Steven Jay Rubin – The James Bond Movie Encyclopedia

Podcast Episode

Steven Jay Rubin – The James Bond Movie Encyclopedia

Join Dan and Tom as they talk with author Steven Jay Rubin. The 4th edition of his book,  The James Bond Movie Encyclopedia  released on November 17, 2020.

 

Join Dan and Tom as they talk with author Steven Jay Rubin. The 4th edition of his book,  The James Bond Movie Encyclopedia  released on November 17, 2020 – it’s fantastic!

We discuss the process of putting this book together, including his interviews of the Who’s Who of the Bond world; Albert R. Broccoli, Harry Saltzman, Peter Hunt, George Lazenby and many others.

You’ll hear some great behind-the-scenes stories!  Lots of fun!

If you are a James Bond fan, you will definitely enjoy the discussion! It’s a must-listen!

 

 

 

Related Content

In our discussion with Steven, we talk about:

  • Great Behind-the-Scenes and back stories
  • Talks about his interviews with Albert R. Broccoli, Harry Saltzman, Peter Hunt, George Lazenby and more
  • Details his research and approach to writing the new version of his The James Bond Movie Encyclopedia

Join the fun!  This is entertaining all the way through!

You can order Steven’s new book, The James Bond Movie Encyclopedia here.


More Episodes

From Russia With Love: The United States was far From Russia With Love in 1963 – Part One

How would you feel about a love affair between the US and Russia in 1963? Well, it wasn’t likely, as then the United States was as far as it could be, From Russia With Love. Join James Bond at his…

A Former CIA Spy Decodes Real vs Movie Spies!

Andrew Bustamante, an ex-CIA spy, talks with us about the differences between real spies and movie spies!

James Bond is Like Coca-Cola Which is Why for Bond, This is NO TIME TO DIE!

Join Dan and Tom as we explore No Time To Die and see why James Bond will survive his next mission, looking back at how changing the Coca-Cola formula in 1985 is similar to the formula change that is being…

Keep current! Join Our Email List

Keep up to date with our latest and greatest spy movie finds. (See our Privacy Policy)

Spy Movie News Article – Sept 15 2020: RED NOTICE, FIVE EYES, M:I 7, THE DUKE, TENET, NTTD

Related: Spy Movie News Sept 15 2020: RED NOTICE, FIVE EYES, M:I 7, THE DUKE, TENET, NTTD

Contributed by: Spy Movie Navigator

Posted on

Here’s our September 15 2020 edition of Spy Movie News with the latest updates on Mission: Impossible 7, Red Notice, Five Eyes, TENET, The Duke, NO TIME TO DIE, and some Idris Elba and spy industry news. 

MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE 7

  • Let’s start with some Mission: Impossible 7 news. We know that Tom Cruise has been in England on some rented land practicing stunts for the movie Mission: Impossible 7
  • From a Cinemablend.com article, Christopher Mcquarrie, the director says filming has started up again.  And he and released the photo that shows a huge ramp.  This will be used for a stunt with a motorcycle launching off this ramp which is probably 600 feet in the air. It’s something to see if you haven’t seen it yet.  
  • According to independent.co.uk, Mission: Impossible 7 filming in Norway.  Tom Cruise rented a £ 500,000 cruise liner. That’s about $645,000. And this is for the crew and the stars, to prevent further delays and to protect them from COVID-19. So this is clever.  Expensive but clever. Bravo, Tom Cruise you are Top Gun. 

RED NOTICE

  • The Netflix movie Red Notice has some news.  In March, shooting was postponed because of the COVID-19  pandemic. In August 2020 they announced the shooting would start back up in mid-September. So here we are.  According to cinemablend.com, it looks like they are back on the set.  They are being vigilant about making sure that anyone arriving back on the sets for filming is COVID-19 free through testing and so on. No other details were available, but Ryan Reynolds posted pics of him taking the COVID-19 test and said it was easy.
  • Good to hear Hollywood is being careful.

