On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969)

Director: Peter R. Hunt

Producers: Albert R. Broccoli, Harry Saltzman

Writer: Richard Maibaum

Cinematographer: Michael Reed

Composer: John Barry

Editor: John Glen

Theme Song:"On Her Majesty's Secret Service" by John Barry

PLOT
James Bond (George Lazenby) rescues a suicidal woman from drowning, only to discover she is Tracy Di Vicenzo (Diana Rigg), the daughter of Marc-Ange Draco (Gabriele Ferzetti), the leader of Union Corse, a major European crime syndicate.

Sensing that Bond's presence is having a positive impact on Tracy, Draco offers to pay Bond £1 million pounds to marry her. In return, Draco agrees to help Bond find Blofeld (Telly Savalas), now posing as a French Count running an Allergy Research Institute in the Swiss Alps, where he is brainwashing a group of ten young women, whom he dubs the Angels of Death, into spreading a bacteriological weapon throughout the world.
REVIEW

Initially one of the most hated films in the series and now one of the most beloved, On Her Majesty's Secret Service is a solid entry in the franchise, but it falls short of being great, primarily due to first-time director issues. While former series editor Peter R. Hunt's visuals and locations are excellent, his stylistic choices in the action scenes and the mixture of footage with real skiers and the actors in obvious bluescreen are far too jarring to ignore and, more importantly, the pacing drags often in the second half; at 2 hours and 22 minutes, this is the second longest Bond film and it shows in the scenes with Bond posing as gay genealogist Sir Hilary Bray and bedding Blofeld's Angels of Death.

Fortunately, minor technical issues and a lagging second act are the only real flaws, for everything else makes for a damn fine film. Richard Maibaum, the series regular writer, does some of his best work here, developing a great spy adventure that emphasizes intellect and deduction over gadgets and fisticuffs while also giving the characters genuine personality and dimension beyond the typical Bond stereotypes. Maibaum also tones down the humor, relying more on sly remarks that outright jokes. Furthermore, Blofeld's plot, while it seems smaller in scope, is actually quite clever and his use of the Angels of Death is an inspired, twisted idea.

In addition to a great story, the film also boasts two incredible performances from Diana Rigg and Telly Savalas. Rigg, best known as Emma Peel from The Avengers, is a captivating presence not only because she's attractive, but because she's a worthy woman for Bond and showcases tremendous range, perfectly capturing Tracy's emotional arc and her relationship with Bond, while also keeping her smart and resourceful. As for Savalas, his Blofeld lacks the creepy menace Donald Pleasance gave him, but he makes up for it by imbuing the character with an understated intellect and sly, witty menace that makes him every bit as dangerous. Special mention also goes to series regulars Bernard Lee, Desmond Llewelyn and Lois Maxwell for taking full advantage of their expanded roles.

Then there's George Lazenby, the Australian model infamous for this one-time portrayal of Bond, which continues to inspire heated debate amongst fans. For myself, I can say without doubt that Lazenby has been severely underrated; yes, he lacks Sean Connery's sexual charisma and machismo and he has his moments of stiffness. But for the most part, Lazenby is quite charming and confident as Bond, with good line delivery and a sly sense of humor. Lazenby is helped immensely by the fact that, for the first time in the series, Bond is written as a real human being, one who is vulnerable and capable of feeling doubt, fear and love; this is best expressed in the final scene, where Lazenby's delivery of the line "we have all the time in the world," combined with his facial expressions, are heartbreaking and make you wish that Lazenby got another shot at Bond. 

OVERALL

Despite its initial reputation, On Her Majesty's Secret Service has rightfully taken its place as one of the best films in the series. While it lacks some of the frills Bond fans are accustomed to and suffers from an elongated running time, it's more than made up for by Hunt's stellar direction, Maibaum's elegant, character-driven script and a trio of strong performances by Lazenby, Rigg and Savalas, not to mention the best ending to any Bond film.

 

 

 

 

 

You Only Live Twice (1967)

Director: Lewis Gilbert

Producers: Albert R. Broccoli, Harry Saltzman

Writer: Roald Dahl

Cinematographer: Freddie Young

Composer: John Barry

Editors: Peter R. Hunt, Robert Richardson 

Theme: "You Only Live Twice" by Nancy Sinatra

PLOT
James Bond (Sean Connery), believed to have been killed in Hong Kong, fakes his death and travels to Japan with a new mission from MI6; to investigate the disappearance of an American spacecraft, which the U.S. blames on Russia.

