We’ll go through all the Bond films with an update to my previous reviews.
Don’t let the poster fool you— that must have been done for a re-release after the other Bond films— because I suspect when they did the first one they didn’t know if they’d be doing any more.
The First James Bond film establishes a lot of what we know, like and dislike about James Bond— his Walther PPK, his affection for Vodka Martini’s and his weakeness for women.
I’ve always been a Bond fan, but I’d say I’m a casual one— much like my like of the Original Star Trek— I can’t quote lines by heart and it feels sixties to me. Bond works best as a character of the 1960s and as a kid I’d never noticed or cared about the women and the womanizing, but as an adult I can certainly see how it makes the character unpleasant to a lot of people.
The first Bond film is one of the weakest of the lot— we get Sean Connery and he makes for a Bond that is close in nature to the one written by Ian Fleming in the books, we get some spy gadgetry but it’s clumsy and awkward in much of its design, much like the overall movie, and it’s a little slow.
The best part is Jack Lord as Bond’s best friend and CIA Agent Felix Leiter— I think if Lord had stayed in the role he would have been a threat to Bond’s popularity because he’s that good.
Bond will be back in FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE
BOND: Connery is pretty solid but the character isn’t quite finished. ****1/2
VILLAIN: Dr No sets the standard for the bad guy in the series. ****
THEME SONG: Three blind mice is a pretty weak theme song. **
HENCHMAN: **
OVERALL BOND RATING: 7.5