THE GRAY MAN

  • Speaking of Netflix, they’re investing 200 million dollars, according to theverge.com, on a movie based on Mark Greaney’s, “The Gray Man” series of books.  The movie will be about a former CIA agent who was an assassin, also called The Gray Man, starring Ryan Gosling and Chris Evans. And Chris Evans would be the CIA agent who’s on the hunt for The Gray Man.
  • Netflix hopes to build a franchise out of this first movie. We don’t know much else about the movie other than what was reported, but sounds a little like Bourne doesn’t it? Hey, no release date yet. Production should start next year. Check theverge.com for all the details.

Five Eyes

  • From deadline.com we see that German major Leonine has won the rights to the recently announced Jason Statham and Guy Ritchie spy thriller, Five Eyes.  This marks the first major deal to go down during Toronto’s virtual market. According to the article, in this spy thriller, Statham will play an MI 6 guns-and-steel agent recruited by the Global Intelligence Alliance,’ Five Eyes’.  His mission will be to track and stop the sale of a deadly weapon that threatens to disrupt the world order.  Reluctantly paired with a high tech CIA expert, he sets off on a globe-trotting mission to infiltrate a billionaire arms broker.
  • Principle photography is due to start in October 2020 in Europe. Additional casting is underway. 
  •  In a related article in collider.com, they say that Jason Statham and Guy Ritchie are teaming up again for Five Eyes. They say Statham’s character, the MI 6 agent, will be named Orson Fortune, who is paired with CIA agent Sarah Fidel. This is the fifth time Statham and Ritchie are working together.  And the article says, hey, this is an appropriate title then, Five Eyes. Oh wait, there are two of them. Shouldn’t the title be Ten Eyes? (groan)

WIFE OF A SPY

  • Yahoo has a review of the Kyoshi Kurosawa movie, Wife of a Spy, which premiered at the Venice International Film Festival. 
  •  The review makes it unclear if the movie is really a spy movie.  But there are bioweapons,  smuggled reels of surveillance footage, and forged letters.
  •  The author appeared to not want to give away the film, which of course, hey, that’s a good idea. 
  • This movie is seeking US distribution.

TENET

Here’s an update on TENET from Europe and the US.

  • Hollywoodreporter.com reports that while the domestic box office launch for Warner Brother’s TENET has widely been described as tepid, one analyst said he sees it as a good sign. “We actually view the results as encouraging and a positive indicator of demand. Given all of the COVID-19 headwinds.  That’s what B Riley, analyst Eric Wold wrote in a Monday report.
  • The analyst echoed Warner Brothers’ argument that it was a promising sign that TENET this weekend dropped just 29% from the 9.4 million earned during the September 4th through the 6th weekend. Even though that isn’t an apples-to-apples comparison since the film rolled over the long Labor Day weekend and is now playing in 100 more theaters.
  • According to deadline.com, one of the offshoots of the release of tenant has Warner Brothers, who has both TENET and Wonder Woman 1984, pushing Wonder Woman 1984 to a Christmas release.  Part of the speculation is that the original early October release might have competed with what Warner Brothers hopes will be an early October reopening of theaters in New York and Los Angeles. Warner Brothers will release TENET in those cities if they do open up.  They didn’t want to have Wonder Woman 1984 compete with it.
  • Also, 30% of the nation’s theater space in the US is still closed down due to the pandemic.  If TENET doesn’t open in New York in LA, Warner Brothers might not want to open another blockbuster to only 70% of the US market. In addition, the spot opened up once, the movie Top Gun: Maverick had its release pushed to July 2021. 
  • So what does this portend for the November 6th and 20th release in the US of Black Widow and NO TIME TO DIE respectively? Well in terms of NO TIME TO DIE,  in an article on express.co.uk, they’re wondering about the release date. In a compelling statement, they suggest that
  • Wonder Woman 1984 has moved from its October 2nd release to Christmas Day.
  • MGM’s Candyman has been delayed indefinitely from the same month to 2021
  • The same studio, MGM, has the movie NO TIME TO DIE, which is internationally distributed by Universal Pictures.

