the best performances by M and Moneypenny, the best Barry Score, best Bond girl, one of the best scripts, some of the best fight scenes, etc.
  • HASEROTHASEROT has returned like the tedious inevitability of an unloved season---
    Posts: 4,399
    Its a toss up between GF and OHMSS for me - I wish I could vote for both..... but ill break trend and say GF...

    His nice cold delivery of "This isn't some personal vendetta, its an assignment like any other. And if you can't treat it coldly and objectively... then 008 can replace you."..... not to mention when Bond makes a remark about the terrible brandy, which M finds good, and M replies "Colonel Smithers is giving the lecture.".... lol that's right, Bond knocked back into his place lol
  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    Posts: 24,157
    Next entry is being prepared. Any last votes for Bernard Lee's M?
  • DaltonCraig007DaltonCraig007 They say, "Evil prevails when good men fail to act." What they ought to say is, "Evil prevails."
    Posts: 15,713
    OHMSS for me. Very nice relationship between Lee and Lazenby.
  • MajorDSmytheMajorDSmythe "I tolerate this century, but I don't enjoy it."Moderator
    Posts: 13,978
    From Russia With Love, I guess.
  • doubleoegodoubleoego #LightWork
    edited July 2011 Posts: 11,139
    Bernerd Lee's M was always on point and it is hard to narrow down his best performance. The chemistry he had with Connery was brilliant, it really felt like a stern father/son relationship without being too heavy handed BUT M always had faith in Bond because he knew Bond despite his fllaws and foul ups was very good at his job.

    I love the scene in TB where Bond argues that duval is actually dead and M blindly gives Bond the benefit of the doubt or the scenes just before where, Bond arrives late to the double 0 briefing and M's comment of, 'now that we're all here' and the scenes where he catches moneypenny referring to him as the old man and Bond tries to worm his way out of the awkward situation by noting that he thought he had a hat when he came in (which he did).

    Lee had great moments in all his Bond films as M and oh yes, Bond's arrival to the office in FRWL where he throws his hat onto the hook stand and announces his next miracle only to find M and moneypenny standing behind the door looking at him, that was such a great moment of body language.

    I think I'll hand it over to TB probably.
  • Samuel001Samuel001 Moderator
    edited July 2011 Posts: 13,355
    From Russia With Love or On Her Majesty's Secret Service I think. Lee is so good in every film though.

    Great thread @DarthDimi.
  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    edited July 2011 Posts: 24,157
    With eight votes for OHMSS, we have our first winner!
    Bernard Lee as M: OHMSS


    Entry #2: Walter Gotell as General Anatol Alexis Gogol

    They really shifted the tone with Gogol from film to film. Sometimes a friend, occasionally a less than hostile enemy force, but never unlikaeble. Gogol intrigues me most in OP. They gave him the chance to be our friend within the Kremlin, opposite the downright dangerous Orlov. I love the meeting, the jewellery inspection and, above all, the Orlov's demise. That scene above all is the one where Gotell truly shines as Gogol, in my opinion at least.

    Ergo: OCTOPUSSY
  • SJK91SJK91
    edited July 2011 Posts: 1,310
    I'm going to go with The Spy Who Loved Me. The scene where Gogol tells XXX about her boyfriend's death is pretty well done.
  • royale65royale65 Caustic misanthrope reporting for duty.
    Posts: 4,423

    Ergo: OCTOPUSSY
    Me too, please

  • DaltonCraig007DaltonCraig007 They say, "Evil prevails when good men fail to act." What they ought to say is, "Evil prevails."
    Posts: 15,713
    Octopussy.
  • AgentJamesBond007AgentJamesBond007 Vesper’s grave
    Posts: 2,632
    Walter Gotel's performance in Octopussy was well done.
  • BAIN123BAIN123
    Posts: 11,189
    Probably Octopussy.

    "common thief, a disgrace to the uniform!"
  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    Posts: 24,157
    Probably Octopussy.

    "common thief, a disgrace to the uniform!"
    He says it like he means it, doesn't he? Wins me over each time. You can almost taste his loathing of Orlov.

  • PrinceKamalKhanPrinceKamalKhan Monsoon Palace, Udaipur
    edited July 2011 Posts: 3,262
    TSWLM and OP were his 2 best. It's too bad for Mr. Gotell that health issues prevented him from what would've been his largest and best-written turn in TLD.

    I'll pick TSWLM
  • doubleoegodoubleoego #LightWork
    Posts: 11,139
    TswLM
  • 007JamesBond007JamesBond
    Posts: 321
    TSWLM
  • KerimKerim Istanbul Not Constantinople
    edited July 2011 Posts: 2,629
    I think it comes down to either Spy or OP. Everything else was more or less a throw in scene for him. I'll go with Octopussy. He and Orlov (Steve Berkoff) really worked well together as opposites.

    Just for the heck of it, I'll rank his appearances.

    1. OP
    2. TSWLM
    3. FYEO
    4. AVTAK
    5. TLD
    6. MR
  • 00Beast00Beast
    Posts: 4,762
    Well, Gogol had more screen time in TSWLM and OP, which gave us more time to look into his character, and he was necessary to the plot in FYEO. Those are his Big Three! He was a throw-away in MR, a nice "stop by to say hello" in AVTAK, and a "going away present" in TLD. Looking at his Big Three, I'd give this one to Octopussy.
  • DoubleOhhSevenDoubleOhhSeven
    Posts: 1,778
    A View To A Kill- I really liked his scene with Walken. "Nobody ever leaves the KGB"
  • boldfingerboldfinger
    Posts: 5,767
    Gogol was no doubt the most impressive in FYEO. The moment at the end of the film, after Bond destroyed the ATAC, and Gogol just looks at him, kind of shrugs, and turns away and walks back to his helicopter, that is one of the best cold war fantasies I´ve ever seen.
  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    Posts: 24,157
    A few more votes for Gogol perhaps? Moving on to the next entry very soon.
  • Samuel001Samuel001 Moderator
    Posts: 13,355
    I'd pick Octopussy too though I like his For Your Eyes Only appearance as well.
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