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Bond vs. Grant in Movie History
Bond's fight with Grant has long been acknowledged by Bondfans as being perhaps the greatest hand to hand punchup in Bond history.
I would go even futher. I believe it is one finest examples of mayhem ever commited to celluloid. And 50 years later it is still the fight I judge all others against.
And more: what Terence Young and Peter Hunt (not to mention two gentlemen by the name of Connery and Shaw) achieved in this scene is astonishing for 1963.
I'm talking movie history, fellow Bondfans, because I will go out on a limb and proclaim that Bond vs. Grant is a turning point in action cinema that has never gotten its proper due by the critical establishment.
John Cork in The Legacy makes the point that FRWL is the first proper action film ever made. On this I agree 100%.
IMO, there had NEVER been a better fight in cinema history before the scuffle on the Orient Express. On this point, I stand firm and will accept all challenges to this belief. If there is a better fight before 1963 I would be delighted to be hear of it.
As a lifelong movie buff and action junkie, I have looked far and wide for anything before FRWL that can challenge its supremacy in terms of action. So far...Bond Vs. Grant is the first heavyweight champ of the modern era.
To be sure, there have been cracking good fights in Fritz Lang's Cloak and Dagger (1946) and Richard Fleischer's The Narrow Margin(1952), to name a few, but NOTHING matches the ferocity and cinematic brilliance of Bond/Grant.
The fight was a quantum leap forward for 1963 and I believe its time for Bondfans to embrace the fight's place in the history of the medium. So far, there is respect and admiration, but never a proper acknowledgment of its true importance in the annals of action cinema.
"You won't be needing this...old man."
I would go even futher. I believe it is one finest examples of mayhem ever commited to celluloid. And 50 years later it is still the fight I judge all others against.
And more: what Terence Young and Peter Hunt (not to mention two gentlemen by the name of Connery and Shaw) achieved in this scene is astonishing for 1963.
I'm talking movie history, fellow Bondfans, because I will go out on a limb and proclaim that Bond vs. Grant is a turning point in action cinema that has never gotten its proper due by the critical establishment.
John Cork in The Legacy makes the point that FRWL is the first proper action film ever made. On this I agree 100%.
IMO, there had NEVER been a better fight in cinema history before the scuffle on the Orient Express. On this point, I stand firm and will accept all challenges to this belief. If there is a better fight before 1963 I would be delighted to be hear of it.
As a lifelong movie buff and action junkie, I have looked far and wide for anything before FRWL that can challenge its supremacy in terms of action. So far...Bond Vs. Grant is the first heavyweight champ of the modern era.
To be sure, there have been cracking good fights in Fritz Lang's Cloak and Dagger (1946) and Richard Fleischer's The Narrow Margin(1952), to name a few, but NOTHING matches the ferocity and cinematic brilliance of Bond/Grant.
The fight was a quantum leap forward for 1963 and I believe its time for Bondfans to embrace the fight's place in the history of the medium. So far, there is respect and admiration, but never a proper acknowledgment of its true importance in the annals of action cinema.
"You won't be needing this...old man."
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Comments
I'm not sure it's been beaten since either. Certainly still the best fight in Bond history and I can't think of a film that has bettered it off the top of my head.
Some will say Bruce Lee or Jackie Chan but I find their fights rather over choreographed which although the FRWL fight is, it doesn't seem so.
Yes it's a classic sequence of the Bond series, and one of the most famous incidents in the whole of From Russia With Love, possibly the entire franchise, but if I look back now, maybe it doesn't last as long as it should, and I actually enjoy the talking between Connery and Shaw beforehand, rather than the subsequent battle between them
I'd even go as far to say the Trevelyan / Brosnan battle from Goldeneye could rival it, or was at least, better entertainment, but that's just how I feel about it right now
G.O.A.T= Greatest of All Time
While the fight is dazzling, I wouldn't go so far as to say it is the best EVER. But I would expect it on any list of best hand to hand fights, closer to the front than back.
