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And the word also reminds me of the actor who was undoubtedly funny and talented but his roles in film, with Stepin Fetchit as his stage name, became widely criticized as a bad stereotype for blacks. You know - the rolling eyes, the over-exaggerated mannerisms, the poor English.
From wikipedia: His stage name was a contraction of "step and fetch it", or perhaps, "step in [and] fetch it". According to his entry in Ephraim Katz's The Film Encyclopedia, he borrowed his screen name from a racehorse that won him some money in his pre-Hollywood days.
All in all i think people who get offended by such choice of words want to get offended so they have something to bicker about. All IMO of course ;-)
I have to admit that this particular line always makes me slightly uncomfortable - particularly when considering the attitudes of the time. That said, it might well owe more to contemporary attitudes towards class rather than towards race.
Agreed about the bickering. Some people just aren't happy when they don't have someone to argue with or something to bitch about on a daily basis. I'm surprised the PC crowd hasn't gotten the line edited by now.
I'll have some updated ratings tomorrow.
Good point also.
1. Casino Royale- 4.33
2. Goldfinger- 4.23
3. From Russia With Love- 4.20
4. The Living Daylights- 4.12
5. Thunderball- 4.10
6. Licence To Kill- 4.06
7. The Spy Who Loved Me- 4.05
8. On Her Majesty's Secret Service- 4.00
9. You Only Live Twice- 3.92
10. For Your Eyes Only- 3.90
11. Live And Let Die- 3.83
12. GoldenEye- 3.75
13. Octopussy- 3.73
14. Tomorrow Never Dies- 3.63
15. Dr. No- 3.57
16. Quantum Of Solace- 3.42
17. A View To A Kill- 3.28
18. The World Is Not Enough- 3.17
19. The Man With The Golden Gun- 3.13
20. Diamonds Are Forever- 3.02
21. Moonraker- 2.97
22. Die Another Day- 2.70
Below is the updated list of missing reviews-
SKYFALL- No votes from OHMSS, 4EverBonded, and NicNac
I was very surprised not to see a Skyfall review this week to get the film on the board, so I can only assume they are being worked on. In the meantime, @BeatlesSansEarmuffs has joined the ratings panel with his review of Dr.No and stimulated some good conversation. I was hoping for that, and am eagerly anticipating his views on FRWL next.
Have a great weekend everyone!
"... To strive, to seek, to find - and not to yield."
BOND - 5 out of 5 For his 3rd film as Bond, Daniel Craig comes to us after six long years and with the last impression we had of his Bond films as being something like,"QOS: flawed film, stupid editing, darn shaky cam - okay, parts were fine, and at least Craig was solid..." In other words, I am sure he and the producers and director truly wanted to hit this one out of the ballpark, so to speak. Only 2 films with Craig so far, and Casino Royale was an outstanding success, critically and commercially. QOS felt very much like a stumble (I do believe the fine ending helped save it). It was time to step up to the plate (everybody, not just Craig). And Craig's Bond has been taking us on a journey - from the beginnings of Bond as a 00, then finding a woman to truly love only to lose her in horrible circumstances, to seeking and finding a balance of revenge, and to rededicating himself to his profession, becoming a more mature and competent agent (albeit trusting no one). In Skyfall, Daniel Craig found excellent ground to really shine and let us see Bond as he has changed, matured as agent, and moved on from Vesper's death and betrayal. And everyone, I also believe, was wanting a slightly lighter tone to this film - to bring at least some of the fun back into Bond films. With all that in the brew, it was quite a tall order. Fine acting was needed in order to give the range, the arc, and the subtlety of this Bond. Craig delivers in every way, 100% in my opinion.