Arriving in Japan, Bond begins working with Tiger Tanaka (Tetsuro Tamba), the head of Japan's Secret Service, and his agents Aki (Akiko Wakabayashi) and Kissy Suzuki (Mie Hama). Trained as a Ninja and going undercover as a Japanese fisherman, Bond's investigation leads him to the Sea of Japan, where the American spacecraft and a captured Russian spacecraft are being held by SPECTRE leader Ernst Stavro Blofeld (Donald Pleasance) in an attempt to ignite nuclear war.
REVIEW

The first truly epic Bond film, You Only Live Twice is a strong balance between the straight, classy tone of From Russia With Love and the kitschy, camp tone of Goldfinger and comes close to equaling both films in quality and entertainment value. Much of the credit can go to the creative team of Lewis Gilbert and Roald Dahl; despite no experience with big-budget spectacles, this writer-director team give this fifth Bond film massive action sequences, but also likeable characters and competent storytelling.

Story wise, Dahl keeps the story moving, delivering a nice balance between character moments and action set pieces, while also building up a good mystery; from Bond's staged death to Blofeld's reveal, the mystery and fun characters anchor the more outlandish elements and gives the plot genuine weight and stakes not seen since From Russia With Love. As for Gilbert, his handling of the action sequences, particularly the final battle with Bond and Tanaka's Ninjas versus SPECTRE and the Little Nellie chase sequence, are phenomenal and his visuals boast some of the most gorgeous and iconic shots in the entire franchise, not to mention great use of lighting and composition by his cinematographer Freddie Young and Ken Adam's wonderful sets, especially Blofeld's underground Volcano lair, arguably one of the best sets in film history.

As thrilling as these action scenes are, Gilbert's expertise is in character dramas and, while by no means three-dimensional, it's the characters in You Only Live Twice that really shine. Whether it's Bond and Kissy's honeymoon, Brandt's interrogation of Bond, Blofeld's constant need to kill his failing henchmen, or Bond and Tanaka's growing friendship, it's great fun to watch the character interactions, but unlike Thunderball, these character moments are in service of the story and give all the principal actors some great material to work with.

Connery is still fun to watch as Bond, though you can't help but sense his growing disinterest in the role. As Tiger Tanaka, Tetsuro Tamba makes his mark as one of Bond's best allies and is one of the few who seems just as dangerous as Bond. Mie Hama and Akiko Wakabayashi are unique Bond girls and act well off of Connery, but are unmemorable and don't contribute much to the story. Fortunately, Karin Dor makes up for it as the deliciously villainous Helga Brandt. But the real star here is Donald Pleasance, who gives Blofeld a creepy, strange delivery and body language that instantly makes him worthy of his title as Bond's archnemesis.

OVERALL

Like From Russia With Love and Goldfinger before it, You Only Live Twice is one of those rare Bond films that's both a good Bond film, with fantastic action scenes, an awesome gadget in Little Nellie and creepy villains, and a good film, with a strong screenplay, solid performances, great directing and lighting and amazing sets. It slows down a bit in the middle and lacks memorable Bond girls, but You Only Live Twice is definitely one of the franchises' brightest moments.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thunderball (1965)

Director: Terence Young

Producers: Kevin McClory, Albert R. Broccoli, Harry Saltzman

Writers: Richard Maibaum, John Hopkins

Cinematographer: Ted Moore

Composer: John Barry
Editor: Peter R. Hunt

Theme Song: "Thunderball" by Tom Jones

PLOT
James Bond (Sean Connery) is resting at a health clinic when SPECTRE No. 2 Emilio Largo (Adolfo Celi) and fellow agents Fiona Volpe (Luciana Paluzzi), Count Lippe (Guy Doleman) and Angelo Palazzi, disguised as NATO pilot Francois Derval (Paul Stassino), steal two NATO atomic weapons.

When SPECTRE threatens to fire the bombs on either England or America unless a ransom of £100 million in white diamonds is paid, M (Bernard Lee) calls all double-0 Agents in to find the bombs. Bond, recognizing Derval from a picture taken in Nassau, travels to the Bahamas with Felix Leiter (Rik Van Nutter) to foil Largo's plot and rescue his mistress and Francois' sister, Dominique "Domino" Derval (Claudine Auger).
REVIEW

Despite the overwhelming success of Goldfinger, Thunderball is more akin to the Dr. No; the tone is more straightforward, the jokes are less frequent, Bond is back in the tropics, the plot revolves around SPECTRE once more, and original director Terence Young is back to reclaim the series as his own. Unfortunately, franchise fatigue is starting to set in, for this fourth Bond film lacks the quick pace and quality storytelling seen in the previous two films. The first 30-40 minutes, with Bond at the health clinic, are not only sluggish and dull, but also come off as a contrived, lazy way to work Bond into the story. The plot holes continue to pop up throughout, such as how Bond knows that Dominique is in Nassau, why Largo had his mistress' brother killed and why he and Largo socialize with one another for so long.

