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The barn and Kentucky scenes are the only main issues I have with this one, but otherwise it’s a solid Bond film.
My wife and I both saw GF in the German version maybe a couple of times each before the mid-90s. Gert Fröbe dubbed himself in that one. When we first bought and watched the original version, it took us several viewings to realize that Auric's English voice was *not* Gert Fröbe's, as it comes very close. But then, Nikki van der Zyl's (who also voiced Eaton and Andress) voice coaching of Fröbe apparently wasn't successful enough to let him do the English lines as well...though I think his English was quite intelligible in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, and Nikki always insisted his accent was quite ok (Harry and Cubby thought otherwise).
That the military men keep falling over like that is probably due to the fact that they were ordered to do so when Pussy's Flying Circus started releasing their (actually harmless) gas, in order to make Goldfinger's goons believe the troops had died. And the baddies weren't around as close as the cameras, so a little bit of disarray was probably ok. What I mean is that it was rather a "character error" (the soldiers dropping too early, and in a way that didn't hurt them) instead of an actual continuity or script problem.
Yeah I thought he was fine in Chitty too, I wonder if Broccoli let him keep his voice in that to make it up for dubbing him in GF.
There are a few moments though that I just find rather dull: the neverending car-pressing scene, the Rockabye Baby fly-over that does just that and most other Kentucky ranch scenes apart from the mint julip chat.
Then there's the barn scene, for me definitely the most uncomfortable moment in the entire franchise. Now, I consider everything in their own timeframe, but this is even to 1960's standards wildly inappopriate.
Having said that, I can acknowledge this film's merits and there is a lot in it that I also enjoy very much. It just isn't a personal favourite.
THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS (1987)
Directed by John Glen
"You didn't think I'd miss this performance, did you?"
Timothy's first of two Bond outings continues to score high on these boards with one gold medal, two silvers and three bronzes.
There were also two 5th places and ten other top 10's that ended up somewhere between 6th and 10th.
This means that only four members ranked TLD outside their top 10, two of those were still in the top half with both of them being 12th places.
The ones that did not finish in the top half came in 17th and 22nd.
Probably the highest discrepancy, in a positive sense, between general audiences and Bond fans, TLD is what you can undoubtedly call a fan favourite.
Even more so when you consider it missed out on a shared third spot by a single point. Given that overall top 3 is pretty much set in stone in games such as this one, that's a fantastic showing for Dalton's 007.
In total TLD obtained 160 points.
The PTS is among the best in series, and it’s arguably the best introduction of a new Bond since Connery in Dr. No. But after that I lose interest considerably as the movie goes on.
Fighting in Afghanistan feels more John Rambo than James Bond. Whitaker is a bleak villain, Necros however is a great henchman. The soundtrack is wonderful and so is the theme song. A 4th place is kind of absurd if you ask me but I know that fans seems to love it, which I respect.
The more serious tone is consistent throughout the movie with some small injections of unobtrusive humor.
Dalton, PTS, soundtrack and action sequences are all top notch, with the first half ranking among the best in the entire series.
Unfortunately, the duo of villains is a major let down, despite being portrayed by very capable actors. The convoluted plot and Afghanistan part also drag this movie down a bit.
But otherwise, a very solid entry.
The PTS is one of the best, the soundtrack and the Barry score (his last 😢), Vienna is really lovely and I think was showcased greatly in the film, and Necros is a great henchman, very threatening and brutal.
Dalton is a great actor, no doubt (although at times comes off a bit theatrical in some scenes), but he had been done dirty here by saddling him with the leftovers from the Moore Era of playing him in this film, he delivered the one liners flat, his reactions at some of the over the top scenes also didn't fit or suit his Bond, the humor also felt dry, the same for his interaction with Kara, although they have chemistry, but I can see Bond's annoyance towards her in some scenes, especially in the third act, he had finally came to his own in Licence To Kill, cementing his own version of Bond, and a Bond script that truly fits his iteration, thankfully.
And speaking of Kara, her character was too gullible and naive for me, she's a bit childish, almost like that of Bibi Dahl, to the point where I'm thinking that she could've fit in any Roger Moore Era Bond films because I think Moore's Bond would've been more a fitting Bond partner for her, she's almost a ditz, piloting a plane was almost too out of her character, and the way she had caused Bond some troubles, although I'm fond of female musicians and she has a great talent as a Cellist.
The villains were poor too, they seemed very cartoonish and not threatening, not menacing and almost comical, they're bumbling goons, careless, and dumb, especially Whittaker, is it on the script, the directing, the actor or the combination of all that three? Just a very bland character and villain.
The plot was convoluted, almost more convoluted than Octopussy, there are too many sub plots in this film that it became confusing, the locations changed here and there, and too many villains, too many characters and they all have their intentions that they're interconnected with each other in the worst and forced way possible, it's too complicated, the first act about Koskov's defection was great, but it was saddled with smuggling, illegal drugs, diamonds, and whatever, this film takes the First Place for the most convoluted Bond film, with the Second being No Time To Die, and with Octopussy in the Third Place.