He is competent, tenacious (the china bulldog on M's desk is in every way appropriate for him), and driven. After he is shot, we see him truly stepping back and stepping away from his profession and his world. Physically damaged, recovering yet you can see he is feeling burnt out and wounded psychologically, not just from a bullet and near drowning. He is taking his time, trying not to jump right back into his old world with MI6 - especially as his boss ordered Eve to "take the bloody shot" that in his opinion was not necessary and was an insult to his professionalism to finish the job himself. He has a rare chance, as Mallory pointed out, to live a different life, on his own terms, to really escape. But watching London, and MI6 in particular, under attack sears him to his very core. And he cannot walk away. Bond's love of his country, and his deep-seated belief that he can make a real difference, makes him go back. So he does.
This film takes some time to show us Bond struggling physically and mentally, failing the tests, yet reporting for duty ready to do whatever it takes. When he returns, there are many changes - MI6 now working in a tube bunker, Eve now assisting Mallory, his old apartment sold, Mallory himself a "bureaucrat" whom Bond is immediately skeptical of, and, to top it off, a new Q - looking barely old enough to shave. When Bond and Q finish their first meeting and show a grudging acknowledgment and tenuous acceptance of each other, and Bond says, "Brave new world," that is a GREAT line, because it actually speaks for a lot about this story.
So let me just say, I loved this portrayal by Craig. I enjoyed every moment of it. His interaction with each character was spot on. The concentration of Daniel Craig has got to be one of his greatest assets because he was 100% committed in every scene. He did not show exactly the same attitude or behavior with all the other characters; he was real and fully present in every moment onscreen. And we could see Bond change in this film until at the end he is fully functioning, redeemed professionally, personally rededicated, and (finally!) ready to allow himself to have a little fun in his life, too.
WOMEN- 4.5 out of 5 So really, if we cannot count Moneypenny as a Bond girl (she blurs the line in this introduction of her, acting as a Bond girl simply named Eve for most of the film), we have only the truly gorgeous and surprisingly talented Bérénice Lim Marlohe to critique as a Bond girl. I, along with many fans, was pleasantly surprised that someone many of us probably took to be an unknown French model/actress would actually come across as such a stunning, iconic-looking, smoldering Bond girl. Her looks alone would have made her memorable - and how she was shot was stunning (thank you, Roger Deakins!); she was in some of the best looking scenes in any Bond film - but also she can act. Joy and relief! And because her lovely nuanced performance was so short, that is one of the small faults I find in this film. Her subtle fear that slowly oozed out of her in the casino (including her cigarette just starting to tremble), her simmering intensity that practically bursts out of her when she asks Bond, "Can you kill him?" Even the way she reacts to Bond stepping into her shower - just superb. I would have been happier with a lot more of Severine in this story, and I wanted Bond to rescue her, I really did. Sigh ... The only other Bond girl is Greek actress Tonia Sotiropoulou, whose screen time is so short, no words, just a snippet that we see of her helping Bond to recover at the beginning of the film when he is trying to "enjoy death." Lovely, but such a short a time onscreen she barely counts as a character.
Severine is the one who is indelibly part of the Bond canon now and who helped make this film very fine indeed. Even though this role was limited, a weaker actress would have truly hurt the story, no matter how good looking. All Bond fans (I am pretty sure about this) want a great Bond girl in their Bond films. Much applause for Bérénice, and I look forward to seeing her career take off. I would give 5 out of 5 for her role if she had more screen time.
