My husband’s favorite Bond film, specifically for his panther-like grace whilst inspecting his hotel room. I always appreciate your cultural commentary in these reviews. Well worth the price of admission. Best Substack investment I’ve made.
That's so kind. Thank you. I really appreciate it. I should have mentioned Connery's room inspection. Kicking myself. It's inspired. Bond is kinda complex. One of Britain's greatest literary inventions, alongside Sherlock Holmes. I try and get my thoughts down... get my head around it, but I'm still not 100% there yet...
From Russia With Love is one of the best films: gadgetry under control, Connery looking brilliant and a star turn by Pedro Armendáriz as Ali Kerim Bey. Plus Lotte Lenya! Literally Kurt Weill’s widow! How mad is that?
It is almost heartwrenching to an author to have a character slip out of his fingers through the various adaptions. I remember reading a couple of Fleming's novels. They were fun, serious, and to the point. He did not resort to 'clickbait' asides, the ones the films are notorious for. I believe Christie would have shared his anguish over the screen adaptations. Her own novels were unrecognizable. Looks like it, sounds like it, but is something entirely different. One wants to say: "Sense the tone, dear directors. Sense. The. Tone."
Difficult one. You sell the rights for an awful lot of money... and... film is a different medium from fiction. Certain films (The Remains of the Day) manage to combine the two traditions... complex...
Great article. I always wondered if the red wine with fish bit was ironic by Fleming - it’s the kind of “rule” a middle class person would be self conscious about, but the truly posh are so convinced of their own poshness that they would cheerfully guzzle red wine with fish and not give a fig what anyone thought.
And funnily enough, I was discussing this with Venetia a few mins ago- I mean, a light Rhone would work brilliantly with an oily fish, would it not? But red Chianti with Dover Sole sounds awful. But as you quite rightly observe, the truly grand wouldn't give a fig. But then Fleming often got things wrong. Shaken not Stirred? Really? Despite that, the 'red wine and fish' thing is from the film, not book.
Yeah Fleming has bond wearing short sleeved shirts exclusively and a kimono to bed from recollection. All of which are distinctly suss and very David Brent.
Also, I do think that contra received opinion Connery was miscast for the very reasons Fleming identified but compared to lorry driver Craig he seems inspired.
I'm completely with you. Connery's far too rough- despite the polish. He looks worn. But at least he doesn't look like somebody who's come to mend the washing machine.
I would have loved to have seen Niven as Bond. Absolutely. A professional soldier, the Highland Light Infantry, and then in the war, as a major in Phantom, GHQ Liaison Regiment, a sort of commando unit sent to identify forward units for the RAF.
I remember him telling an anecdote of sitting through a boring artillery lecture in the 1930s after which he had a date in London and upon the instructing Major asking if anyone had any questions saying “Will that be all sir? I have a train to catch.” Feels very Bond.
Yes, I think he's good on that front. The masochism. Especially that torture scene- that's very Fleming. However... imo he's horribly miscast. Not Craig's fault- he's just not Bond, as imagined by Fleming. An unfashionable opinion, I know...
Thanks for this. Just read your article. Oh, spot on. The other point it makes- which is a good one- is that the Duke of Windsor wore bespoke ties which had been lined and interlined- which gave them a thicker knot- but they were tied normally. So the Duke of Windsor's knot wasn't actually the so-called 'Windsor Knot'. Steed, alas, wears a Windsor Knot.
One of my favourite Bond films. Bond at his most English, great casting and pace; Istanbul looks stunning, plus excellent use of the Orient Express as a confined space, then topped off with Venice.
The one tiny thing always jars is the last scene, shot in the studio but with Venice on a dodgy back-projection. Someone really should take that scene apart and put it back together using CGI.
CGI? God forbid! Heresy! But yes, the last bit is a bit View-Master, ain't it? But isn't that part of its period charm? Also- Bond at his most Scottish, surely?
I normally loathe CGI with a vengeance. But in this case the back-projection goes well beyond period charm & is just plain shoddy. It's also well under par for the period; for example see the near perfection achieved in the scene with Tippi Hedren in the boat in Hitchcock's The Birds, also 1963. So, in this rare case, I stand by my view that a competent technician could take the last scene apart, glue it back together, and we'd all be left with a much happier 'Fin' experience.
