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Delivered like a brick through a glass pane window...the art of delivering lines of dialogue

thedovethedove hiding in the Greek underworld
in Bond Movies Posts: 5,490
As someone who can recite Bond movie dialogue with regularity, I love how dialogue is delivered by the actors. Bond scripts have a blend of everything. There is humour, there is romance and there is death. (I might have cribbed that from Stromberg). It got me to thinking, I don't think there is a script or dialogue appreciation thread.

Might be fun to share some lines and scenes that we enjoy from the series. You can either write out the scene or line that you enjoy and then provide a brief mini review on why you like it. Or you can post a YouTube video that shows the scene and again tell us what you enjoy about it.



This scene is a stand out to me for many reasons. First, Steven Berkoff plays Orlov perfectly. He has menace, he's larger then life. The way he lifts his hand to speak. Then the way he sits down after his plan is shut down adds so much to the character. I love the way he says "Czechoslovakia". Another great choice in my mind!

Walter Gotell really does hang with him in the scene. The forceful way he stands up to respond to Orlov. After seeing Gogol as a comic relief character it's nice to see him with an edge. I don't know the actor playing the Russian Premier in this scene. But he delivers the "Sit down...BOTH of you." It reminds me of a father telling his kids to stop the argument. A wonderful scene that sets up so much about the characters and the story and will unfold.

What are some of your favourite scenes or dialogue? What do you like about the scene and what do we learn about the characters? I can't be the only one who enjoys the acting and scripts of the Bond movies!?

Comments

  • TorgeirtrapTorgeirtrap
    Posts: 17,821
    I've been meaning to write a comment for days now, as I think this is a good idea for a thread!

    The meeting scene from OP is definitely the first one that comes to mind, as Steven Berkoff takes his character to the next level here. Over the top? Maybe, but sometimes that's just what you need.

    A much shorter line delivery of course, but I've always loved the way Jimmy Dean as Willard Whyte utters "Baja! I haven't got anything at Baja!" in DAF:



    It's not just this scene though; Jimmy Dean was incredibly funny throughout.
  • thedovethedove hiding in the Greek underworld
    Posts: 5,490
    Agreed @Torgeirtrap my 8 year old and I watched DAF and he frequently quotes Jimmy Dean's lines.



    I love the "What the hell has happened to me and what can I do about it?" Jimmy Dean was really well cast as Willard Whyte!
  • w2bondw2bond is indeed a very rare breed
    Posts: 2,252
    As ridiculous as DAF is, the lines and delivery of lines always cracks me up. Great cast.
  • TorgeirtrapTorgeirtrap
    Posts: 17,821
    thedove wrote: »
    Agreed @Torgeirtrap my 8 year old and I watched DAF and he frequently quotes Jimmy Dean's lines.



    I love the "What the hell has happened to me and what can I do about it?" Jimmy Dean was really well cast as Willard Whyte!

    He was indeed a great cast as Willard Whyte. There are few minor characters I look forward to appearing on screen the same way as with Whyte. I love every second he's on screen!
    w2bond wrote: »
    As ridiculous as DAF is, the lines and delivery of lines always cracks me up. Great cast.

    This is one of my main reasons for liking DAF so much. It's full of quotable lines, and the cast delivers them perfectly. I guess I could include any scene with Charles Gray as Blofeld to this thread as well:



    I love the way he acts in this scene. A different kind of Blofeld for sure, but my second favourite, I must admit.
  • thedovethedove hiding in the Greek underworld
    Posts: 5,490
    This is a wonderful scene! It gives M some real lines to sink his teeth into. Bernard Lee plays it right and Moore is just with him.



    The look on M's face when Bond makes the coffee. I love how he starts to talk louder while Bond fixes the drink! Good chemistry with Moore right off the bat.
  • RogueAgentRogueAgent
    Posts: 12,526
    thedove wrote: »
    This is a wonderful scene! It gives M some real lines to sink his teeth into. Bernard Lee plays it right and Moore is just with him.



    The look on M's face when Bond makes the coffee. I love how he starts to talk louder while Bond fixes the drink! Good chemistry with Moore right off the bat.