VILLAINS- 5 out of 5 There are not many villains or henchmen in this film. Patrice comes along early on, as he steals the hard drive that has the list of agents on it, and he doesn't say a word - just keeps hammering along, doing his work, killing people and showing he is up for a really good fight (train top and skyscraper fights). His character serves a purpose but is just not unusual or very memorable. The thugs in the casino are, well, typical thugs. One gets dragged off to be eaten by a Komodo dragon - that doesn't happen every day. ;) But then along comes the true baddie, the main villain of this story and we were in for a real treat. I do think that Javier Bardem's character of Silva is one of the very best Bond villains in the whole series. He is great, and a bit of a throwback to other memorable villains - in that he is strange, compelling, different, psychotic yes, but in this film mostly simmering under the surface with bursts of menace and craziness. He is bent on ruining M, but this is not at all reminiscent for me of TWINE. Indeed what I like is that he is not copying any particular villain but he is a hugely watchable, mesmerizing, and interesting villain. Not underplayed, nor over the top. Let me count the ways: Silva's intro, with that long stretch of dialog (including "last rat standing" story), so beautifully done, mannerisms and tone, all of it; his sadistic killing of Severine: his graphic display of the effects of swallowing cyanide; his tricking of Q ("Not such a clever boy"), his attack on M at Westminster; his helicopter assault on Skyfall (love the music he blares out - it just screams "here comes crazy man!") and his comeuppance as the second-to-last rat who ending up not standing - highly entertaining and very memorable. Superbly acted and Bardem deserved many awards and accolades for his role. Years from now I feel sure we will still be talking about Silva.
HUMOR- 5 out of 5 This film used humor the way I most enjoy it - with witty dialog, banter, appropriate innuendo, dry wit, and this again shows the importance of a darn good script. Nothing was over the top. The nods to past films were nicely done ("Go on then, eject me!"); I enjoyed them. I especially loved the give and take between M and Bond ("Ran out of drink where you were, did they?"), Bond and Q ("It's hard to know which in your pajamas.") and very much Bond and Eve. Oh, I liked their chemistry! After their "close shave," when Bond goes to the casino and Eve is there to help out as needed, their dialog through their earpieces as they both leisurely stroll through the casino (not together, but passing each other towards the end) is priceless. Perfect. Humor sparkled just right in this entire film for me.
ACTION- 4.5 out of 5 I found the opening exciting, well shot, and well acted. So it opens very well indeed; a great PTS. From the moment Bond reluctantly leaves Ronson (he knows help won't arrive in time) and walks out into the noisy, bustling bazaar - the movie just takes off. It's a grand and exciting chase showing Bond with Eve in the jeep, Bond on a motorbike then catapulting onto the train (showing his innovation and determination the way he does that), and the fight with Patrice as the train speeds towards a tunnel, Eve following alongside in the jeep. And then comes the infamous bloody shot and the titles roll (with the haunting Adele song and striking, appropriate titles design by Kleinman). So the film moves on and a bit later we get to the skyscraper scene, with Bond stalking the stalker/assassin Patrice in the skyscraper at night. This is so gorgeously and eerily filmed - love it! Great fight, in silhouette; excellent! We also have a unique Komodo dragon pit fight, short but entertaining, with Eve helping crucially at the last second as Bond crawls out (after getting a lift from one of the dragons). Silva's attack on M at Westminster (as she appropriately just finished quoting Tennyson), and his entire escape through London on and off the tube, were exciting for me, well paced and very well acted. I found the entire film to have outstanding editing and direction. I thought Skyfall never lagged and was interesting and exciting. The final assault on Skyfall Lodge was also well done. I didn't have any negatives regarding action in this film. And the only thing I wondered about was how many bad guys were actually recruited by Silva (he seemed to have a small army). But then his plan was years in the making, so he had time to recruit, and he had tons of money (apparently). I didn't mind the very long drop off the bridge when Bond was shot simply because it is a Bond film, and it is not meant to be completely realistic (for examples, see all previous Bond films).
SADISM - 3 out of 5 Not a lot actually shown, but plenty suggested and psychologically yes. Silva is twisted and wants M to suffer. He tortures Severine, and goodness knows how he had treated her in years past. Indiscriminate killings mean nothing to him. But hardcore, obvious sadism on screen here? Not really. (For 5 out of 5 sadism, see License to Kill.)
