Bond.  James Bond

This Dr. No clip is one of the most critical and important scenes in the entire James Bond 007 franchise  The interaction between Sylvia Trench, in red, and James Bond at the baccarat table at Le Cercle at Les Ambassadeurs in London sets up the entire Bond.  James Bond scenario in the films.   For the very first time in film history, Bond says his name like this. And Sylvia Trench is truly the first Bond Girl.   So this clip is one of the most important clips in any James Bond 007 film.  Bond, in this the scene,  receives word that he must leave and head to Jamaica to investigate deaths of J branch MI6 members.

Les Ambassadeurs

Here, Bond is in Le Cercle at Les Ambassadeurs in London.    We visited Les Ambassadeurs in London – we could not get in as it is private, but we were at the doorway,  awning, and sign, which is the establishing shot for this scene in Dr. No.  Very cool building and the security guys were nice to let us take some pictures.  We were on the steps of Les Ambassadeurs, knowing what an important role this place played in the Bond films!  We were there on a pleasant day, and the the entryway was elegant.  It was Bond, and we were standing right there!  And guess what?  So was Fleming once!

As an aside, Cubby Broccoli, who along with Harry Saltzman were the original producers of the Bond films, set up a meeting once at Les Ambassadeurs for Fleming and Irving Allen to talk about maybe turning the Fleming Bond novels into movies.   Allen was not impressed and told Fleming the stories were not even good enough for television.   So, we were standing at the door where Fleming walked through for this meeting!

We see Bond here as cool and elegant.  In the “Dr. No Documentary” by John Cork, it comes out that a stylistic decision was made by Terrence Young and the writers: to take the elegance, wit, and sophistication of Fleming’s writing and infuse James Bond with those characteristics.  And forever, Bond is cool, elegant, witty and sophisticated.

SpyMovieNavigator On Location – London

This scene is exceptional.  We see this fancy club, we see people sitting at the chemin de fer table, meticulously dressed.  A lady in red, and several others sitting around the table, are enjoying this aspect of their lives.   And there is a gentleman across the table from the lady in red, in a tux.  You see only his sleeves, hands, chest.  She is losing and he is winning.  Who are they?  Will their lives entwine?

“I admire your luck, Mr. . . .”

Miss Trench loses more money, then asks the house to cover, and then writes a check out for more money.  At which point the gentleman in the tux says, “I admire your courage, Miss. . .”  To which she replies, “Trench.  Sylvia Trench.  I admire your luck, Mr…?”   To which the gentleman in the tux replies coolly, while lighting a cigarette: “Bond.   James Bond.”  This is the first time in Bond movies we see Bond and hear the famous line, “Bond.  James Bond” and we are now set up to hearing this for all of time.   Who in this world does not know this line?

From this scene, we know absolutely Sylvia Trench will be the first Bond Girl.

Clues as to why Sylvia Trench Was to Become the First Bond Girl

How do we know that Sylvia Trench will become the first Bond girl?   Because of several overlooked clues that she gives us in this scene.  Want to know what to look for?  Well, let’s look into this together right here and right now.

• First, when she is shown losing for the first time, she raises both eyebrows, which is often a sign of surprise – which could be pleasant or not, or a sign of acceptance – like when you see a friend and they smile – their eyebrows go up. But watch her face closely the entire scene!  She just lost to Bond, so raising her eyebrows is certainly acknowledging the other person, drawing attention to herself – as your eyes are in full view and opened wider – it’s almost like saying hello – a signal – from a distance directed at your target.  And she parts her lips while doing this –  a sign of sexual submissiveness – which is very important here.
• And when she loses again, and again she raises both eyebrows, as she says
  “I need another 1000” Again, opening up to Bond, almost surrendering to him.
• Wait!   Here is the big clue – we have been watching her eyebrows closely: when Bond says to her, “I admire your courage, Miss…?” And she says, “Trench.  Sylvia Trench.”  She has her head downwards, and her eyes upwards – which is a submissive eye expression.  She then says to him, “I admire your luck, Mr…?”  Right here is the secret clue!  She raises only her right eyebrow!  That is often a sign of interest in the person you are talking to, maybe even submissiveness as you are looking for attention and it is a sign of less aggressiveness – but it can also be a sign of power – as in “I want your name, now.”  – but definitely a sign of opening up to that person.  Here she tells us, she will be the first Bond.  James Bond. Girl.
• And you will notice later in the film, on Crab Key, when Honey Rider walks out of the ocean and Bond sees her for the first time, he raises his left eyebrow – so yes, she will be THE bond girl!

Its movie origin is right here in Dr. No – and now forever, he is Bond.   James Bond.

James Bond Lifestyle

And now, we get a good glimpse into James Bond’s lifestyle – he is at a private club casino, playing chemin de fer in a tuxedo.   What a lifestyle that we all look at and admire, wish for, long for – can we be, in some small way, Bond.   James Bond?

We will see a further glimpse into Bond’s lifestyle when he says to Miss Trench a bit later,
“You’re out to get me” and she replies, “that’s an idea.”  Bond gets interrupted by a message that he must leave (to go back to MI6, to discover his next mission).  Miss Trench gets up as well and they stroll out together.  They will meet again, as Bond hands her his card and says, “My number’s on the card.”  Very cool.

And in fact, we do see Miss Trench later in Dr. No and again in From Russia With Love.   Sylvia Trench was played by Eunice Gayson, who passed away in 2018 – the first Bond girl to pass away.  She played it well.