Parts of Bond Movies that Don't Make Sense

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  • DB5DB5
    Posts: 408
    How about right after Bond steals the Lektor in FRWL. Bond and Tanya leave the Russian consulate through the tunnel that Kerim Bey had shown Bond earlier and they emerge through a trap door in the Istanbul train station and hop aboard the Orient Express just as it's about to leave. And then we see Grant aboard the train. How does Grant know when Bond is going to steal the Lektor (even Tanya is surprised). More importantly, how does he know that Bond is going to be taking the train?
  • CraigMooreOHMSSCraigMooreOHMSS Dublin, Ireland
    Posts: 8,217
    How the hell does Bond flip that boat in QOS?

    And why, after going to all that trouble, does he simply leave Camille behind after the boat chase?

    And why is a member of Guy Haines' bodyguards chasing Bond when Bond only confronts Greene and not Haines at Tosca?

    WHY?
  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    Posts: 28,694
    How the hell does Bond flip that boat in QOS?

    And why, after going to all that trouble, does he simply leave Camille behind after the boat chase?

    And why is a member of Guy Haines' bodyguards chasing Bond when Bond only confronts Greene and not Haines at Tosca?

    WHY?

    Bond places a hook tied by a long line to the inside of the enemy boat, and drives away fast, sending the boat flying like crazy. Bond wanted to save Camille from Medrano, probably because he sees that she is his way to Greene. He drops her off because he doesn't really need her. He goes after Greene and gives the plane number to MI6 who tell him it's a flight to Bregenz, so he didn't need Camille after he saved her life. Haines was present at the meeting, so I am guessing he joined forces with Greene's boys to heighten the chances of killing Bond. Plus, I am sure Haines had other bodyguards for an extraction.
  • CraigMooreOHMSSCraigMooreOHMSS Dublin, Ireland
    Posts: 8,217
    How the hell does Bond flip that boat in QOS?

    And why, after going to all that trouble, does he simply leave Camille behind after the boat chase?

    And why is a member of Guy Haines' bodyguards chasing Bond when Bond only confronts Greene and not Haines at Tosca?

    WHY?

    Bond places a hook tied by a long line to the inside of the enemy boat, and drives away fast, sending the boat flying like crazy. Bond wanted to save Camille from Medrano, probably because he sees that she is his way to Greene. He drops her off because he doesn't really need her. He goes after Greene and gives the plane number to MI6 who tell him it's a flight to Bregenz, so he didn't need Camille after he saved her life. Haines was present at the meeting, so I am guessing he joined forces with Greene's boys to heighten the chances of killing Bond. Plus, I am sure Haines had other bodyguards for an extraction.

    None of that is explained in the film though. I'll give you the second explanation. Bond uses his instinct with regards to Camille, and it pays off. But the other two don't cut it for me. The first one might work but the editing doesn't allow us to see what happens. Once the hook goes into the boat, we see the goon, the cord tightening up, back to the goon, then the rope springs tight and the boat flips over. Bond is still in the same position he was when he put the anchor over the top. So where could he have accelerated?

    Again, the editing disproves the Tosca sequence. Once we see Haines leave his seat, he disappears, never to be seen again. He is not with Greene when he comes down the stairs to find Bond across the hallway. Yet his bodyguard is there. I doubt Haines would hand over one of his henchmen to Greene to aid capturing Bond at the expense of Haines needing protection himself, especially considering Greene already had a number of men at his own disposal.

    I think QOS could have been great, but it's full of inconsistencies.
  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    Posts: 28,694
    How the hell does Bond flip that boat in QOS?

    And why, after going to all that trouble, does he simply leave Camille behind after the boat chase?

    And why is a member of Guy Haines' bodyguards chasing Bond when Bond only confronts Greene and not Haines at Tosca?

    WHY?