And yes, Scotch-English. But then, as all good Americans know, Scotland and Wales are just part of jolly old Englandshire.
Wonderful review for one of my favourite Bond films. Fleming wrote , in my humble opinion, always with a pepper of humour sprinkled over an urgency to get straight to the point which I appreciate. I don't think Connery (mind you I'm sure plenty of my fellow Glaswegians wouldn't have minded his fabulous jawline) could have passed for an old Etonian but he carried Bond with , as you rightly pointed out, grace (the prowling around the hotel room shines). Loved the scene with him and Shaw!! Fabulous Luke.
Fleming's a bloody good writer- re-reading From Russia With Love for this post... the funny thing is that despite his attention to detail- the subtle observations he gets things wrong. A reader pointed out that Captain Nash's zig-zag tie is, of course, the tie of the Royal Artillery not the Royal Engineers. You would have thought Fleming and his editors would have spotted that one?
Am with you on this, Luke. My favourite Bond film. Doesn't end with a huge explosion. Great script... thoughtful actions scenes which each had the role of advancing the story. The edit in the train fight scene is wonderful. And Robert Shaw, who, in another world, may have made a pretty good Bond himself, I wonder? I read his Sun Doctor a long time ago. A tough character, by all accounts, but what a talent.
Yes. Thanks for this. Appreciated. The fight scene on the Orient Express is vicious. Really brutal. I like that a lot. Robert Shaw as Bond? That's an interesting question. Far too rough, in my opinion- why he made a brilliant Irish gangster tycoon in The Sting or a weatherbeaten Salt in The Deep (1977). Bond needs to be as hard as nails... but... the man's an Old Etonian, a polished, clubbable civil servant with a coat of arms. I'm not sure ANY of the Bonds have been right, so far. Top Bonds (for me) are Connery, Lazenby and Dalton. What do you reckon?
I liked Brosnan in Goldeneye (which I think is under-rated.) Connery, for me, the best. I loved Lazenby. Liked Dalton but thought he was let down by weaker films stuck in a franchise mindset. I wonder what Cary Grant would have been like if they could have afforded him? (He'd have been too old at 58 - but was in remarkable shape, still...)
Brosnan's good- hard as nails as an IRA gunman in The Long Good Friday, but for Bond, imo, the scripts let him down. Don't think Cary Grant would have been right. Not hard enough? It's getting that impossible mix right- how to be hard, and polished at the same time. Difficult one.
That's easy. Sam Neill wins, hands down. You can see his screen test on YouTube (with Fiona Fullerton), reenacting the bedroom scene in From Russia With Love. He's suave and sophisticated. A bit on the short side, perhaps, but hey, a soap box might come in handy.
Thanks for an impeccably written piece, Old Man. We south of the border types also appreciated that Pedro Armendariz played the uber Turk, Ali Kerim Bey - and in a white suit surrounded by beauteous women. But then again the great Kronsteen would have planned it that way.
I'm not a huge Bond fan, but I do agree about Robert Shaw, died much too young, also great in The Sting, The Man for all Seasons, and The Royal Hunt of the Sun...I just looked him up and discovered he also wrote prizewinning novels! And, fun fact, his second wife was Midge Ure's auntie...
Robert Shaw was a wonderful actor. In Young Winston, as Lord Randolph Churchill! And as the hard Irish gangster in The Sting- as you quite rightly point out. Always thought he was Irish, surprised to discover, actually Lancashire Scots? Funnily enough he lived bang next door to my grandparents in Coleshill, Buckinghamshire, at some point- I think in the 70s. I have his novels in First Edition. Worth looking out for.
My husband’s favorite Bond film, specifically for his panther-like grace whilst inspecting his hotel room. I always appreciate your cultural commentary in these reviews. Well worth the price of admission. Best Substack investment I’ve made.
That's so kind. Thank you. I really appreciate it. I should have mentioned Connery's room inspection. Kicking myself. It's inspired. Bond is kinda complex. One of Britain's greatest literary inventions, alongside Sherlock Holmes. I try and get my thoughts down... get my head around it, but I'm still not 100% there yet...
From Russia With Love is one of the best films: gadgetry under control, Connery looking brilliant and a star turn by Pedro Armendáriz as Ali Kerim Bey. Plus Lotte Lenya! Literally Kurt Weill’s widow! How mad is that?