    Could not agree MOORE!!!! ;)) My first ever Bond movie.
  • TorgeirtrapTorgeirtrap
    Posts: 17,821
    I think that scene was a perfect introduction to Moore's Bond. And his on-screen relationship with Lee and Maxwell was perfect from the very start.
  • vzokvzok
    Posts: 4,045
    The evil queen of numbers is the memorable bit here, but I just like Michael Kitchen’s delivery of all his lines.
  • TorgeirtrapTorgeirtrap
    edited July 2019 Posts: 17,821
    Michael Kitchen, what a fantastic actor! Shame he didn't feature more as Tanner.
  • thedovethedove hiding in the Greek underworld
    Posts: 5,490
    Yes I agree with you @vzok this time we are introducing a new Bond and a new M. Kitchen does well not just with the lines but also the facial expressions when Bond and M are exchanging lines. Well done by all three actors.
  • CommanderRossCommanderRoss The bottom of a pitch lake in Eastern Trinidad, place called La Brea
    Posts: 8,339
    vzok wrote: »
    The evil queen of numbers is the memorable bit here, but I just like Michael Kitchen’s delivery of all his lines.

    Oh I love the face he makes when he realizes m is behind him. I love her reaction too; 'if I want sarcasm i' ll talk to my children thank you very much'. Dench delivers with panache.
  • mattjoesmattjoes Pay more attention to your chef
    Posts: 7,058
    I've always liked the delivery and dialogue in this briefing scene:

  • thedovethedove hiding in the Greek underworld
    Posts: 5,490
    This is a good one @mattjoes I like how Q goes into lecture mode right off the bat.

    Grey and Bond exchange some good lines too! Then the briefing heads outside and we see Moneypenny getting vocal about her horse! LOL!
  • MooseWithFleasMooseWithFleas Philadelphia
    edited July 2019 Posts: 3,370
    I always enjoyed how Q, in the Moonraker brief, shows the wreckage site and says "We've been through it with a fine tooth comb"

    My understanding of the verbiage is fine-toothed is a type of comb. However, Q emphasises the fine alone and says toothcomb together as one word, making it seem like of all the toothcombs they could have used in the world, they used a decently acceptable (fine) one.
  • MooreFunMooreFun
    edited July 2019 Posts: 385
    Gotta be Hugo Drax. Michael Lonsdale's almost-bored delivery sells the perfect Drax; someone who considers Bond a minor annoyance, a speed bump on the path to his dream. But my personal favorite from him is when Bond is reunited with Dr. Goodhead in the 'meeting room' beneath Moonraker 5.
    "Even in death, my munificence is boundless. When this rocket lifts off, I shall be leaving you in your own private crematorium. Mr. Bond, Dr. Goodhead, I bid you – farewell.”
  • thedovethedove hiding in the Greek underworld
    Posts: 5,490
    I always love the Bond and Villain scenes to be such wonderful examples of writing. Both know that they are on opposite sides. They talk in double talk as it were. Lonsdale was perfectly cast as Drax in my opinion. He shines in scenes like this one. I love your read of him @MooreFun he did play it like Bond was a minor annoyance. One can almost see in this scene he was planning to take out Bond and then dispatch of Corrine.

  • CommanderRossCommanderRoss The bottom of a pitch lake in Eastern Trinidad, place called La Brea
    Posts: 8,339
    That's why I love the dinner scene in Dr. No so much. It's a very intelligent discussion, a sort of battle of the wills. But with incredibly high stakes. Same goes for bond vs Emilio largo.
  • thedovethedove hiding in the Greek underworld
    Posts: 5,490
    Yes the Dr. No dinner scene is a great one. This exchange between Bond and Dr. No is particularly well handled by both Connery and Wiseman. I like the robotic delivery of Wiseman's line but yet you still can hear the hate and contempt he holds for Bond.

  • thedovethedove hiding in the Greek underworld
    Posts: 5,490
    The cab driver in LALD is another stand out in my mind. He has some great fun lines and delivers them with panache. You remember him over some of the other minor characters...I'm looking at you Strutter and even Whisper. Here's his second big scene in New Orleans.

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