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"I've been expecting you" - Has it actually been said in any film?

Samuel001Samuel001 Moderator
edited May 2014 in Bond Movies Posts: 13,355
Many people, especially the public, believe the villains or moreso Blofeld often say a variation of, "Ah, Mr. Bond. I've been expecting you" in the films but my question is has it actually been said at all in any of the films to Bond and if so, by whom?

I don't think it has though I haven't seen the Bond films in a few years so I honestly can't remember, which is why I'm asking.

1. <i>Dr. No</i> - Bond and his friends are told by the boat henchman, "Megaphone Man", <b>"We know you're there. We've been expecting you"</b>.

2. <i>Diamonds Are Forever</i> - Bond after sneaking into the penthouse, falls on the john. Blofeld over the intercom says <b>"We've been expecting you".</b>

3. Live And Let Die - "Good evening. The name's Bond. I have a reservation." "Mr Bond. Of course. Mrs Bond's been expecting you."

4. Live And Let Die - Kananga says to Bond, "Mr Bond! There you are! And Miss Solitaire as well. Hardly unexpected but most welcome."

5. The Man With The Golden Gun - Scaramanga has a phone conversation right before Bond arrives to the island. "Yes, it's a... guest I'm expecting. No, he won't be leaving."

6. <i>The Spy Who Loved Me</i> - Carl Stronberg over the loudspeaker to Bond at Atlantis says <b>"Good evening Mr Bond, I've been expecting you. Stay where you are! I've sent the elavator down for you"</b>.

7. <i>Octopussy</i> - The hotel receptionist, when Bond arrives in Delhi welcomes him by saying <b>"We've been expecting you"</b>.
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Comments

  • CoH_GHOST_007CoH_GHOST_007
    edited June 2011 Posts: 303
    No it has not, i have also noticed this in the past.

    Though i would quite like to know where it came from...
  • Samuel001Samuel001 Moderator
    Posts: 13,355
    At all? No variation of it instead.

    I did think I'd remember such a line but thought I'd post this just be sure. Good to know that I'm not losing it - yet!
  • CoH_GHOST_007CoH_GHOST_007
    Posts: 303
    Well, not when i went back through Every Bond film, including NSNA and the 60's Casino Royale, just to find this quote, i was rather annoyed since i had believed this to be a famous Bond quote for a while, other than for the very Origional Casino Royale, i cannot say that i have ever heard it. It may have just been used as a teaser for a (then) future release involving Blofeld, which never made it into any film, or it have been used in a parody, which has been considered a 'Bond Quote'
  • BAIN123BAIN123
    edited June 2011 Posts: 11,189
    Yes it has. In TSWLM Carl Stronberg says it to Bond over the loudspeaker at Atlantis

    "Good evening Mr Bond, I've been expecting you. Stay where you are! I've sent the elavator down for you".
  • Samuel001Samuel001 Moderator
    Posts: 13,355
    Good catch @BAIN123! That may be the only one then...
  • 00Beast00Beast
    Posts: 4,762
    Yeah, that is really peculiar. One of the most parodied lines for a villain, and it was said only once. More over, it wasn't even said by one of the more recognizable villains, like Blofeld, Goldfinger, Dr. No, or Scaramanga.
  • JBFan626JBFan626
    Posts: 1,497
    "We've been expecting you" from DAF: Blofeld (as Willard Whyte) is the other (close) one I can think of.
  • Samuel001Samuel001 Moderator
    Posts: 13,355
    @JBFan626, is that Diamonds Are Forever qoute to Bond?
    Yeah, that is really peculiar. One of the most parodied lines for a villain, and it was said only once. More over, it wasn't even said by one of the more recognizable villains, like Blofeld, Goldfinger, Dr. No, or Scaramanga.
    Indeed. Every parody of a Bond villain, always turns around in a chair, is stroking a cat and says "Mr. Bond, I've been expecting you" yet nothing like that has ever happened!
  • JBFan626JBFan626
    Posts: 1,497
    It's the scene in Diamonds Are Forever where Bond sneaks into the penthouse and falls on the john, followed by Blofeld talking to him over the intercom.
  • echoecho 007 in New York
    Posts: 6,304
    Off topic, but in DAF it always bothered me when Blofeld says, "It's only a lift. Or perhaps I should say elevator."

    Why should he explain "lift" to Bond? Not to mention that they both have English accents and each would know what a "lift" is.
  • BAIN123BAIN123
    Posts: 11,189
    Probably because they are in the states.
  • barryt007barryt007
    Posts: 19,339
    The hotel receptionist in OP when Bond arrives in Delhi says 'We've been expecting you' also,when he checks in.
  • NicNacNicNac Administrator, Moderator
    Posts: 7,582
    Off topic, but in DAF it always bothered me when Blofeld says, "It's only a lift. Or perhaps I should say elevator."

    Why should he explain "lift" to Bond? Not to mention that they both have English accents and each would know what a "lift" is.
    It was more a nod towards the fact they were in the USA rather than GB. It's in keeping with Blofeld's snobbery to highlight such differences. He wasn't trying to explain anything to Bond.
  • Samuel001Samuel001 Moderator
    edited June 2011 Posts: 13,355
    Are there any more or is that it? I've added the three found so far to the first post.
  • anotherbondgeekanotherbondgeek
    Posts: 423
    I saw a cartoon in Private Eye a while ago that had Blofeld coming out of the shower wearing only a towel and holding a rubber duck, and upon seeing Bond exclaiming "Ah, Mr Bond, I wasn't expecting you."