Furthermore, Largo's plot doesn't quite work; the purpose is to hold the U.S. and England ransom and while extortion is part of the organization, SPECTRE is more frightening as a terrorist group out to spread chaos. To make matters worse, the screenwriters reveal all the plot details early on, robbing it of any suspense or atmosphere. By not having any buildup and letting the audience know everything right away, the film we're left with spends a lot of time showing the characters interact and not moving the story forward. Acting wise, Adolfo Celi is good enough as Largo, but there's nothing unique or different to make him a standout villain.

But as with any Bond film, these flaws can be overlooked if the finished product is entertaining and Thunderball is definitely a good time. While not as epic as From Russia With Love in terms of production values, Young is as good as ever, delivering impressive visuals to go with the Bahama locations. In addition, the character relationships, though excessive to the detriment of the story, are amusing and allow the actors to show off, especially Connery, both charming and deadly, and Paluzzi, devilishly fun as Fiona Volpe; everyone else works fairly well, save for Philip Locke's dull henchman Vargas and Rik Van Nutter's bland take on Felix Leiter.

Without a doubt, the most impressive aspect of Thunderball is the underwater scenes, choreographed by Ricou Browning, best known as the Gill Man in The Creature From The Black Lagoon, and shot by underwater photographer Lamar Boren. Considering how slow people move underwater and how their faces are obscured by scuba masks, huge props go to Browning and Boren for their work here. All the underwater scenes, even nearly 50 years later, are still breathtaking to look at and the action scenes are well filmed and staged, especially the awesome final fight between Bond/Coast Guard divers and Largo's troops. 

OVERALL

With the formula established by its predecessors, Thunderball has very little new to offer and sports a very weak screenplay, filled with plot contrivances and bad one-liners. That being said, the finished product is still fun and delivered in a classy, attractive package, with a great Bond, engaging villains and thrilling action scenes, especially the climactic underwater battle. While it might not be good storytelling, Thunderball is most certainly good entertainment.

Goldfinger (1964)

Director: Guy Hamilton

Producers: Albert R. Broccoli, Harry Saltzman

Writers: Richard Maibuam, Paul Dehn

Cinematographer: Ted Moore

Editor: Peter R. Hunt

Composer: John Barry

Theme Song: "Goldfinger" by Shirley Bassey

PLOT

James Bond (Sean Connery) is on vacation in Miami Beach when he is approached by Felix Leiter (Cec Linder), with a new mission from MI6; to investigate Auric Goldfinger (Gert Frobe), an aptly-named gold magnate, whom both MI6 and the CIA suspect is an international gold smuggler.

Tasked with finding out how Goldfinger smuggles his gold from country to country, Bond follows him to Switzerland, where he is taken captive by Goldfinger's henchman Oddjob (Harold Sakata) and personal pilot Pussy Galore (Honor Blackman). Stripped of his weapons and cut off from Felix and M (Bernard Lee), Bond must rely on his wits and charm to foil Goldfinger's ultimate plan: to irradiate the entire gold supply at Fort Knox and bring economic chaos to the West.

REVIEW

The film that made James Bond a box-office sensation, Goldfinger is the point in the series where

reality ceases to exist. From this point on, the series is camp fantasy, filled with sexual innuendos and kitschy humor. But those looking for a great, thrilling spy film will no doubt have issues with this third Bond film, for the suspense is non-existent; as diabolical as Goldfinger's plot is, the lighter tone robs it of any sense of menace or danger. Furthermore, the action is surprisingly tamped down, with only three fights, two chases and the big shootout at Fort Knox, most of which is merely adequate.

Despite these flaws, Goldfinger, like most Bond films, is not about chair-gripping tension, but about having fun and that's exactly what Guy Hamilton delivers. From beginning to end, this film is a crazy good time and endlessly re-watchable and a lot of the credit goes to the classy sense of humor, which despite the sexual innuendos never becomes lowbrow or unsophisticated. In addition, Hamilton delivers a stylish, colorful film with striking imagery and classic sets, while Maibaum and Dehn's script keeps the story going at a rapid pace, introduces such classic Bond motifs as the Vodka Martini and the Aston Martin and develops amusing relationships between Bond and his enemies.