    Bond places a hook tied by a long line to the inside of the enemy boat, and drives away fast, sending the boat flying like crazy. Bond wanted to save Camille from Medrano, probably because he sees that she is his way to Greene. He drops her off because he doesn't really need her. He goes after Greene and gives the plane number to MI6 who tell him it's a flight to Bregenz, so he didn't need Camille after he saved her life. Haines was present at the meeting, so I am guessing he joined forces with Greene's boys to heighten the chances of killing Bond. Plus, I am sure Haines had other bodyguards for an extraction.

    None of that is explained in the film though. I'll give you the second explanation. Bond uses his instinct with regards to Camille, and it pays off. But the other two don't cut it for me. The first one might work but the editing doesn't allow us to see what happens. Once the hook goes into the boat, we see the goon, the cord tightening up, back to the goon, then the rope springs tight and the boat flips over. Bond is still in the same position he was when he put the anchor over the top. So where could he have accelerated?

    Again, the editing disproves the Tosca sequence. Once we see Haines leave his seat, he disappears, never to be seen again. He is not with Greene when he comes down the stairs to find Bond across the hallway. Yet his bodyguard is there. I doubt Haines would hand over one of his henchmen to Greene to aid capturing Bond at the expense of Haines needing protection himself, especially considering Greene already had a number of men at his own disposal.

    I think QOS could have been great, but it's full of inconsistencies.
    Like I said, Haines would have had more men with him, so one departing doesn't mean much, and since he is friends him the PM he is untouchable. Bond wouldn't kill him anyway, that isn't his objective with Quantum. He shot to injure White, and took pictures at the Opera to identify the big players to arrest them later. He lets Greene go (leaving him to get killed by the organization), and has Yusef arrested. Bond isn't in it to kill them. He doesn't learn a thing about them if he kills every major player. And are you really trying to argue inconsistencies in James Bond films? Ha.
  • echoecho 007 in New York
    Posts: 6,304
    Why doesn't Stacey Sutton hear a blimp practically landing on top of her?
  • Posts: 5,634
    Because all that shouting and screaming during the movie beforehand had impaired her hearing :-<

    They actually even wanted to have her (Roberts), in Highlander I read today as the lead girl for Christopher Lambert but she either declined the offer or they found someone else, can't remember which. Heh, if I had known that before I saw it the other night I would of enjoyed it more. That was a close escape
  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    Posts: 28,694
    Because all that shouting and screaming during the movie beforehand had impaired her hearing :-<

    They actually even wanted to have her (Roberts), in Highlander I read today as the lead girl for Christopher Lambert but she either declined the offer or they found someone else, can't remember which. Heh, if I had known that before I saw it the other night I would of enjoyed it more. That was a close escape

    Precisely!
  • CraigMooreOHMSSCraigMooreOHMSS Dublin, Ireland
    Posts: 8,217
    How the hell does Bond flip that boat in QOS?

    And why, after going to all that trouble, does he simply leave Camille behind after the boat chase?

    And why is a member of Guy Haines' bodyguards chasing Bond when Bond only confronts Greene and not Haines at Tosca?

    WHY?

    Bond places a hook tied by a long line to the inside of the enemy boat, and drives away fast, sending the boat flying like crazy. Bond wanted to save Camille from Medrano, probably because he sees that she is his way to Greene. He drops her off because he doesn't really need her. He goes after Greene and gives the plane number to MI6 who tell him it's a flight to Bregenz, so he didn't need Camille after he saved her life. Haines was present at the meeting, so I am guessing he joined forces with Greene's boys to heighten the chances of killing Bond. Plus, I am sure Haines had other bodyguards for an extraction.

    None of that is explained in the film though. I'll give you the second explanation. Bond uses his instinct with regards to Camille, and it pays off. But the other two don't cut it for me. The first one might work but the editing doesn't allow us to see what happens. Once the hook goes into the boat, we see the goon, the cord tightening up, back to the goon, then the rope springs tight and the boat flips over. Bond is still in the same position he was when he put the anchor over the top. So where could he have accelerated?

    Again, the editing disproves the Tosca sequence. Once we see Haines leave his seat, he disappears, never to be seen again. He is not with Greene when he comes down the stairs to find Bond across the hallway. Yet his bodyguard is there. I doubt Haines would hand over one of his henchmen to Greene to aid capturing Bond at the expense of Haines needing protection himself, especially considering Greene already had a number of men at his own disposal.

