Sean Connery died a few Saturdays ago. Sadly another event that marks the not-always-noticeable passage of time. Now the first two cinematic Bonds are now gone. Now there’s hardly anyone (cast or crew) from the first several 007 flicks still around. Even taking into account that, on average, women live longer than men, in 2020 alone we said goodbye to the female leads from both Goldfinger (Honor Blackman) and On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (Diana Rigg). Happily, Ursula Andress is still around…
But returning to the subject of Sir Sean, his passing got me pondering about which of his Bond outings is my favorite. I quickly dismissed Dr. No and Never Say Never Again. The latter was clearly Connery just having some fun with the role, plus the movie itself was many minutes too long and the ending downright anticlimactic. Regarding the former, as it was the first one out of the gate there are obvious weaknesses. These include the limitations that come with a small budget, actors establishing the characters and the absence of John Barry orchestrations that would be a staple of the future films.
So that leaves, in order of release: From Russia With Love, Goldfinger, Thunderball, You Only Live Twice and Diamonds Are Forever.
Goldfinger: For many fans this is the movie. Has it all. Larger-than-life villain with an almost indestructible henchman to boot. Scheme of world domination (and become even more wealthy in the process). Four attractive women. One is quickly forgotten, two are sent to the promised land by almost-indestructible henchman and one sees the end of the movie in company of our hero. And a couple of vulnerable moments for ol’ Jimmy. Will he get sliced in half by a laser? What about when he knocks the lid off the nuclear device and responds with a look of befuddlement? You can read it on his face: “How do I disable this thing?” (Where’s Q Branch when you need them?)
Speaking of Q Branch, how about that Aston Martin? Is there any driver, anywhere, who hasn’t wished for a button to create an oil slick or smoke screen when dealing with obnoxious and dangerous drivers from the rear?
Yet for me, perhaps because Goldfinger is so recognized and revered maybe it’s not one of my top choices (gasp!). Don’t misunderstand me, I still like the movie and am willing to watch it periodically. But it’s not at the top of my Connery list.
Thunderball: Great story. In fact, this film has the most interesting backstory of any of the ones adapted from Ian Fleming’s novels. I won’t go into detail here, the infosphere can tell you all.
Despite the plot, the performances, the action, another appearance from the Aston Martin, more attractive women and the Bahamas setting, this one also isn’t at the top of my list. Reason? It’s too long. The undersea battle drags on, the story seems to lag at times and the entire sequence with Quist could have been left on the cutting room floor as it doesn’t advance the plot one bit. Still, there’s plenty of moments where the film is a whole lotta fun. Jet pack, Shrublands, conch chowder, “I think he got the point,” Fiona on the motorcycle and later behind the wheel of a Ford Mustang, James blasting the clay with a hip shot (in full view of the main bad guy) and last but not least: “I hope we didn’t scare the fish.”
You Only Live Twice: The first flick with a plot that is entirely unrealistic/unscientific. Even with suspension of disbelief YOLT is difficult to digest. Seriously, a rocket able to reach orbit with at least two crew members and is capable of snatching US or USSR capsules and bringing them back to Earth totally undetected by the inhabitants of Japan? A huge supervillain’s lair in a hollowed-out volcano that was built, again, without any detection by the local gentry? Tiger Tanaka, who has significant resources at his disposal and appears to enjoy a sizable budget, also had no knowledge of the above? Finally, Japan is an island and no doubt the British Navy together with Japan’s intelligence service have the seas well-monitored but Blofeld gets away anyway? <Sigh>
By process of elimination you’ve guessed my top two!
From Russia With Love. This is my numero uno. Excellent story, very believable. The movie is fast-paced. Some might say the gypsy camp and shooting of Krilencu segments slow down the plot but for me they give more light into the culture of that time and place. Who could not like Kerim Bey? Or feel some sympathy for Tatiana? Or wonder how on earth James will escape the situation of being held at gunpoint, on his knees, in a small passenger train compartment, by a man who is perhaps the most sociopathic of all the Bond baddies?
Speaking of the Orient Express, perhaps my favorite cinematic moment in the entire series is when James is walking along the platform at one of the train’s stops and Red Grant is aboard the train paralleling him, unseen to James but visible to us. Creeps me out every time I see it.
Then there’s one of the best Bond quips ever, when he realizes what’s happening and that his minutes are numbered: “Red wine with fish, that should have told me something.”
Then in second place, it’s Diamonds Are Forever!
I know, this is not too high on the majority of Bond fans’ lists but who cares? What do I like? The Las Vegas setting. This flick is a great way to see what Sin City looked like a half-century ago, with great use of both downtown and The Strip. Bond impersonating Peter Franks. Car chase through downtown (way before it was converted into a pedestrian mall). James sneaking his way into Blofeld’s factory, then escaping via the moon buggy. Bambi and Thumper. Theme song performed by Shirley Bassey.
Downsides? Charles Gray as a not-at-all menacing or frightening Blofeld. (He’s a far cry from Telly Savalas in the previous Bond picture.) A “climax” that is anything but, especially when you consider Blofeld killed Bond’s wife in the aforementioned OHMSS. A plot that’s a bit hard to follow. Pondering why Wint and Kidd kill every one of their victims save for ol’ JB, whom they just leave unconscious in a buried pipeline.
And there you have it!
