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Would you like to see a return of `The Last Trick' (taken from the Fleming novel GF)......?

jetsetwillyjetsetwilly
edited October 2020 in Bond Movies Posts: 3,327
Looking back at the Bond films, one trend that I would like to see the return of is the surprise re-appearance of a henchman or villain looking to kill Bond in the final scene, when Bond has relaxed and thinks the mission is over.

We first saw this appear in a Bond film in FRWL with Rosa Klebb. The trend then followed in the following films -

GF (Goldfinger)
OHMSS (Blofeld & Bunt)
DAF (Kidd & Wint)
LALD (Tee Hee)
TMWTGG (Nick Nack)

I don't recall any other films after TMWTGG where this occurs again (correct me if I'm wrong) which is a shame as this is one element of the Bond films that I love, and want to see it return again.

Considering the films are so formulaic, and this was also a trick used frequently by Fleming in the novels, I'm amazed this particular revenge comeback moment was never repeated after Nick Nack's bottle throwing escapade.

What does everyone else think? Would you like to see this return?

Comments

  • QBranchQBranch Always have an escape plan. Mine is watching James Bond films.
    Posts: 14,588
    If Oddjob counts (despite Bond still being on the mission, not relaxing; villain is still alive), then we must include Jaws appearing on Atlantis while Bond is looking for Anya.

    As for the future - who knows, we might even see this in NTTD.
  • jetsetwillyjetsetwilly
    Posts: 3,327
    QBranch wrote: »
    If Oddjob counts (despite Bond still being on the mission, not relaxing; villain is still alive), then we must include Jaws appearing on Atlantis while Bond is looking for Anya.

    As for the future - who knows, we might even see this in NTTD.

    I wasn't counting Oddjob. It was GF on the plane. I cannot remember now the scene with Jaws at the end of TSWLM. I need to watch it again.
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    Posts: 16,427
    Yes, we were just talking about the Wint & Kidd cruise ship scene in another thread, and I agree that it is a nice little extra bit of action, an epilogue you weren't expecting.

    I guess you could sort of say Living Daylights sort of does this with the Whitaker scene (in that it's not really the climax of the movie but Bond clearing up after he's dealt with the main issue), or Quantum of Solace gives us an epilogue post-climax when Bond deals with Vesper's 'boyfriend', but not quite the same.

    So I wouldn't say it needs to be as rigid as the henchman turning up (although nothing wrong with that) but a little extra bit of epilogue excitement is nice to see, yeah.
  • jetsetwillyjetsetwilly
    Posts: 3,327
    mtm wrote: »
    Yes, we were just talking about the Wint & Kidd cruise ship scene in another thread, and I agree that it is a nice little extra bit of action, an epilogue you weren't expecting.

    I guess you could sort of say Living Daylights sort of does this with the Whitaker scene (in that it's not really the climax of the movie but Bond clearing up after he's dealt with the main issue), or Quantum of Solace gives us an epilogue post-climax when Bond deals with Vesper's 'boyfriend', but not quite the same.

    So I wouldn't say it needs to be as rigid as the henchman turning up (although nothing wrong with that) but a little extra bit of epilogue excitement is nice to see, yeah.

    I thought about the ending to TLD, which almost feels like one of these tacked on surprise endings, the only difference being Bond is the one instigating the scene. You could even say the same about Mr. White and CR, and the end to QoS like you mentioned.

    But for the surprise/shock factor of the villain springing up unexpectedly, you have to go as far back as TMWTGG.
  • NickTwentyTwoNickTwentyTwo Vancouver, BC, Canada
    Posts: 7,553
    I think it's a good idea, as for most of the film the villain upholds a certain decorum, and at the very end when their plans are laid to waste it's a good opportunity for them to throw caution to the wind and have one last go at Bond for revenge. Sort of like Big in LALD novel in the water, or like Le Chiffre during the torture scene, but obviously that's not at the end.
    Imagine if Hinx in a neckbrace was sitting in the back of the DB5 at the end of Spectre lol
  • goldenswissroyalegoldenswissroyale Switzerland
    Posts: 4,483
    I'm a fan of those “last tricks“. A highlight in DAF, very good in all other movies mentioned in the first post (apart from NickNack who wasn't threatening enough. I like him in his earlier scenes but the final confrontation is weak).