It's a good fight for sure, but as stated, a little too short, and a bit of an anti climax after that great discussion between Bond and Grant that came before it
I even remember the Bambi / Thumper battle with Connery better than I do what happened in 1963, and I can't quite explain that feeling. I think it was just absurd seeing Bond getting beaten up like that and something the viewer of the time, wouldn't have maybe expected. But as for the other, Yes it's an impressive battle, but as mentioned, not the best ever of the James Bond franchise
Still don't like the idea of re-boot Bond with regards to (all) that
Oh dear.
That comment will come back to haunt you. Not even the best fight in DAF.
You've embarrassed yourself there sir. Can only assume you we're drunk as you wrote it. Perhaps that would explain why you couldn't unlock the Enigma-esque secrets of a pretty straightforward acronym?
One of the things that I love about TCM, and PBS' Saturday Night at the Movies before that, was the introduction to some "obscure" films. I used to have the idea that films just got better and better over time when I was younger, but I'm always amazed at just how innovative some of the films were from previous generations. But it's incredible what "falls through the cracks" of pop culture memory, perhaps because of prints being lost or a cast that never had any known stars in it.
I'm sure that a film historian would be able to list, say, three films off the top of his head that had better fight scenes than FRWL in the 1950s but they'd likely be films that we'd never heard of. I do know that there was one film I saw from the 1950s, and one from the 1930s, that had shockingly great actions scenes. This was in my film buff phase 20 years ago; I wouldn't be able to recall what they were now. But I remember that the one from the 1930s used very quick cuts, big closeups of the actors eyes, and harsh sounds to achieve a brutal effect.
The Bond/Necros fight is great, purely as an exhibitionist stunt but it lacks the factors that i mentioned in my above post that makes the Bond/Grant fight so iconic. Hell, @TheWizardOfIce blasted @Baltimore for failing to acknowledge what I can only presume to be the fabtastic Bond vs Franks lift (I'm English, I don't use the word, elevator) fight, which I find to also be better than Bond vs Necros.
On a broader scale, Errol Flynn's 'Adventures of Robin Hood' and 'The Sea Hawk' from the 1930's have marvelous fight scenes. Wise film buffs will notice similar techniques of using a chair in 'Robin Hood' and the sword fight in DAD.
Another one of my favorite movies-the 1950's 'Shane' with Alan Ladd-has a couple good fight scenes.
However, back to fist-fights; my personal favourite would be that been Indiana Jones and the bald mechanic (Pat Roach) around the Flying Wing in 'Raiders of the Lost Ark'.
Good point, lordflasheart.
There have been terrific action sequences before 1963.
Some have pointed out the swordfights in the Errol Flynn swashbucklers. I would go so far as to say that The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938) is pound for pound the most exciting film from the 30's that I have ever seen.
There are great action scenes in Gunga Din (1939) Stagecoach (1939) and The Crimson Pirate (1952) to name a few.
Anyone curious on how Cary Grant would handle himself as 007 should check out the cracking good fight in Charade (1963).
And lets not forget the legendary chariot race in Ben-Hur (1959). Still a jawdropping scene of action.
BUT...I maintain that there is no hand-to-hand fight in cinema history BEFORE Bond/Grant that is as good.
As I said, if there is one I would like to know.
Some members have pointed out some Bond fights since then that might be better. Fair enough. And great fights in other movies since 1963? Well, the list is endless.
However, Bond/Grant is a milestone in action cinema history. It is the one that set a standard.
Greatest of all time? Thats pushing it.
But most influential? I think so. It is the fight that has never dated. And never will IMO. The first fight to achieve the kinetic energy and ferocity we now take for granted.
Quite simply, a turning point in the world of action.
"Old man? Is that what you chaps at SMERSH call each other?"
"SMERSH?"
"Of course...SPECTRE."
Ok, it may not be the cumilation of a cat and mouse game, but I believe that the Bond v Necros fight does have a real air of danger, how could it not? They have to cling on to the net, and try and knock the other off. There's danger in the FRWL fight, but nowhere near that of TLD imo.
As for subterfuge and paranoia, I fair to see where they come into play in FRWL's fight (they're not part of the TLD fight, but I still don't see any in the Bond v Grant fight).
I agree. Whilst I think the cargo net fight might well be the best stunt in the series as a fight its not really up there in terms of visceral physical brutality.