    I think QOS could have been great, but it's full of inconsistencies.
    Like I said, Haines would have had more men with him, so one departing doesn't mean much, and since he is friends him the PM he is untouchable. Bond wouldn't kill him anyway, that isn't his objective with Quantum. He shot to injure White, and took pictures at the Opera to identify the big players to arrest them later. He lets Greene go (leaving him to get killed by the organization), and has Yusef arrested. Bond isn't in it to kill them. He doesn't learn a thing about them if he kills every major player. And are you really trying to argue inconsistencies in James Bond films? Ha.

    I know all that, but it doesn't make sense in the context of the scene at all. I know what Bond's agenda is, but Haines' bodyguard being there makes zero sense at all thanks to the way the scene is edited together, and just plays out for convenience. I'm not talking about Haines at all, his lack of presence makes sense, but the presence of his bodyguard in the shootout does not. It's got nothing to do with Bond's motives. It's the fact that the bodyguard is even there at all.

    No, I'm not trying to argue inconsistencies in James Bond films. Not in general anyway, but when they are as glaring as the inconsistencies in Quantum of Solace, then there's a problem.
  • Posts: 33
    Is it not possible that several of the Quantum key members had some form of roving minders aside from Green's own group? Haines' bodyguard or someone had probably observed the presence of a man on the gantry with a camera and moved swiftly to intercept. His actions were seperate from Green's entourage who were in the process of getting the F out of Dodge before that brilliant framing of the face-off in field of depth/ wide shot at staircase. Haines was the last to tackle Bond entering kitchen thru another door, yes it's fast and confusing but I suspect when one is being pursued by several gunmen thru a crowded restaurant etc, etc. That was the effect I think the Director intended, watch the film a few more times and marvel at the potential for collateral damage - "Bond you shot the couple who had the Dover Sole!!" The major problem with QOS is that overused his overlapping scenes and stacatto editing, in effect Forster returned to the well too often. I loved his use of dissolves though, I have absolutely no problem with his choice of actors for the villains. The biggest F up was the titles, #7%$! on a bike - "Hey dad, hurry it's that new James Bond TV show". M was overused though, no question. That reminds me Craterguns the camera they used to watch the helo drop the car in YOLT was the same one Irving Allen used on several of the Matt Helm productions. Did you also wonder how they managed to get the Spectre rocket to return neatly to it's launch pad?! So as I said in the Nolan Wants to Direct Bond discussion if they remake some of the films and lord knows some would benefit, my vote is for Nolan to tackle YOLT. Imagine Fleming's book, so no rocket stuff, but castle, ninjas, death garden, bullet train, giant helo, Blofeld ( see Jared Harris in last Sherlock Holmes movie ) and Bundt.
  • Posts: 1,993
    Not sure why Stromberg wastes a helicopter and a pilot on two scientists minutes after dumping a girl into a shark tank. Why not throw all three to the sharks?
  • CraigMooreOHMSSCraigMooreOHMSS Dublin, Ireland
    edited June 2012 Posts: 8,217
    LeQueux wrote:
    Is it not possible that several of the Quantum key members had some form of roving minders aside from Green's own group? Haines' booodyguard or someone had probably observed the presence of a man on the gantry with a camera and moved swiftly to intercept. His actions were seperate from Green's entourage who were in the process of getting the F out of Dodge before that brilliant framing of the face-off in field of depth/ wide shot at staircase. Haines was the last to tackle Bond entering kitchen thru another door, yes it's fast and confusing but I suspect when one is being pursued by several gunmen thru a crowded restaurant etc, etc. That was the effect I think the Director intended, watch the film a few more times and marvel at the potential for collateral damage - "Bond you shot the couple who had the Dover Sole!!" The major problem with QOS is that overused his overlapping scenes and stacatto editing, in effect Forster returned to the well too often. I loved his use of dissolves though, I have absolutely no problem with his choice of actors for the villains. The biggest F up was the titles, #7%$! on a bike - "Hey dad, hurry it's that new James Bond TV show". M was overused though, no question.