    I would have loved to see Hinx again later in the SP finale.
  • NickTwentyTwoNickTwentyTwo Vancouver, BC, Canada
    Posts: 7,553
    goldenswissroyale wrote: »
    I'm a fan of those “last tricks“. A highlight in DAF, very good in all other movies mentioned in the first post (apart from NickNack who wasn't threatening enough. I like him in his earlier scenes but the final confrontation is weak).

    I would have loved to see Hinx again later in the SP finale.

    I wonder if it would have been cool if Blofeld simply flew away at the end of Spectre, and Bond was attacked by Hinx after escaping Vauxhall Cross? They could have made it feel like Hinx just wanted revenge, rather than continuing to be a part of the Spectre plot or something. Might have added something to the otherwise dragging finale.
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    Posts: 16,427
    NickTwentyTwo wrote: »
    goldenswissroyale wrote: »
    I'm a fan of those “last tricks“. A highlight in DAF, very good in all other movies mentioned in the first post (apart from NickNack who wasn't threatening enough. I like him in his earlier scenes but the final confrontation is weak).

    I would have loved to see Hinx again later in the SP finale.

    I wonder if it would have been cool if Blofeld simply flew away at the end of Spectre, and Bond was attacked by Hinx after escaping Vauxhall Cross? They could have made it feel like Hinx just wanted revenge, rather than continuing to be a part of the Spectre plot or something. Might have added something to the otherwise dragging finale.

    I'd like that, yeah.
  • JamesStockJamesStock
    Posts: 572
    Love this idea. Interesting that it was pretty much a Connery tenure thing. I would definitely welcome it back!
  • jetsetwillyjetsetwilly
    Posts: 3,327
    JamesStock wrote: »
    Love this idea. Interesting that it was pretty much a Connery tenure thing. I would definitely welcome it back!

    It was pretty much a Connery and early Moore tenure, but actually came from the Fleming books originally - DAF, FRWL, GF, OHMSS.
  • Since62Since62
    Posts: 1,632
    The alternate SP ending idea sounds great ! I think it's too bad Hinx is not returning for NTTD.
    In addition to bringing back "the last trick" -- I always thought of it as "a final, surprise threat" -- I very much miss: ending on the water ! Though Terrence Young did not write the scripts, he seems to have had input. Ending on the water occurred in the T Young films -- as did Sylvia Trench in DR and FRWL, though not in TB. It was used again in YOLT, where it absolutely fit the story, considering what had just happened. The ending events of OHMMS did not suit it. It fit in DAF. It nearly was used in LALD, considering the train's location. It fit in TMWTGG. TSWLM -- a return to a classic, though formulaic, form -- fit it ideally well. MR ended -- oy vay -- in outer space, so, no. FYEO sure did -- it was IN the water !!! OP did and it fit the story -- even with Bond's novel-LALD condition. AVTAK -- sorry, the shower does not count. TLD -- they were near a fountain, and the camera went there, but...nope. LTK -- in the pool -- yes ! Counts ! GE - nope. TND -- yes, in a rather YOLT way. TWINE - nope. DAD -- on a cliff, but, nope (they could have had a "last trick" AND ended on the water if someone had shot at the helicopter and it went down over water but if Jinx and Bond had a raft. CR -- darn close to the water, and the climax was in water, but at the very end, no. QOS - nope. They could have had a "last trick" and a water ending had it wound up in one of those water reservoirs, but it worked out well for Bond to find the guy who had so badly wronged Vesper. SF -- nope. SP -- nope. NTTD ? Seems not. Bond 26 ??? Bring back the last trick and the water !!!
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