It's that time of the month again... no, not that time. Time for another slice of Bond and this time it's From Russia With Love, even though somewhat ironically Bond never visits Russia in the film!
Relevance of pre-credits sequence to rest of film: Very relevant. We see Bond trying to infiltrate a mansion only to be garotted by Red Grant (played by Robert Shaw). Only it turns out not to be Bond but a decoy and Grant has completed his training at SPECTRE. Set the standard for the rest of the series.
Bond song: Instrumental version of From Russia With Love (Matt Munro's silky smooth vocals appear at the end of the film).
Time elapsed before we hear the line "Bond... James Bond": He doesn't actually say it :(
Attractiveness of Bond girls: Tatiana is very pretty but awfully needy for my liking. Also she lost some of the mystique when I discovered that she had been dubbed over by someone else!
Best innuendo: Bond - You're one of the most beautiful girls I've ever seen. Tatiana - Thank you, but I think my mouth is too big. Bond - No, it's the right size... for me, that is.
Best one-liner used when despatching an evil henchman:
[after Rosa Klebb is killed trying to stab Bond with her poisoned shoe knife] Tatiana - a horrible, horrible woman. Bond - Yes, she's had her kicks!
Best gadget: Q makes his first appearance in the series and provides Bond with a suitcase
Evilness of villain: Several villains in this film. The mostly unseen Number 1 (who will become Blofeld), the evil brain of Rosa Klebb and the brawn of Red Grant who is more than a match for Bond physically and is played with a roguish charm by Robert Shaw... but he shouldn't have had red wine with fish! Altogether a formidable trio and there is the feeling that Bond is in actual danger in this film.
Feasability of villain's evil scheme: Very feasible and achievable. SPECTRE plan to steal a Russian coding device from the government and then sell it back to them whilst killing Bond in the process to avenge the death of Dr. No.
Now this is what a "proper" Bond film should be. I haven't seen this film in years and had forgotten how good it was. For the time being, this is the Best Bond Film!!!
James Bond will return in March in Goldfinger.
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