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.