So what does this mean? Read their article for more info, but it does make one wonder!  And they point out we should take another look at the most recent movie poster release for NO TIME TO DIE. Anything about the date pop out? Check out their article.

IDRIS ELBA

  • Movieweb.com has an article on an upcoming espionage movie starring Idris Elba.  The movie is untitled, but will release on Apple TV plus.
  • So it isn’t James Bond, but Elba will have another spy movie leading role. 
  •  Not much else has been said about the movie other than it’s being called a “spy movie with romance” and is set in Africa.

Let’s hope it’s not a romance movie like director John Woo called Mission: Impossible II. Let’s also hope it’s a better movie than Mission: Impossible II.

JAMES BOND, LIFE AFTER NO TIME TO DIE

  • Digitalspy.com has an article quoting Crazy Rich Asians star Henry Golding, saying that the next James Bond movie is an “opportunity for change, be it female, male, BI gay, straight, trans, Asian, Black, Latina.
  • He ducks the question of if he’s been approached for the role.

THE DUKE

  • We’ll end with a story about a movie that isn’t technically a spy movie.  But the story it tells had a slight influence on the first James Bond movie, Dr. No.  In our podcast on Dr. No, we talked about how EON Productions brought a bit of the real world into the movie.
  • In one scene when James Bond is in Dr. No’s lair, he passes a portrait,  “The Duke of Wellington” by Goya. He stops and takes a quick look.   That portrait in real life had been stolen from the National Gallery in London before the filming of the movie. EON Productions added that touch of reality.
  • At the Venice Film Festival, the movie The Duke, starring Helen Mirren, Matthew Goode, and Jim Broadbent, was shown.  The topic of that movie, the theft of the Duke of Wellington portrait. The movie has an expected UK release in 2021.

So that’s it for this edition of Cracking the Code of Spy Movie News.  Be sure to check out our website, SpyMovieNavigator.com, and our podcasts on your favorite podcast app,  we have a YouTube channel too.  Tell your friends about us.

We’ll catch you in the next edition of Spy Movie News.


Related Content

Spy Movie News Sept 15 2020: RED NOTICE, FIVE EYES, M:I 7, THE DUKE, TENET, NTTD

Listen to our September 15 2020 edition of Spy Movie News with latest updates on Mission Impossible 7, Red Notice, Five Eyes, Tenet, The Duke, No Time to Die - and some Idris Elba and spy industry news!

NO TIME TO DIE Sept. 3, 2020 Trailer – Analysis & Perspective!

Podcast Episode

NO TIME TO DIE Sept. 3, 2020 Trailer – Analysis & Perspective!

Join Dan and Tom and Vicki as they dive into the new No Time to Die trailer released September 3, 2020!  

 

Join Dan and Tom and Vicky as they dive into the new No Time to Die trailer released September 3, 2020!

The focus is “perspective” and how that works when dealing with “good” and “bad” here in the film, and how that could be handled.

So tune in now!

More Episodes

DIE ANOTHER DAY – Pre-Title Sequence Decoded!

Your field operatives, Dan and Tom, decode the DIE ANOTHER DAY pre-title sequence. Tom hates the movie, but does the pre-title work?

007 Science: Inside the World of James Bond

Dan and Tom look at the newly opened exhibit at the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry - “007 Science: Inside the World of James Bond”.

GOLDFINGER – Pre-Title Sequence Decoded!

Join Dan, Tom and Vicky as we dig for the gold in the pre-title sequence of GOLDFINGER!

Keep current! Join Our Email List

Keep up to date with our latest and greatest spy movie finds. (See our Privacy Policy)

James Bond Podcasts

Here are our podcasts associated with James Bond Movies. Click on the audio player to hear the podcast!

Or go to your favorite podcast app (links on left on PC or below on mobile) and subscribe to Cracking the Code of Spy Movies.

THUNDERBALL – A Deep Dive – Part 1

Podcast Episode

THUNDERBALL – A Deep Dive – Part 1

Join Dan and Tom as they take a deep dive into the James Bond 1965 film, THUNDERBALL, starring Sean Connery, Claudine Auger, Adolfo Celi.

