Bond in Review — From Russia With Love

I really like the James Bond franchise. This is part two of a bimonthly, 24-part series of me watching James Bond movies and providing a stream of consciousness style commentary for a given film. I will also rank the movies so stay tuned for that at the bottom of the piece. One of my favorite James Bond movies is the second entry in the series, From Russia With Love. It really features lots of detective work, sneaking around, and levels of plot that are both reasonable and well thought out. It’s the fifth book by Ian Flemming written in 1957.

· It really bugs me that 1) Bob Simmons is still doing the gun barrel and 2) when he jumps to shoot, he ends up off center from the camera.

· “James Bond” is back. This is an amazing open because Bond looks really done up with heavy make up but not so much that you think something is up.

· Hedges are always terrifying.

· “James Bond” just fires a shot where he heard something. First sign that something is up.

· Connery is pretty impressive playing someone who is playing James Bond. Lots of nervous little ticks

· The removal of the mask at the end has such a gross sound.

· Why does the guy need to have the Bond mask on at all? There are only two people out there and it is a life or death situation — I don’t think wearing the mask helps him level up

· Maurice Binder has taken it to 11 with the titles. Actual belly dancers with names projected on the bodies…but the projections aren’t clear so they need to show everything two or three times. It is a creative look

· Daniela Bianchi’s effect is the coolest.

· Terence Young is a directing guru.

· The idea that people are watching chess is great. For people to know what is happening, they have to wait for staff to move pieces on a larger than life board which seems pretty hard to do given the different angles.

· Can the server be any more obvious as he lingers over Kronsteen?

· This may be my ignorance but is it normal for someone to dab their mouth with the paper coaster brought with the glass? That would be really odd to see. Everyone seems relaxed about it

· Imagine how that chess grandmaster is going to feel when he visits the tape and learns Kronsteen could’ve won whenever he wanted to.

· Fighting fish! Blofeld!

o Blofeld as some slicked back hair

· Objective: Steal a Lektor decoder. British and Soviets will play themselves and, like a smart Siamese fight fish, this organization will strike and steal it. Also avenges death of Dr. No

o Why isn’t this considered a sequel? People say that Quantum of Solace is the only direct sequel in the Bond franchise but it seems like SPECTRE is specifically working towards a Revenge angle here.

· Kronsteen’s logic and plan are spot on

· Real James Bond has been off screen for a long time. I love the storytelling style here. Build up the plan and structure and have Bond work through it.

· “Welcome to SPECTRE Island.” That is a lousy name for an island.

· Rosa Klebb arrives to assess Red Grant and denies the opportunity to convene with Morzeny in a scene that foreshadows Klebb’s homosexuality.

o Flemming particularly had nothing short of disdain for LGBTQIA people. Always in a villainous role and always because they didn’t ever meet the right man. It’s a disgusting legacy to watch

· Jumping past a man firing a flame thrower. Live training.

· Istanbul is a great location and it was nice being there and visiting some of these locations

· Welcome James Bond at nearly 20 minutes into the movie. Also, welcome the title track playing on a radio in a boat.

· Sylvia Trench!! It’s good to see Bond going steady with someone and Sylvia Trench is a great partner for him. I imagine she would break up with him over time.

o She still golfs!

· Underrated gadget: the loud as hell pager.

· Universal Exports being shortened to “UnivEx” is good stuff too.

· “Now…about that lunch.” Is that a reference to Bond.,,I thought Daniel Craig’s Bond was the only one to…

· Should be pointed out that he has the Green Bentley here — a nod to his personal car in the novels.

· M and Bond have such an interesting relationship. M is the only real person he respects. Bernard Lee is a great M. Old war ships and an odd safe in the room.

· The equipment officer! Q Branch!

o Folding snipers rifle

o Ammunition

o Throwing knife

o GOLD SOVERIGNS!?!?

· Title has effectively been shoehorned into the movie

· Bond theme has kicked in full gear for a plane landings and walking through the airport.

· “Can I borrow a match?” / “I use a lighter.” / “its better still…” / “until they go wrong.” / “Exactly”

o I want to do this in real life. I love movies with codes to verify identity. Its real and sounds great. Like a secret handshake.

· More Bond theme! People are looking.

· The storytelling here is very deliberate and some may find it slow. I think it is nice to see the pieces come together and have the story drive the movie and not the action pieces.

· Secret door!

· Kerim Bey started out in a circus. See — it won’t lead you to a life of being a trick shot artist and a golden gun carrying assassin.

· Cars on the move — give me that Bond theme!

o Seems really appropriate given Red Grant actually being deceiving.

· Too much Bond theme as we are just navigating a hotel room.

· This is a proper clever situation. Bugging the room in an obvious way to get Bond to request a “clean” room that gives SMERSH the space to record Bond being intimate. Good storytelling.

· Look at the crowd of people sectioned off but standing in camera shot watching Red Grant get out the car. Moving making on location!