LOCATIONS - 5 out of 5 Oh my goodness, I would run out of words explaining why I love the locations in this film so much - thanks most of all to my new idol, Roger Deakins, whose every shot is immaculate and makes this film soar cinematically above most movies today (not only Bond films). I am especially partial to the U.K. and was happy so much of this Bond film is featured there. It is quite a British film this time around, more than usual, and that pleased me. I thrilled to see London featured so lovingly (including that truly iconic and magnificent shot of Bond on the rooftop at the end of the film, looking at the London skyline with the British flag flapping in the breeze). Scotland, too, so beautiful and fitting for this story. To top it all, I have to say Shanghai was captured simply stunningly. I know it is easy to use the word "stunning" but really now, I don't see how that entry into Shanghai flying in, the city lit up at night, going over the skyscraper luxury hotel with the rooftop pool and we just barely see a figure swimming in it, then cutting to Bond swimming in that pool - followed by the incredibly lit and beautiful skyscraper scenes, the fight, and yet another Bondian iconic look as we first glimpse Severine, the wind blowing her hair as she stares back at Bond through the shattered window - and that followed by the lush and gorgeous entry of Bond on the boat entering the casino's harbor ... how that can be called anything less than "stunning," I don't know. Breathtaking locations filmed by a master, and I do feel Deakins should have won the Academy Award for this effort. As SirHenry mentioned, too, plenty of credit to Dennis Gassner for his wonderful, superb set/production designs.
MUSIC- 3 out of 5 I will leave the details to SirHenry; I defer to him always for the technical aspect of music in Bond films. For me, I like the music a good deal - especially theme song by Adele, the opening called "Grand Bazaar, Istanbul" (looking at SirHenry's notes; I never know the names of the musical pieces), Komodo Dragon, and Severine. When Bond enters the harbor of the Casino and the music wells up, I could listen to that part over and over - simply gorgeous and uplifting. I also really enjoy "Brave New World" into "Jellyfish" and "Breadcrumbs." Essentially, I would have loved for the theme song to be used more in the film, too, as others have said. I am grateful it was used a bit. It did have a Bondian feel to this, and although not overall one of my top favorite soundtracks, I do rate it about average on my entertainment/satisfaction scale for Bond films.
GADGETS - 3 out of 5 Not much, as Bond himself pointed out. :-B But what is there works, and I liked bringing back the palmprint gun (plus it being a nod to Dalton) and having a simple radio transmitter be of great help. The 1964 Aston Martin DB5 had plenty of gadgets in it; just unused this time around but we knew they were there.
SUPPORTING CAST- 5 out of 5 The supporting cast is crucial to a good Bond film, and I think I have given 5 out of 5 before (FRWL); but not often. I was expecting a good showing by Judi Dench as we knew this was her last turn as M, and I was not disappointed. Actually, thanks to the story and director, her part exceeded my expectations. She was superlative in a role she has held in 7 films, over 17 years, going out with all the class, dignity, and strength of character that her M deserved. I don't think I will ever tire of seeing Judi Dench as M in Skyfall. Indeed, I like her entire tenure in the role. We also had a new Moneypenny come on board, and I feel that Naomie Harris filled that role to a "T", bringing a fresh face and take on the character, and also with class, competence, and just the right amount of sass and wit with Bond. I feel that her field agent work was quite competent, by the way, with the exception of taking the final shot and hitting Bond. Up until then she was pretty badass, undaunted, handling herself very well indeed. I liked her smashing off the second side mirror without a blink and her comment, "I wasn't using that one, either." She hesitatingly used her elbow to knock out the broken windshield so she could continue her pursuit in the jeep. Overall, I love her chemistry with Craig's Bond, I really do. It seems tantalizingly real to me. So credit to those who hired her, but also big applause to Naomie herself who knew, I am sure, full well how iconic her character was and that she was not going to be like the other Moneypennys. Next we come to a new Q, played by Ben Wishaw, an actor I knew only from Layer Cake (where he looked and acted 100% different from Q). I didn't mind a younger Q, I thought that may bring fresh banter with Bond. And it was nicely played, their first meeting and tentative acceptance of each other. My only question is his competence, since Silva played him like a violin at times. So I look forward to, but