As far as the villains go, all three continue to cast a large shadow over the rest of the series. Gert Frobe gives Goldfinger a winning balance of gleeful intelligence and sinister presence, despite not being much of a physical challenge for Bond. Honor Blackman, best known as Cathy Gale from the '60s spy show The Avengers, is a rarity in the Bond series; an assertive, powerful woman who stands on her own, though she does eventually succumb to Bond's charms. Then there's Harold Sakata, whose physicality and presence make Oddjob easily one of Bond's toughest physical foes, yet he's also charming and amusing despite having no dialogue.

As for Sean Connery, he's more charming than ever as 007, but he's let down by the script. In keeping with the lighter tone, this Bond smirks and jokes his way through the film, but doesn't come off as dangerous as he did in From Russia With Love. The balance between suave charmer and deadly killer is off, resulting in a weaker Bond that relies more on sex appeal and charisma than skill and intellect. It doesn't help that Bond spends a good portion of the film in captivity and save for his romancing of Pussy, doesn't achieve anything during this portion of the film. Fortunately, a great performance by Connery keeps the character fun to watch and his delivery of the signature quips is still amusing.
OVERALL

As beloved as it is, Goldfinger doesn't quite live up to its reputation as THE Bond film; the campy tone curtails what could've been a frightening plot and Bond himself is neutered. But despite the lack of substance and action, Guy Hamilton makes this third Bond film insanely fun, with sophisticated humor, awesome gadgets, engaging performances, and some of the most iconic characters and set pieces of the franchise. Though it falls just short of greatness, Goldfinger is easily one of the high points of the series.

From Russia With Love (1963)

Director: Terence Young

Producers: Albert R. Broccoli, Harry Saltzman

Writer: Richard Maibaum

Cinematographer: Ted Moore

Editor: Peter R. Hunt

Composer: John Barry

Theme Song: "From Russia With Love" by Matt Monro

PLOT
James Bond (Sean Connery) is called to London when MI6 receives word that Tatiana Romanova (Daniela Bianchi), a cipher clerk for the Soviet consulate at Istanbul, wishes to defect and is offering MI6 a Lecktor cryptographic device in exchange for Bond's help.

Though suspicious, M (Bernard Lee) sends Bond to Turkey, where he begins working with station chief Ali Kerim Bey (Pedro Armendariz) to get Tatiana and the Lecktor back to London. But what neither Bond nor Tatiana know is that her defection is part of a plot by SPECTRE agents No. 3 Rosa Klebb (Lotte Lenya), No. 5 Kronsteen (Vladek Sheybal) and blond-haired assassin Donald "Red" Grant (Robert Shaw) to kill/humiliate Bond for the death of Dr. No.
REVIEW

Far and away superior to its original, From Russia With Love delivers all the goods fans want in a Bond film. Right away, the action is ratcheted up; there's a massive shootout at a gypsy camp, a high-speed boat chase with SPECTRE and best of all, a brutal fight between Bond and Grant aboard the Orient Express that is wonderfully filmed and lighted. The film also introduces some new trademarks that would continue on in nearly every other Bond film, such as the pre-credits opening sequence, the theme song (though it's at the end rather than the beginning) and the gadgets provided by Q, played by Desmond Llewelyn for the first time.

But what's truly impressive about this second Bond outing is the quality of storytelling and filmmaking on display here. As impressive as his work was with the previous film, Terence Young and his crew one up themselves in every way. Once again, Young stretches his budget well, resulting in a gorgeous, classy look and style, but also with a level of sophistication not often seen in this series. The scenes on the Orient Express in particular are reminiscent of Alfred Hitchcock's films, not only in the way it's shot, but in the way Young and his editor keep the story moving efficiently without skipping over any crucial story details.

Whereas the script for Dr. No was adequate and mediocre, Richard Maibaum's script is tightly woven, with well rounded characters who we actually get to know and care for, an interesting plot with sharp, entertaining plot twists and a surprisingly good buildup of suspense; by letting us in on the truth but keeping Bond and his allies in the dark for much of the movie, Maibaum creates situations where Bond is being played and outsmarted, which makes him more relatable and human and the villains more threatening and intelligent.