· “Back to the salt mines.” Early 1960 sexy talk was really odd.

· Love the transport through the cistern. Part of the excitement of Bond movies was the travel log nature of them. You can still visit these and they look especially outstanding.

· Notice the white rats near the periscope? Apparently they couldn’t get any rats in the shot so they had to dirty up some white rats in London.

· Small thing but Kerim Bey having a car with dummies in the back to throw off the Russians isn’t lost on me

· Situation update: Russians think Bond/Bey killed their driver. Bey/Bond think Russians set the mine to kill Bey. Both done by Red Grant. Russians have hired a killer to kill them both. We are at a gypsy camp. It goes on a bit too long for me and the hand to hand combat wasn’t what I wanted but ok.

· All hell really does break loose out here during the gun fight.

· Red Grant keeping Bond alive because the plan requires it is pretty awesome.

· Bey’s understanding of his enemy to spring the escape trap is fantastic.

· “She should’ve kept her mouth shut.” IS A HORRIBLE LINE. It was a common refrain for so much domestic violence. Connery would say something like this in real life.

· Bond Breakfast: Green figs, yogurt, coffee — very Black.

· The part that was always odd to me was why a sex tape would be damaging for James Bond or MI6. I guess it is the idea that they were fooled by SPECTRE but it seems like everyone is aware of Bond’s sexual prowess, only to be topped by JFK and Bill Clinton.

· The music with the looming bells is excellent for this exchange of information scene. Really forgot how much that adds to the scene

· What did Bond and M experience in Tokyo?

· One of the best details of the movie: Intentionally telling Tanya the wrong date: 13th vs. the 14th. It isn’t clear that is what’s happening but it did. It works.

· The Russian embassy couldn’t look more like a movie set.

· We get it, lots of rats

· Looks like we’ll be having a murder on the orient express

· I’d be happy with a podcast detailing Kerim Bey’s life

· Is Tanya playing around with the idea of a mustache? That is funny.

· You could smoke anywhere in the 1960s — feels so dated

· Note to self: never be an ally of James Bond — it means you probably will end up dead

o Bond lost his friend and he is very distrusting of Tanya. Full of rage.

· Violence against women is always bad. Always.

· Oh some nice choreography in the Red Grant/Bond walking parallel scene. Really like it.

· Admittedly the train scenes are slow but they still feel true to the progression of a story versus superfluous non-sense.

· “Nash” meets Bond and because we know all the story but Bond is still in the dark, it makes for compelling dialog. Bond doesn’t trust Nash but the case confirms he has to be from MI6.

o Sidebar: I was hoping Bond would notice that the clothes wouldn’t fit “Nash” and become more suspicious

o Bond does have a side look when “Nash” orders the red wine

· “Take it easy oh-oh-seven.” — like that phrasing

· Red Grant is an efficient killing machine to this point. I am willing to buy the idea that he has an ego given his professional. But he should not be brought down by money. That was a terrible choice that doesn’t fit at all.

· Re: embarrassment about a sex tape

o I forgot that the tape was part of the murder/suicide plan to destroy Bond/MI6’s reputation. Levels on levels.

· “Which lunatic asylum did they get you of?” — Bond

o In the novel, Grant is a strange man who becomes deranged during full moons.

· In response to being paid more, Grant delivers a cold/egotistical line about the shots not killing Bond until he essentially admits his own defeat…

· SO WHY IS PAYING FOR A CIGARETTE SO EFFECTIVE!?!?

· This close-quarters fight is the gold standard for Bond fights. It’s brutal and the way it’s shot is unique for the time. It cuts on action to create more frenetic tension. It’s like Bourne well before the Bourne movies.

· Bond theme is back for foiling a plan and driving a truck

· So this helicopter scene is pretty meh for me. North by Northwest had a scene just like this if I recall correctly

· “I’d say one of their aircraft is missing.” — Oh okay James.

· Who is to blame: Klebb or Kronsteen. The plan was very accurate and to the point. Klebb is the general manager and put in the people to enact the plan. I would’ve blamed Klebb but Kronsteen did talk tough so I guess it’s ok he got the boot.

· We’ve got a boat chase. Nice that Morzeny is getting on their case about firing too close because the goal is to just stop the boat.

· So they actually did use a ton of petrol to set water and boats aflame. So dangerous and harmful but it’s a great effect.

· James Bond in a pinstripe suit like a New York gangster is rough to watch

· Klebb really does get the jump on Bond in a great way but was too careful to finish the deal

· They really only play “From Russia With Love” when people are on boats

· Keeping up a nice tradition where Bond is making out with someone on the water.

SO that’s From Russia With Love. It is a slow moving detective story with strong performances throughout. Highlights all the upside of Bond movies with a story that is multifaceted, over the top, but incredibly thought out. Updated rankings of moves below:

1) From Russia With Love

2) Dr. No