also wonder how, the scripts in the future will have Q develop. I hope he grows - and shows more world class skill in the next film. And give Bond some high tech gadgets. Next up we have Tanner (Rory Kinnear in a role I hope he continues), by M's side and a good showing. His reactions were quite good, I must say, even when he didn't have words. I just slightly wondered why, at the competency hearing, he didn't immediately pull M down to safety; he was sitting right next to her. No, it was Mallory who jumped up and climbed across the table to save M. I guess Tanner was there but the film needed to show Mallory's courage and quick reaction, as well as loyalty. So what about Mallory? Set up as a bureaucrat overseeing M and trying to get her to transition gracefully out of her position, he soon enough shows more than one side to his character. I first started to really like him when he helped M at the hearing (the subtle looks they exchanged as M was finally given a chance to speak were perfect). Eve helpfully discusses this with Bond during their encounter at the hotel near the casino - we learn Mallory was in the Army and was help captive by the IRA for 3 months. So not just a desk man or policy pusher. His actions speak louder than words, especially when he pulls M down to safety and takes a bullet doing so, and he continues to shoot it out bravely with Bond and Eve during that scene. But he also shows us his character by his words as he encourages Tanner and Q to make the breadcrumbs trail that only Silva can follow, whether the PM learns about it or not. You get the impression the buck stops with him (does everyone know that American expression?). So Mallory gains our respect as the film goes on, and certainly by the end we are ready and not surprised to learn that he is the new M. Bond seems to have truly accepted him at that point, and so did I. Who is left? Ah, Kinkade at the old Skyfall lodge, Bond's childhood home. A kind and conveniently placed character played warmly by veteran actor Albert Finney. I enjoyed his role and chemistry with Bond. I don't see Kinkade continuing at all, but he was nice to have in this story. And I do want to mention Helen McCrory, too, because she played a minister at M's hearing so superbly: an overbearing, pushy, won't-let-you-get-a-word-in-edgewise politician who loves the sound of her own pompous voice. When Mallory politely tells her to let the witness speak ("... for the sake of variety ..."), her reaction and shutting up so M could actually respond was simply perfect. Yes, a stellar supporting cast.
OVERALL - I had a good feeling about Skyfall early on because of the cast and crew. I did not know the story (I avoided spoilers) but was not placated by hearing that M's past would come back to haunt her (the official word, before the film came out). That could mean all kinds of things, stupid things, "too personal" or "too much emotional baggage" etc. etc. But I wasn't very worried ... yet by the time I sat down in my theatre seat on that long anticipated first day in December (opening in Japan was that late!!), I was hoping my instincts were right. Roll PTS and theme song and titles and YES, this looks like a good one indeed! Following PTS into the story, I practically melted into my seat from pure joy of entertainment. I was in Bond fan heaven. I think my only complaint is that I wanted a lot more of Severine in this film. Okay and more of the theme song woven in, too. But that's about it.
Now I know plenty of folks find fault with plot holes, etc., and not everyone can be pleased with every character, etc. But for me, this is one of the best Bond films ever, and I honestly enjoyed it tremendously. I think, from reading my rather lengthy review (bless you if you make it through every word), you can sense why. I think Skyfall will be staying in my top 10 the rest of my life. I put the snippet from Tennyson under the title at the very top here because it sums up for me James Bond in this particular film: He did seek, he did find, and he did not yield. An inspiration to me, in more ways than one.
It took me a while to write, as you can imagine. I just didn't want to shortchange this film. I wanted to lay everything out that I felt. I know it's a tad long for everyone to read, though (sorry!) As our current and most talked about film now, I wanted to give it my all.
And now I need a good drink.
When you look at the amount of time and work that went into this entry, and the eventual result, there is no question whatsoever in my mind that they wanted to hit a grand slam home run with this one like they did with Casino Royale. Not that I think that's not their goal with every film, but with QOS I sort of think that they thought they had hired the right people to direct and film, and thought they were good and experienced enough that they could work around all the issues that came up. Lesson learned.