    That's a theory, but its still just speculation and could to many people just be an excuse for poor storytelling.
  • Lancaster007Lancaster007 Shrublands Health Clinic, England
    edited June 2012 Posts: 1,874
    Could never get my head around the fact that in TSWLM when Fekkesh is talking to Triple X in the crowd upon seeing Jaws, instead of staying in the safety of the crowd, he leaves Triple X and goes into the Pyramid where he is very much in danger. Is the man retarded? This has always bugged me, even on first viewing as a teenager. It just seemed to be an excuse for a death scene and a lame joke from Moore/Bond.
  • Posts: 4,813
    That's a good point! What the hell was he thinking???

    I have a minor part I didn't quite get during my last Live and Let Die viewing (forgive me if this was touched on). When Roger is checking his hotel room for bugs he pulls out a tiny little box, with nothing but a square button on it. He clicks it, (and clicks and clicks and clicks....) and nothing happens- he just looks at it.
    Did he not find a bug there, or did Q give him a piece of junk?
  • Lancaster007Lancaster007 Shrublands Health Clinic, England
    Posts: 1,874
    That's a good point! What the hell was he thinking???

    I have a minor part I didn't quite get during my last Live and Let Die viewing (forgive me if this was touched on). When Roger is checking his hotel room for bugs he pulls out a tiny little box, with nothing but a square button on it. He clicks it, (and clicks and clicks and clicks....) and nothing happens- he just looks at it.
    Did he not find a bug there, or did Q give him a piece of junk?

    I always assumed that he was sending a signal, but to whom and why, now that I think about it, I don't know. Don;t know about Q, but I think the Producers gave him a piece o' junk, ha ha.
  • edited June 2012 Posts: 5,994
    One from Cracked:

    In Dr. No, Bond causes a nuclear meltdown, and the explosion of the base that contained the nuclear reactor. How comes nobody mentions the radioactive fallout sure to happen in the Carribeans ?

    Oh, and the signal was meant for Quarrel Jr. in LALD.
  • Posts: 4,813
    Sorry my memory is terrible-- it wasn't 'just a box', it was some sort of shaving brush thingie disquised as.... something. Here's a pic:

    http://screenmusings.org/LiveAndLetDie/images/LaLD_196.jpg

    But like I said, he clicks it, with no clue as to what it does, and Bond even looks at it as if it wasn't working
  • Posts: 5,994
    I got it the first time I saw the movie (at the tender age of 16, in 1976) : he was sending a message in Morse code to somebody. That somebody being his contact, Quarrel Jr.
  • Creasy47Creasy47 In Cuba with Natalya.Moderator
    Posts: 40,976
    @Gerard, that's what I was thinking, too, with the constant clicking: morse code.
  • Lancaster007Lancaster007 Shrublands Health Clinic, England
    Posts: 1,874
    Gerad and Creasy47, pretty sure you're right. Must re-watch again sometime.
  • echoecho 007 in New York
    Posts: 6,304
    Gerard wrote:
    Oh, and the signal was meant for Quarrel Jr. in LALD.

    Good catch!
  • Posts: 5,634
    It's late and I'm tired etc, but in Diamonds are Forever, Jill St John is at the circus and goes into an area where they have the Zambora girl who turns into a gorilla etc

    What was the point of all that, who was the character and what purpose did they serve apart to waste a few minutes on a silly scene, my thinking is that Case was trying to get rid of some CIA agents tailing her and used the gorilla girl as a distraction to make a getaway. After the transformation, you can see in the edge of the picture, she ducks out through a side door with the gorilla with her, maybe I was paying too much attention to detail, I usually just switch off thinking mode with this particular 1971 release etc

    Enough Monkey Business. Goodnight I-)
  • Lancaster007Lancaster007 Shrublands Health Clinic, England
    Posts: 1,874
    What about the Faberge Egg in Octopussy. Surely the 'real' egg gets smashed! That always bugged me from the very first viewing. Have I got it wrong?
  • Posts: 4,762
    What about the Faberge Egg in Octopussy. Surely the 'real' egg gets smashed! That always bugged me from the very first viewing. Have I got it wrong?