    Quite strange though, that one of the most often parodied lines in all Bond-dom was only ever said once, and not even by Blofeld :P
  • JamesStockJamesStock
    Posts: 572
    Off topic, but in DAF it always bothered me when Blofeld says, "It's only a lift. Or perhaps I should say elevator."

    Why should he explain "lift" to Bond? Not to mention that they both have English accents and each would know what a "lift" is.
    It was more a nod towards the fact they were in the USA rather than GB. It's in keeping with Blofeld's snobbery to highlight such differences. He wasn't trying to explain anything to Bond.
    I would say it was because Bond was suspicious of the elevator and didn't want to go in. So, Blofeld made the quip implying 'just get in.' I don't think it has anything to do with British vs. American English. I'm pretty sure any native English speaker can figure out what a 'lift' is.
  • NicNacNicNac Administrator, Moderator
    Posts: 7,582
    Yes they can. I'm not do sure whether that applied in 1971 though
  • ltwftwltwftw
    Posts: 78
    It's also said by the boat henchman with the megaphone in DN.

    "We know you're there. We've been expecting you."
  • Samuel001Samuel001 Moderator
    Posts: 13,355
    Thanks @ltwftw. Updated.

    I'll be sure to keep an eye out for this line when I rewatch the series next year for any we're still missing.
  • WalecsWalecs On Her Majesty's Secret Service
    Posts: 3,157
    Scouting for Girls used it in their James Bond song.
  • LudovicoLudovico
    Posts: 15,124
    It is like the "Elementary, my dear Watson"line which Holmes never said In the canon. I wonder if when Stromberg said it, it was due to a false perception already spread in the general public.
  • MercenaryDollMercenaryDoll
    Posts: 2
    Samuel001 wrote:
    Many people, especially the public, believe the villains or moreso Blofeld often say a variation of, "Ah, Mr. Bond. I've been expecting you" in the films but my question is has it actually been said at all in any of the films to Bond and if so, by whom?

    I don't think it has though I haven't seen the Bond films in a few years so I honestly can't remember, which is why I'm asking.

    1. <i>Dr. No</i> - Bond and his friends are told by the boat henchman, "Megaphone Man", <b>"We know you're there. We've been expecting you"</b>.

    2. <i>Diamonds Are Forever</i> - Bond after sneaking into the penthouse, falls on the john. Blofeld over the intercom says <b>"We've been expecting you"</b>.

    3. <i>The Spy Who Loved Me</i> - Carl Stronberg over the loudspeaker to Bond at Atlantis says <b>"Good evening Mr Bond, I've been expecting you. Stay where you are! I've sent the elavator down for you"</b>.

    4. <i>Octopussy</i> - The hotel receptionist, when Bond arrives in Delhi welcomes him by saying <b>"We've been expecting you"</b>.

    The Spy Who Loved Me (1977): "Stromberg: I've been expecting you."
  • RogueAgentRogueAgent
    Posts: 12,526
    BAIN123 wrote:
    Yes it has. In TSWLM Carl Stronberg says it to Bond over the loudspeaker at Atlantis

    "Good evening Mr Bond, I've been expecting you. Stay where you are! I've sent the elavator down for you".

    I was going to highlight Stromberg too Bain! Nice one! :-bd
  • LudovicoLudovico
    edited May 2014 Posts: 15,124
    What is interesting is that Stromberg's line was introduced 15 years into the franchise, in the tenth Bond movie. It is a late, peripheral addition to the Bond movies, maybe based on a misconception.

    Is it anywhere in Fleming's novels?
  • WalecsWalecs On Her Majesty's Secret Service
    Posts: 3,157
    Ludovico wrote:
    Is it anywhere in Fleming's novels?

    I doubt it, especially because I can't seem to recall any scene in which the Bond villain could expect Bond.
  • pachazopachazo Make Your Choice
    Posts: 7,314
    A variation of the phrase was used in LALD by Kananga. "Mr Bond! There you are! And Miss Solitaire as well. Hardly unexpected but most welcome."

    Also, in TMWTGG, Scaramanga has that phone conversation right before Bond arrives to the island. "Yes, it's a... guest I'm expecting. No, he won't be leaving." This isn't said directly to Bond though so I guess it doesn't count.

    That's all I could come up with for now.
  • Samuel001Samuel001 Moderator
    Posts: 13,355
    Thanks @pachazo. I've added them in.
  • QBranchQBranch Always have an escape plan. Mine is watching James Bond films.
    Posts: 14,584
    LALD:

    "Good evening. The name's Bond. I have a reservation."

    "Mr Bond. Of course. Mrs Bond's been expecting you."
  • Creasy47Creasy47 In Cuba with Natalya.Moderator
    Posts: 40,976
    I'm not sure what this site is, but this article goes over the usage of the quote and its variations:

    http://jamesbondmemes.blogspot.com/2012/02/ive-been-expecting-you-mr-bond.html
  • Samuel001Samuel001 Moderator
    Posts: 13,355
    In the novels as well, then. A known phrase but misinterpreted.
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