Instead of going with the usual tried and true formula, they have indeed made a conscious decision to let us inside Bond's psyche and learn what makes him tick, what makes him who he is. And they have the right actor with the right skills to do just that. Dalton made me feel close to Fleming- Craig makes me feel closer to Connery. I see the same swagger and type of well rounded acting skills.
One of the most impressive things about Skyfall was how unlike a typical film with a 2:24 run time it was. It did not seem to drag at all at any time and that's the mark of a terrific film, one that keeps you so interested that you don't notice until you've reached the final act.
Finally, I never thought about the future of Tanner until re-reading this. With Moneypenny back, I can't see Kinnear getting nearly as much to do. I'm looking at what they did during the Brosnan era with Sam Bond and Colin Salmon and thinking they probably can't do much more than that, and probably shouldn't. Support characters can be deep and very entertaining as Skyfall showed us, but I still feel more of the focus and emphasis once again needs to be put back on the women, the villains, and one time support roles. Although I can see Fiennes, much like Dench, a continued focus considering the check he's getting, which must almost certainly be more than Harris or Whishaw are getting based on skills and reputation alone.
Can't wait to hear what Nic, OHMSS, and eventually Beatles come up with :)>-
I am not a big Beatles fan either, but that doesn't make me a snob. Looking back, Connery's Bond was even cooler because unlike a massive amount of the population he wasn't a hipster. B-)
I think this is it. I'm re-reading Fleming at the moment and, coincidentally, am up to Bond's first meeting with Quarrel in LALD:
"‘Good morning, Captain,’ said Quarrel. Coming from the most famous race of seamen in the world, this was the highest title he knew. But there was no desire to please, or humility, in his voice. He was speaking as mate of the ship and his manner was straightforward and candid.
That moment defined their relationship. It remained that of a Scots laird with his head stalker; authority was unspoken and there was no room for servility."
Bond's relationship with Quarrel is not an equal one.
Add to that the fact that Connery's Bond in Dr No is the most arrogant version of the character portrayed and I think that explains the line.
This is my own personal favorite of all the Bond movies. One of the things I most enjoy about looking back to the earliest offerings in the series is seeing how the template we all know and (mostly) love was developed. Dr. No lacked a pre-title sequence, or for that matter, a theme song. Bond was given no gadgets to speak of; for that matter, Q (or at least the actor we soon came to associate with the role) doesn’t even appear in the film. In this film, all those absences were rectified. Additionally, in this first PTS, we see the first use of what would become a familiar fake-out for the series: the “Oh no! They’ve killed James Bond in the first few minutes of the movie!” gambit. They’ve done no such thing, now or in any of the several other times the gambit has been used. This is one of the best , though, as we are introduced to Donald Grant and his garrote-watch.
BOND: 5/5 Sir Sean Connery gives his second career-establishing performance as James Bond. Connery IS James Bond, here and in several films yet to come. What more need be said?
WOMEN 5/5 This film is just packed with gorgeous women -- even in the smallest of parts! The actress who played Grant’s masseuse (Jan Williams) is beautiful enough to have carried a lesser film on her own -- here she’s on screen for a brief moment, given no dialogue -- and is pretty much the total focus of the audience’s attention throughout her entire appearance. The battling gypsy girls (Martine Beswick, who we will see again in Thunderball, and Ali Zagur) were considered important enough by Eon Productions that they were given a prominent spot in the movie’s advertising. Nadia Regin, playing Kerim Bey’s unnamed lover, will never fade from my memory, simply for the seductive quality in her voice as she murmurs, “Ali Kerim Bey…Ali Kerim Bey…” Eunice Gayson appears for her final appearance as Sylvia Trench, making the most of her brief time on-screen…and Daniella Bianchi as Tatianna Romanova routinely ranks highly in every fan poll I’ve ever seen regarding Bond’s most attractive love interests. She’s also a convincing (and remarkably subtle) actress. Check her performance while being interviewed by Klebb early in the film -- she displays confusion, fear, pride, and wistfulness at the memory of loves past in a quick kaleidoscope of acting ability that few actresses in the Bond canon are ever asked to provide.