    Oh I can't follow the path of the two eggs to save my life! I never know if Orlov smashed the fake egg or the real egg!
  • echoecho 007 in New York
    Posts: 6,304
    00Beast wrote:
    What about the Faberge Egg in Octopussy. Surely the 'real' egg gets smashed! That always bugged me from the very first viewing. Have I got it wrong?

    Oh I can't follow the path of the two eggs to save my life! I never know if Orlov smashed the fake egg or the real egg!

    It's the real egg. Bond takes it at the auction and Q inserts a transmitter. Also watch Khan's reaction. He knows it's real.
  • Posts: 4,762
    echo wrote:
    00Beast wrote:
    What about the Faberge Egg in Octopussy. Surely the 'real' egg gets smashed! That always bugged me from the very first viewing. Have I got it wrong?

    Oh I can't follow the path of the two eggs to save my life! I never know if Orlov smashed the fake egg or the real egg!

    It's the real egg. Bond takes it at the auction and Q inserts a transmitter. Also watch Khan's reaction. He knows it's real.

    Yeah I noticed Khan's reaction, but I thought that could also be disappointment because now Lenkin, the jewelery forger, would have to replicate a new one.
  • Posts: 533
    Why didn't Red Grant immediately kill Bond when he had the chance in "FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE"? And why did Bond bring that SPECTRE agent along on his ride to the shores of the Adriatic Sea?
  • Posts: 4,762
    DRush76 wrote:
    Why didn't Red Grant immediately kill Bond when he had the chance in "FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE"? And why did Bond bring that SPECTRE agent along on his ride to the shores of the Adriatic Sea?

    For your first question, he needed Bond alive so that Bond could retrieve the Lektor decoding machine. Once Bond had it in his posession, the blame would be in the hands of the British, and Grant could kill Bond, take the Lektor while the blame was still with the British so that the heat was off, and then return it to SPECTRE. For the second question, he needed Rhoda (that's his name) for his truck and so that he could show them Grant's escape route, which he knew already because he was assigned to get Grant and the Lektor out of the country. I suppose that Bond let him ride in the boat for a little bit so he could push him overboard into the sea just for fun, hahaha.
  • edited June 2012 Posts: 533
    For your first question, he needed Bond alive so that Bond could retrieve the Lektor decoding machine.


    I need to rephrase my point. Why didn't Red Grant immediately kill Bond aboard the Orient Express, when he had the chance? Why did he take his time in putting on gloves, etc. before Bond could regain conscious? Why did he bother to tell Bond about SPECTRE's plans, like a chump?


    For the second question, he needed Rhoda (that's his name) for his truck and so that he could show them Grant's escape route, which he knew already because he was assigned to get Grant and the Lektor out of the country.

    I'll accept this explanation.


    Here's another question. Why didn't Bond tranquilize Professor Dent in "DR. NO"? He could have tranquilize the professor, have government authorities search Dent's body for any cyanide pills or cigarettes before interrogating the prisoners for any info on Dr. No. Instead, Bond killed him in cold blood . . . like an idiot.
  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    Posts: 28,694
    DRush76 wrote:
    For your first question, he needed Bond alive so that Bond could retrieve the Lektor decoding machine.


    I need to rephrase my point. Why didn't Red Grant immediately kill Bond aboard the Orient Express, when he had the chance? Why did he take his time in putting on gloves, etc. before Bond could regain conscious? Why did he bother to tell Bond about SPECTRE's plans, like a chump?


    For the second question, he needed Rhoda (that's his name) for his truck and so that he could show them Grant's escape route, which he knew already because he was assigned to get Grant and the Lektor out of the country.

    I'll accept this explanation.
    Like Grant said, he would do it his way. Slow and painful. That moment is his downfall, like many killers, when your ego gets into the equation. Grant thought he had Bond beat, but Bond had the brains AND brawn over him.
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