Ten Weeks And Counting Down To 007

It's no secret that "Goldfinger" is my favorite Bond film. It is the perfect blend of Fleming's novel and the film series as it is being established. In some cases, it improves upon the novel (instead of actually robbing Fort Knox, Goldfinger's plan is to irradiate the gold in the vaults to increase the value of his own -- who knows which is more realistic, but it sounds more sinister). In other cases, it does some silly stuff if you think too hard about it (if Goldfinger is going to kill all the mobsters anyway, why does he let Solo leave only to kill him off property -- wouldn't it have been easier to just kill all of them together).

Connery is at his best as Bond in this film. The dry wit doesn't overtake anything (that would come later). His supporting cast has only one week link (Cec Linder as Felix Leiter is a sign of things to come as the character becomes a revolving door of actors who leave no impact on an underwritten and badly used character who Fleming had given much dimensionality to in the novels). Goldfinger and Oddjob are a formidable pair of villain and henchman that would not be matched in the series again. Gert Froebe and Harold Sakata play their roles amazingly well (in spite of Froebe's vocals being dubbed by another actor). Honor Blackman's Pussy Galore is another great piece in the mix who is very different from the previous Bond girls.

The gadgets the series would become known for really get their start here (in spite of the trick briefcase and garotte watch in the previous film). The tricked out Aston Martin DB5 is an amazing piece of work that doesn't go completely off the deep end (those would come later).

The third time is the charm as "Goldfinger" remains one of the best (if not the best) films in the series. It moves, entertains, remains suspenseful and leaves you wanting more...

"Thunderball" is a good Bond film. It was the biggest Bond film yet...and it was born in fire...because essentially it is a movie based on a novel that is based on a screenplay for a movie that was never made and then got made...twice...

For more on that story, I highly recommend Robert Sellers' book "The Battle for Bond" as it explores all the aspects of the court case that eventually killed Ian Fleming and beyond to MGM's legal battles up to the reboot of the series with "Casino Royale". Seek out the first edition if you can as the second edition had to remove a few things.

Anyway...the film itself is fun, but a bit slow paced, long and bloated. Luckily, Connery is still at the top of his game (this would change with the next film) and he's got nice support from the various pigeon-holed formula pieces. Aldofo Celi as the one-eyed villain Largo, Claudine Auger as Bond girl Domino, Lucianna Paluzzi as female assassin Fiona Volpe who seduces Bond then tries to kill him before he turns the tables all serve their characters well and round them out nicely...even Martine Beswick as sacrificial lamb Paula does a nice job. We get the third Felix Leiter in four films with Rik Van Nutter who may look more like Jack Lord than Cec Linder did (Linder made Felix look like Bond's uncle instead of a peer -- even though the actor was younger than Connery), but Van Nutter is kind of bland and not given much to do (he would have repeated the role as he was apparently signed for three films, but they couldn't figure out how to shoe horn the character into the next two films).

The gadgets come out in full force for this under water adventure. From the jet pack of the opening scene, to a reappearance of the Aston Martin DB5 (now with water jets that shoot out the back) to the small breathing device, geiger counter watch and underwater gear (sleds and spears) used in the slow moving final battle.

Well adapted from Fleming's novel (which makes sense since the novel was a screenplay first), the film is still fun and works...but it's slower pace is noticeable (especially if watched right after "Goldfinger" -- the shortest Bond film to that point...and this was the longest Bond film to that point).

But Bond-mania was at its height...so you knew he'd return...more next week...

Be seeing you.

Eleven Weeks And Counting Down To 007

I decided since we have a new James Bond movie opening this fall that it was time to start plowing through the series again from start to finish. So...without further ado...here we go...

It's interesting watching "Dr. No". For the first film in a series, it sets things up very nicely. We get a great intro to the world of the British spy before we get that classic intro to the man himself. Bond. James Bond. The scene in the casino still works to give us everything we need to know about the man. How calm, cool and collected he is...

The film lays down the "formula" that would continue to be cycled and recycled for 50 years. A villain with some sort of deformity bent on world domination? Check. A beautiful woman who helps Bond on his mission? Check. A second beautiful woman who is a villain but gets seduced by Bond? Check. An ally? Check. A second ally who gets sacrificed? Check. A weirdly elaborate base for the villain that gets blown up in spectacular fashion? Check.

Fleming's novel is actually one of his weaker entries, but screenwriters Richard Maibaum and Joanna Harwood adapt it well by taking what works and improving on the stuff that doesn't. Even the addition of CIA Agent Felix Leiter (who isn't in the novel) works well (partially because of the casting of Jack Lord who has a nice screen presence...too bad he didn't return to the part in later films due to his own ego). The film moves at a nice pace and looks good in spite of its rather meager budget (it's hard to imagine that the producers wanted to film "Thunderball" first on this budget).

"Dr. No" is a taught spy film that still packs a punch and remains an impressive start to the 007 franchise.

The second entry in the series, "From Russia With Love", actually takes a bit of a step away from the formula that was being established (whether that was on purpose or not who knows). Sure we've got a few of the pieces, but instead of one villain we get two in Rosa Klebb and Red Grant. One could argue we get four if you count Kronsteen and Blofeld...or five if you throw in Krilencu the Assassin as well. And maybe that's where the "formula" drifts...Fleming's novel was so well written (it was one of President Kennedy's favorite novels) that the filmmakers didn't really do much to adapt it to the screen (aside from adding the helicopter chase ripped off from "North by Northwest" and the boat chase that follows it -- just to add some exciting action and a large explosion at the end of the film).

The film works because the crew knew what not to tamper with from the book. Connery is growing into the role of Bond nicely and he's supported not only by the usual supporting cast (Bernard Lee's M and Lois Maxwell's Moneypenny are now joined by Desmond Llewellyn's Q) but by the rest of the amazing cast. Robert Shaw's cold assassin Grant is one of the best written villains in the entire series (and the fight on board the Orient Express is as action packed as any modern film). Pedro Armendariz, Lotte Lenya and even Daniela Bianchi all add the right tone to each of their parts.

The film moves at a nice pace and keeps the viewer highly engaged. The mix of action and suspense sets the right mood while allowing a bit of the wit the series would become more known for as time goes on to shine through.

Within two years and two films, 007 had exploded across the screen and left a nice foot print to build off of. Next up, the two of the biggest Bond films ever change the course of the series...

Be seeing you.

National Film Registry 1990: Viewing # 5 = Top Hat

I'm not a huge fan of Fred Astaire (I always found Gene Kelly more my style). But I can't deny he was an amazing dancer. Nowhere does that become even more apparent when he's paired with Ginger Rogers.

This was their fourth film together. The plot is almost standard romantic comedy, leaning towards farce (mistaken identity, slamming doors, jealous lovers, etc). And it's a rather slight story that is really just a vehicle for the amazing dance numbers between Astaire and Rogers as well as some stuff for just Astaire. The camera stays on the artists to keep every move in frame, something which becomes even more attractive when in the final large number (The Piccolino) the camera keeps cutting away from one Busby Berkeley style shot to dissolve into the next without any rhyme or reason or rhythm in the flow. But I guess that's okay as once Fred and Ginger join the dance, the shot stays the same to keep them in your view the whole time.

This is a fun, yet slight, film. As to why this was nominated over "Swing Time" (which entered NFR later) is anyone's guess. Perhaps it was the added plus of having a score by Irving Berlin...but it could have just been a flip of a coin as well.

Next week: "Dodsworth" from 1936.