VILLAINS 5/5 No single titular villain here…instead, we’re given a bevy of baddies, enough to amply make the point that SPECTRE is indeed a criminal empire to be feared. Donald (not “Red” -- although that was his name in the novel, I cannot find a single point in which he is called “Red” in the movie) Grant is an implacable force throughout much of the film. Colonel Rosa Klebb may be the single most memorable character Lotte Lenya has ever portrayed -- and friends, considering this woman’s extensive resume’, that’s saying something! Kronsteen is utterly creepy for every moment he’s onscreen…and the mysterious “Number One” of SPECTRE is a sinister presence who is all the more fascinating for going unseen throughout the course of this film. Add in the various Russian and Bulgarian agents, most notably Krilencu, who we are told “kills for pleasure”…and top it all off with Walter Gotell’s first appearance in the series, as SPECTRE agent Morzeny… and I only wish I could give this category a rank of 10/5!
HUMOR 4/5 The warm relationship between Bond and Kerim Bey brings the humor to the forefront in this film, without letting the danger or tension of their situation suffer as a result. While Bond’s one-liners can seem just a bit forced (“She should have kept her mouth shut,”) Kerim Bey’s humor seems much more natural (“I have the biggest family payroll in Turkey!”)
ACTION 5/5 I have to admit to fudging my results just a bit here, but for what I think is a good reason. While this film’s action sequences are weighted heavily towards the back half of the movie, the earlier scenes are involved in setting up one of the series’ most “realistic” espionage-oriented plot-lines. This is one area that I think our scoring system could use some tweaking. We don’t really have a score dedicated to “the plot.” Sometimes the plot is going to be a function of the villain’s mania (as in Goldfinger.) Other times, as in this film, the plot will more appropriately need to be considered as the motivating force behind the film’s action. At any rate, I think the plot here is one of the series’ best as it acknowledges and utilizes Bond’s function as an international agent of espionage. Code machines and honeytraps are commonplace in Bond’s trade, and I’m happy to see them used as the motivating force in this film. That said, once the plot line is established, the final 2/3 of this movie barely stops to take a breath! From the catfight in the gypsy camp to the pitched battle between the gypsies and the Bulgars…from the assassination of Krilencu to the theft of the Lector decoder and the flight through the aqueduct below Istanbul…climaxing (but not ending!) with the fight between Grant and Bond aboard the Orient Express…this is one action-packed freight-train of a film!
SADISM 5/5 Here is another category that I think needs a bit of tweaking to accurately evaluate the success of these movies. While the villains gleefully display their sadism at a variety of points throughout the movie, from Number One’s Siamese fighting fish to Rosa Klebb’s brandishing her riding crop at Tatiana during their initial meeting, culminating with Grant’s expressed desire to have Bond “crawl over here…and kiss my foot!”…still, there are other aspects to this film that need to be included in a thorough evaluation, but don’t really qualify as sadism. The catfight in the gypsy camp is certainly one such point, as is the voyeurism in evidence while Klebb and Grant are filming the tryst between Bond and Tania in his hotel room. The very fact of Klebb’s lesbian attraction to Tania doesn’t actually qualify as sadism (until one adds in the riding crop.) Finally, the famous stiletto-toed shoes suggest a form of fetishism that would really prefer a more inclusive descriptive term than mere “sadism.” I would suggest the more generic term of “kink” -- but, y’know, whatever floats your boat. At any rate, I don’t care what you call it, I know it when I see it…and this film definitely gets full marks in this regard!