The fights I rate really highly are MI6 butler v Necros, Bond v Trevelyan, Bond v Fisher and Bond v Obanno. Tempted to say Bond v Slate but I think I only rate this so highly for the finale where Bond just watches him bleed out. But I dont think any of them are quite as good as Bond v Grant.
A very good call Risico. One of the best ever and a great pay off at the end with the propellor. This would certainly be top 3 without a doubt.
I mentioned that the subterfuge and paranoia were elements that were built up through out the movie that culminated in the train fight, not that they were part of the actual fight itself. As for the Bond/Necros fight, as I mentioned, it's a great exhibitionist action stunt, full of it's own tension no doubt and is great in it's own right but for me, the orient express fight was far more satisfying and rewarding, especially as it was the culmination of what was regarded as nail biting stuff at the time.
I take umbrage at such asinine statements. Yes I like a drink every now and again, but at time of writing was as sober as sober can be, I don't participate on these pages after drinking, although tell a lie, the last time was probably last Fourth of July, which lo and behold, was a special occasion, and that was it. I don't make a damn habit of it. And I'm not all up on abbreviations, if people had taken the time to notice. If some kids can't present themselves in a coherent way on these pages without need for confusing shortened expressions, I wouldn't have had to enquire in the first place. There's a damn thread on it's own all about it, and I was never one for abbreviated comments when it doesn't take much to express yourself in the full, so it's easy enough for people to understand what you want to say
I liked the Bambi / Thumper battle from Diamonds, Ok, it was absurd in retrospect seeing one of the best James Bond actors we ever saw, taking a beating like that,, whereas a Connery of a mere few years earlier would of seen the two ladies off, it's not the best fight of the series, granted, but on it's own, it's one of the most memorable encounters of Bond battles that I can remember, probably for all the wrong reasons, some may put forth. Not for everyone though it appears -
Once again, the very best battles of the series would have to include
Donald Grant and Connery 1963
Oddjob and Connery 1964
Tee-hee and Moore 1973 ? (Ok, it's my favorite release and it's not too bad a battle, if only a bit too short lived)
Chang and Moore 1979
Necros and Dalton 1987
Trevelyan and Brosnan 1995
Graves and Brosnan 2002
Obanno (with accomplice) and Craig 2006
Slate and Craig 2008
I'm think I'm content enough with most of the above
Methinks the Baltimore doth protest too much! The first step to conquering you're addiction is admitting you have a problem and with a drink every 4th of July you are certainly one pint short of being George Best it seems.
Nevertheless salient advice about coming on a website pissed. Dont drink and post kids - it wrecks lives.
FYI (For your information) I'm an old git like you who detests the text speak and overall degradation of the English language so beloved of the youth of today as much as the next man (in fact quite a lot more than the next man) and I had no idea what G.O.A.T. meant. So I thought about the context for about 3 seconds and managed to decipher it. And even then I was ashamed of myself for taking so long. A word of advice - dont apply for MENSA anytime soon as you will be wasting your money.
"A word of advice - dont apply for MENSA anytime soon as you will be wasting your money." Perhaps you should think about that for more than 3 seconds before typing it. ;-)
Oh come on its just banter for christs sake.
Dont take everything so personally. His moaning was pretty feeble in the first place wasnt it - G.O.A.T. wasnt exactly the Da Vinci code to crack was it?
'The trouble with you Americans is you havent got a sophisticated sense of humour. Have you heard of Robins Nest? Havent got a clue.' - Alan Partridge.
And please don't swear; some people might find it offensive - like me.
I enjoy reading others views, including yours ... if you can hold back the sanctimonious name calling and mean spirited comments. I like banter as much as the next person (yeah, I really do actually), but in my opinion you do go overboard at times.
And nationality has nothing to do with this.
This is all I said. How is that mean spirited - just banter about a fairly odd opinion. Bambi & Thumper fight more memorable than Bond v Grant? Please.
It was Baltimore who went off on one after I just made an offhand comment that he might have been drunk to come to such a strange conclusion. I would say it was pretty clearly just made in jest but he made it sound like I'd accused him of murdering his wife in a drunken rage.
Of course nationality has nothing to do with it. Unless you are a Partridge fan or have heard of Robins Nest the humour in that statement is likely to be lost on you so just ignore it.