Lenya's terrific. I have a thing for Rosa Klebb.
My late father used to refer to his dental hygienist (without affection) as Rosa Klebb.
Fleming's very funny about this sort of thing. Especially in Thrilling Cities. Dry as a bone.
It is almost heartwrenching to an author to have a character slip out of his fingers through the various adaptions. I remember reading a couple of Fleming's novels. They were fun, serious, and to the point. He did not resort to 'clickbait' asides, the ones the films are notorious for. I believe Christie would have shared his anguish over the screen adaptations. Her own novels were unrecognizable. Looks like it, sounds like it, but is something entirely different. One wants to say: "Sense the tone, dear directors. Sense. The. Tone."
Difficult one. You sell the rights for an awful lot of money... and... film is a different medium from fiction. Certain films (The Remains of the Day) manage to combine the two traditions... complex...
Great article. I always wondered if the red wine with fish bit was ironic by Fleming - it’s the kind of “rule” a middle class person would be self conscious about, but the truly posh are so convinced of their own poshness that they would cheerfully guzzle red wine with fish and not give a fig what anyone thought.
And funnily enough, I was discussing this with Venetia a few mins ago- I mean, a light Rhone would work brilliantly with an oily fish, would it not? But red Chianti with Dover Sole sounds awful. But as you quite rightly observe, the truly grand wouldn't give a fig. But then Fleming often got things wrong. Shaken not Stirred? Really? Despite that, the 'red wine and fish' thing is from the film, not book.
A red Sancerre would work beautifully with sole... delicate wine for delicate fish... I think.
Yeah Fleming has bond wearing short sleeved shirts exclusively and a kimono to bed from recollection. All of which are distinctly suss and very David Brent.
I’m sure Henry Jeffreys could recommend a red that worked with Dover Sole though I find it hard to imagine what would work. Not chianti certainly.
Mr Jeffreys- I would LOVE to see a post on this. The red wine to drink with a Dover Sole a la Bond.
Good point. It's not in the original book. Fleming's observations are far more subtle.
The Windsor knot comment in what book I’ve forgotten - the one with the Italian pilot stealing nuclear bombs - is the best.
Thunderball and the remake Never Say Never
Also, I do think that contra received opinion Connery was miscast for the very reasons Fleming identified but compared to lorry driver Craig he seems inspired.
I'm completely with you. Connery's far too rough- despite the polish. He looks worn. But at least he doesn't look like somebody who's come to mend the washing machine.
I actually think it a real shame Niven was never properly cast. He was genuinely impressive, had been under fire etc.
I would have loved to have seen Niven as Bond. Absolutely. A professional soldier, the Highland Light Infantry, and then in the war, as a major in Phantom, GHQ Liaison Regiment, a sort of commando unit sent to identify forward units for the RAF.
I remember him telling an anecdote of sitting through a boring artillery lecture in the 1930s after which he had a date in London and upon the instructing Major asking if anyone had any questions saying “Will that be all sir? I have a train to catch.” Feels very Bond.
I feel Craig captured Bond’s cruelty like no other.
Yes, I think he's good on that front. The masochism. Especially that torture scene- that's very Fleming. However... imo he's horribly miscast. Not Craig's fault- he's just not Bond, as imagined by Fleming. An unfashionable opinion, I know...
I appreciated this piece.
I’ve never read any of the books, only seen the films. You’re inspiring me to do so.
I was just reading about the Windsor knot! https://x.com/threadreaderapp/status/1830710991346126997?s=46
Thanks for this. Just read your article. Oh, spot on. The other point it makes- which is a good one- is that the Duke of Windsor wore bespoke ties which had been lined and interlined- which gave them a thicker knot- but they were tied normally. So the Duke of Windsor's knot wasn't actually the so-called 'Windsor Knot'. Steed, alas, wears a Windsor Knot.
You’re welcome! https://x.com/dieworkwear is always worth a glance
One of my favourite Bond films. Bond at his most English, great casting and pace; Istanbul looks stunning, plus excellent use of the Orient Express as a confined space, then topped off with Venice.
The one tiny thing always jars is the last scene, shot in the studio but with Venice on a dodgy back-projection. Someone really should take that scene apart and put it back together using CGI.
Otherwise it's perfection 1963-style.