MUSIC 3.5/5 As before, we get an awful lot of the Bond theme at less-thrilling moments in the story. Searching the hotel room for bugs isn’t exactly the most exciting scene to utilize this theme behind! But we do get some nice gypsy style music at the gypsy camp…and in the gang fight between the gypsies and Kilencu’s Bulgars, we get the first appearance of a “big fight theme” that will also be utilized during the underwater battle in Thunderball. (I trust Sir Henry can inform me of the title to this rousing piece.) Finally, we have the “From Russia With Love” theme. While I can understand the complaints of some folks regarding Matt Maonro’s “Lounge Lizard” rendering of the lyrics, I think the music itself is quite memorable, and totally in keeping with the popular offerings of the day. I guess at base, I don’t quite agree with the hate that this theme receives in some quarters. Still, keeping the vocal rendition on hold until the closing moments of the movie was clearly a mistake…one that would be rectified with the very next film in the series!
LOCATIONS 3.5/5 Istanbul is nicely represented here, particularly in the scene at the mosque. The Orient Express is a location all its own, and the set for some of the film’s most exciting sequences. So what if they were filmed at Pinewood studios? They still establish the Orient Express in our visual memories as a place of speed, intrigue and glamour. What better place to find James Bond, his current lady friend, and a bevy of mysterious, dangerous men?
GADGETS: 5/5 Bond’s briefcase is one of my favorite gadgets in the history of this series. Emphasizing the reality that a secret agent might need to confront at any time, the concealed dagger, tear gas canister, and gold sovereigns all come in handy at just the time when Bond needs them the most. The sniper’s rifle is utilized twice during the course of the film, once to kill Krilecu and once, critically, to down the helicopter that is threatening to halt Bond’s country-road escape. Other, less famous gadgets are also in Bond’s bag of tricks this time, as well--his car is equipped with a telephone, and Bond himself has a beeper for use when M needs to summon him. While these are devices that we take for granted today, in 1963 they were state-of-the-art technology!
SUPPORTING CAST: 5/5 Bernard Lee and Lois Maxwell reprise their roles as M and Moneypenny…and Desmond Llewellyn joins the cast in his first appearance, here credited solely as “Boothroyd”…but let’s face it: this category belongs entirely to Pedro Armendariz as Kerim Bey. “The game with the Russians is played a little differently here,” and Kerim Bey is clearly the master of the game. Pedro’s sparkling delivery, while in the grip of his now well-known, life-threatening illness, should be taken as an inspiration to us all. Do your best, whatever situation you find yourself in -- you never know when you’ll be called upon to give the performance of a lifetime!
OVERALL SCORE AND RECOLLECTIONS: 46/50 One of the things that I most enjoy about From Russia With Love is the way that it speaks to its time so completely. John F. Kennedy listed it as one of his favorite books…and this movie totally encapsulates the Kennedy era for me. From the Lounge Lizard theme song, through the international intrigue represented by the Orient Express, to the little reel of film that Bond throws carelessly into the Venetian Canals, waving goodbye…this is an artifact from an era we will not see again…
Until the next time that JAMES BOND WILL RETURN! I for one can’t wait…
Bond taking a poke at the Fab Four in 1964, I don't think would be a whole lot different than's Craig's Bond at the present time, getting in a dig at Justin Bieber, although I do think circa 1964, that adults might have considered Beatlemania to be a form of teenage delirium, something wholly new and incomphrehensible.
50 years later at least, we know that Bieber is just the current teen-girl fad, but I don't think the oldsters in 1964 really had any idea what to make of the Beatles. There really wasn't a precedent. Bond I think was quite serious about wearing earmuffs. ~X(
This has to be my most watched Bond film and I hope that every new Bond will live up to it - the closest has to be OHMSS, and because of the way films are made these days I don't think we'll ever have anything quite as good again. For shame.
Looking forward to Goldfinger…
And I do so love From Russia With Love, @BeatlesSansEarmuffs. It is still my #1 Bond film; I am glad you rate it highly also.