Speaking of which, the acting is far more colorful and engaging to watch this time around. Great as he was in Dr. No, Connery nails Bond, making him equal parts dashing and dangerous, while adding just a dose of the humor that would define later Bonds. Robert Shaw, 13 years before his defining role as Quint in Jaws, proves a formidable foe, ominous and imposing without even having to say a word. As the requisite Bond girl, Daniela Bianchi is instantly delightful and charming, despite slipping into stereotypical girly girl stupidity on occasion. Huge props also go out to the wonderful supporting cast, especially Pedro Armendariz as the funny, likeable Ali Kerim Bey and Lotte Lenya's deliciously evil Rosa Klebb.
OVERALL

It may not be the first or the most iconic Bond film, but many fans will stand by From Russia With Love as the best of the series. While that remains to be seen, it's hard to imagine anyone topping what Terence Young, Richard Maibaum and their cast and crew have pulled off here; cool gadgets, sinister villains, beautiful dames, exciting action scenes, and the perfect Bond, but also tight storytelling, stylish directing, gorgeous locations, stellar acting, and genuine suspense, the result being both a great Bond film and a great film.

Dr. No (1962)

Director: Terence Young

Producers: Albert R. Broccoli, Harry Saltzman

Writers: Richard Maibaum, Johanna Harwood, Berkely Mather

Cinematographer: Ted Moore

Editor: Peter R. Hunt

Composer: Monty Norman

Theme Song: "The James Bond Theme" by Monty Norman

 

PLOT
James Bond (Sean Connery) is sent to Jamaica to investigate the disappearance of MI6 agent John Strangways, which M (Bernard Lee) believes is connected to Strangways’ association with the CIA’s investigation into disruptions of rocket launches off of Cape Canaveral.

Working with CIA agent Felix Leiter (Jack Lord) and islander Quarrel (John Kitzmiller), Bond dodges assassins Professor Dent (Anthony Dawson) and the Three Blind Mice and romances conk shell diver Honey Ryder (Ursula Andress) on his way to Crab Key, where Dr. Julius No (Joseph Wiseman), a member of SPECTRE (Special Executive for Counter-Intelligence, Terrorism, Revenge, and Extortion), is plotting to sabotage the U.S. Project Mercury space program.

REVIEW

In sharp contrast to future Bond outings, Dr. No downplays the action in favor of mystery; this would be all fine and dandy, were it not for how pedestrian and uninteresting this mystery plot is. By not knowing No's plot until the end of the movie, the film lacks any suspense. Even when No's plot is revealed, it doesn't make much sense nor is it ever explained what he would achieve by doing this. Furthermore, though Joseph Wiseman's quiet, sinister presence is effective, the script gives No far too little to do for him to make any real impression.

As bad as Dr. No is written, the character this film really fails with is Honey Ryder. By having no connection to either Bond or No, Honey is literally just there to give Bond someone to rescue and 

screw at the end. It doesn't help that Honey comes off as a bimbo, given ridiculous dialogue about self-educating herself and selling conk shells. Add in Ursula Andress' dazed performance and an obviously dubbed over voice (provided by Nikki Van Der Zyl) and you've got a pretty pathetic excuse for a Bond girl.

But while Dr. No lacks in substance, it has plenty of style. The Jamaican locations and sets are gorgeous, particularly Dr. No's lair, and Terence Young gives the film a classy, slick look that would suggest a much larger budget than what he really had to work with. The colorful supporting cast are engaging and fun to watch, particularly Jack Lord and John Kitzmiller. In addition, a lot of the classic Bond trademarks can be found here, such as the iconic Monty Norman theme, the Walther PPK and Bond's rapport with M and Miss Moneypenny. 

But the real ace card here is Sean Connery. As written, James Bond is a split personality; on one side, he's a suave, charming gentleman with a devil-may-care attitude and an insatiable appetite for women. But on the other side, he's a cold-blooded, ruthless killer who will do whatever is necessary to accomplish his mission. While his successors tend to favor one side over the other, Connery hits that balance perfectly, effortlessly switching between lustful socialite and lethal killer. Though he's yet to develop Bond's signature quips and humor, Connery proves even in this first film why he is still considered the definitive Bond to this day.
OVERALL

 

Dr. No is certainly an exception to the "part one is the best" rule for film franchises. With its dated action scenes, underdeveloped mystery and non-threatening villains, the film lacks the thrills, sex appeal and humor that have come to define Bond films. But what it does have is impressive visuals, a fun, campy tone and Sean Connery leading a stellar cast, which is enough to make this first outing an enjoyable introduction to the world of James Bond.