CGI? God forbid! Heresy! But yes, the last bit is a bit View-Master, ain't it? But isn't that part of its period charm? Also- Bond at his most Scottish, surely?
I normally loathe CGI with a vengeance. But in this case the back-projection goes well beyond period charm & is just plain shoddy. It's also well under par for the period; for example see the near perfection achieved in the scene with Tippi Hedren in the boat in Hitchcock's The Birds, also 1963. So, in this rare case, I stand by my view that a competent technician could take the last scene apart, glue it back together, and we'd all be left with a much happier 'Fin' experience.
And yes, Scotch-English. But then, as all good Americans know, Scotland and Wales are just part of jolly old Englandshire.
Wonderful review for one of my favourite Bond films. Fleming wrote , in my humble opinion, always with a pepper of humour sprinkled over an urgency to get straight to the point which I appreciate. I don't think Connery (mind you I'm sure plenty of my fellow Glaswegians wouldn't have minded his fabulous jawline) could have passed for an old Etonian but he carried Bond with , as you rightly pointed out, grace (the prowling around the hotel room shines). Loved the scene with him and Shaw!! Fabulous Luke.
Fleming's a bloody good writer- re-reading From Russia With Love for this post... the funny thing is that despite his attention to detail- the subtle observations he gets things wrong. A reader pointed out that Captain Nash's zig-zag tie is, of course, the tie of the Royal Artillery not the Royal Engineers. You would have thought Fleming and his editors would have spotted that one?
Absolutely you would and well spotted!
Am with you on this, Luke. My favourite Bond film. Doesn't end with a huge explosion. Great script... thoughtful actions scenes which each had the role of advancing the story. The edit in the train fight scene is wonderful. And Robert Shaw, who, in another world, may have made a pretty good Bond himself, I wonder? I read his Sun Doctor a long time ago. A tough character, by all accounts, but what a talent.
Yes. Thanks for this. Appreciated. The fight scene on the Orient Express is vicious. Really brutal. I like that a lot. Robert Shaw as Bond? That's an interesting question. Far too rough, in my opinion- why he made a brilliant Irish gangster tycoon in The Sting or a weatherbeaten Salt in The Deep (1977). Bond needs to be as hard as nails... but... the man's an Old Etonian, a polished, clubbable civil servant with a coat of arms. I'm not sure ANY of the Bonds have been right, so far. Top Bonds (for me) are Connery, Lazenby and Dalton. What do you reckon?
I liked Brosnan in Goldeneye (which I think is under-rated.) Connery, for me, the best. I loved Lazenby. Liked Dalton but thought he was let down by weaker films stuck in a franchise mindset. I wonder what Cary Grant would have been like if they could have afforded him? (He'd have been too old at 58 - but was in remarkable shape, still...)
Brosnan's good- hard as nails as an IRA gunman in The Long Good Friday, but for Bond, imo, the scripts let him down. Don't think Cary Grant would have been right. Not hard enough? It's getting that impossible mix right- how to be hard, and polished at the same time. Difficult one.
Who do you think would have been more honest to the novels (but never played the role?)
That's easy. Sam Neill wins, hands down. You can see his screen test on YouTube (with Fiona Fullerton), reenacting the bedroom scene in From Russia With Love. He's suave and sophisticated. A bit on the short side, perhaps, but hey, a soap box might come in handy.
Thanks for an impeccably written piece, Old Man. We south of the border types also appreciated that Pedro Armendariz played the uber Turk, Ali Kerim Bey - and in a white suit surrounded by beauteous women. But then again the great Kronsteen would have planned it that way.
LOL.
I'm not a huge Bond fan, but I do agree about Robert Shaw, died much too young, also great in The Sting, The Man for all Seasons, and The Royal Hunt of the Sun...I just looked him up and discovered he also wrote prizewinning novels! And, fun fact, his second wife was Midge Ure's auntie...
Robert Shaw was a wonderful actor. In Young Winston, as Lord Randolph Churchill! And as the hard Irish gangster in The Sting- as you quite rightly point out. Always thought he was Irish, surprised to discover, actually Lancashire Scots? Funnily enough he lived bang next door to my grandparents in Coleshill, Buckinghamshire, at some point- I think in the 70s. I have his novels in First Edition. Worth looking out for.