The third act in Afghanistan was almost different from the rest of the film, in terms of atmosphere, style and direction, it's almost up there with Die Another Day when it comes to the worst transitions in their third acts, it became Rambo all of a sudden, and the scene of course didn't aged well.
Why it landed in #7? Because I just think and felt that it's at least tolerable than others, and again, my ranking had changed in the past weeks, and this film is now possibly sitting in the middle tier of my new rankings.
I just prefer Licence To Kill more and it's for me, the better film of the two.
Also, I think this film finds the perfect balance between Fleming's literary Bond and the more fantastical escapism of the film series.
I was never a hater of the villains here either, Whitaker is cartoonish but I could see Fleming create a buffoon like that too, including his own pantheon of dictators. Koskov is a charming fellow, just like a real-life opportunist and Necros is one of my favourite henchmen, solidified even more by his own Pretenders theme song.
Dalton-d'Abo is also right up there in terms of chemistry with Laz-Rigg and Craig-Green. I don't care she can feel out of her depth here or there, she's a civilian caught up in all of this and she does hold her own in it without it becoming farcical. She's also one of the most likeable Bond girls of the series too.
Superb allies galore here too: Pushkin, Saunders, Shah. My favourite Barry score, ergo my favourite Bond score. Great action, beautiful locations and no less than three excellent original songs.
My favourite.
My issues with the film - I don’t find the villains particularily compelling. Whitikar feels a bit miscast (I understand he’s meant to be a wannabe General but it really comes through in Baker’s performance to the point he lacks a sense of menace/madness. I think an alternative actor could have brought this out better). I don’t think Necros - who’s basically another second rate Red Grant type with an admittedly cool gimmick of strangling people with his headphones - or Koskov - a duplicitous but ultimately slimy character - are enough to hold the film together in this regard. I love the idea of Kara’s character, but she’s always annoyed me with how naive/innocent she is throughout the film. I don’t actually think d’Abo and Dalton have overly amazing chemistry honestly (they’re convincing to a point, and the film plays up the romance, but for me I don’t buy that Bond would fall for this girl of all people. If anything what’s more interesting is the idea that he has to deceive her).
Dalton’s effective. Not necessarily my favourite Bond of all time but he does a good job and really manages to define himself from Moore and Connery. I like Saunders and Pushkin as allies. Felix Leiter’s in this one I guess for some reason. No idea why, and Terry’s pretty bad in the role. The inclusion of the Afghan mujahideen is a bit unfortunate as well and really dates this film for those in the know.
Overall though, it’s a good introduction to a new Bond. Great mix of Bondian escapism and a Cold War thriller plot. Not my favourite Bond movie though, and I don’t think it gets everything quite right. Good stuff though.
One of those groups indeed became the Taliban, but only came into power after the Afghan civil war, which was basically a conflict between all those former Mujahideen groups. Not all of these groups were fundamentalist. One of these groups, called the Northern Alliance, was actually allied with NATO. I'd like to think someone like Kamran Shah would be part of such a group rather than a fundamentalist one.
It's still a damned fine Bond adventure, with my favorite pts. I definitely responded to Dalton's energy....
Yes, for some reason (I think maybe because he wears a similar outfit!) I saw James Coburn in Hudson Hawk, and the scales suddenly fell from my eyes - that's what Whittaker should have been like. Big, imposing, charismatic and slightly mad. Baker is a terrific actor, but maybe not quite as big as this needed.
I wonder if he got it because of Edge of Darkness? Presumably that would be why Campbell hired him for GoldenEye.
I don't know, I personally prefer him as Jack Wade, the character may be annoying but Baker was great at playing an ally than a villain, he sucked as a villain, I just wished he had been a different ally, rather than an obvious replacement for Felix Leiter.
#5 GF: The slickest of Connery's films and perhaps best 1/2 hour from PTS to golf scene. #6 for me.
#4 TLD: Great action and sniper scene, all quite Flemingesque. It's Dalton's FRWL innit. I usually have this at #3.
Expectations:
#3 CR
#2 OHMSS
#1 FRWL
But besides those small issues, Goldfinger remains one of the most fun entries in the series.
The Living Daylight is my #8. The best of the two Dalton films. I love the cold war plot. The dynamic between Bond and Kara is fantastic, and is the heart of the film. Many brilliant scenes in Gibraltar, Vienna and Bratislava. Only the Afghanistan section drags a bit and gets a little too convoluted. Of the other characters I like Pushkin and Koskov, but Whitaker is a weak villain, that feels very out of place, the confrontation with him is also a major weak point of the film. Otherwise it is a film with great action and a superb soundtrack, I couldn't ask for much more.
Before we get down to the final reveal, here's our bronze medalist, at #3:
CASINO ROYALE (2006)
Directed by Martin Campbell
"One sympathises."
Campbell's second and Dan's first Bond outing received two gold medals, three silvers, three bronzes and no less than five 4th places.
Five other members ranked it in the lower half of the top 10, and another one gave it 11th place.
This means only three participants rated it outside the top half, which brings me to the unexpected constatation that CR received two bottom finishes.
The highest-rated entry to receive a bottom finish, though with almost everyone else ranking it inside the top 11, CR still turns in a strong perfomance, claiming the bronze medal.
In total CR received 161 points.