A Listener: “Really Loved it!  You guys do a Good Job Explaining the film in Detail I even love Tom talking about the original No Time to Die in the UK in 1958 wow!!!!”

Join Dan and Tom as they take a deep dive into the James Bond 1965 film, THUNDERBALL, starring Sean Connery, Claudine Auger, Adolfo Celi.

THUNDERBALL was originally slated to be the first James Bond movie.   Dan and Tom dive into things that surround key scenes, and events that really happened in the world that influenced this film, including the 1958 movie, THE SILENT ENEMY.

Join the fun in Cracking the Code of THUNDERBALL – some interesting reveals! Part 1 of a 2-part podcast.

Related Content

In this James Bond 007, Thunderball podcast, we examine:

  • The intriguing title of a 1958 movie with human ties to Thunderball
  • How a switch to Panavision got Sean Connery into the Gunbarrel Sequence
  • Fake Funerals?  Where else have we seen them?
  • The role of the 1958 movie The Silent Enemy and its impact on Thunderball
  • Water, water everywhere – The role of water in Thunderball
  • Who is William Fairchild?
  • What happened to Tom Jones at the end of his performance of the theme song?
  • Nudes in the title sequence
  • SPECTRE’s heritage
  • How a real train robbery finds fame in THUNDERBALL
  • Doubles in other movies
  • Nuclear bombs lost in real life?
  • And more …

More Episodes

Gadgets – ON HER MAJESTY’S SECRET SERVICE and LIVE AND LET DIE – Can you Believe It?

Join Tom and Dan & special guest host Vicki Hodges (from the UK) as we discuss the gadgets in ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE and LIVE AND LET DIE - and some Bond movie locations that have been visited and…

What makes FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE So Good?

What makes FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE So Good? Listen as Dan and Tom call out the top 10 reasons to answer this question.

Character Spotlight: Rosa Klebb played by Lotte Lenya in FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE

Join Dan and Tom as they shine the character spotlight on Rosa Klebb, played by Lotte Lenya in the James Bond movie, FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE.

Keep current! Join Our Email List

Keep up to date with our latest and greatest spy movie finds. (See our Privacy Policy)

No Time To Die is now scheduled for a November 2020 release, after the April 2020 delay due to the worldwide pandemic.  

Plenty of speculation of what will happen in the film – we have about 6 podcasts out on No Time To Die already!  The biggest
question is:  What will happen to Bond?   Will he survive?  Die? Be Dying?  Will someone big, who we are used to, die?

James Bond has been around since Ian Fleming first published “Casino Royale” in 1953.   He has been on television with Barry Nelson playing an American version of Jimmy Bond, in the 1954 production of Casino Royale.  The first actor to play Bond on screen.   Then Eon Productions took over striking a deal with Fleming to produce James Bond movies, and Dr. No was the first one they produced, released in 1962. It was an immediate hit.    About $1 million to produce, and it grossed over $59 million!

Eon continued to produce James Bond movies, and No Time To Die will be their 25th film in the franchise. Over the decades, they grossed at the box office over $7 billion.  And then there are licensing fees, DVD and Blue Ray sales and more that bring in revenue.

The formula, although changed gradually over the decades, has worked well for Eon Productions.   It has made them a lot of money, has gained them tons of recognition around the world, and continues to be a juggernaut.   Skyfall (2012), their 23rd movie, grossed over $1 billion at the box office.   And Spectre, in 2015, grossed over $878 million dollars.   So, this franchise is strong and continues to grow in popularity and in making money.   Which is a good thing.

So, now we have No Time to Die, the 25th entry, scheduled.   And speculations abound.  Many serious reports that Bond will survive, and others that he will die.   Now, if you are Eon Productions, which has successfully tweaked Bond’s character over the decades, reducing his misogynist tendencies and womanizing, and make him more in tune with the brave new world.  

And, as of the last film, Spectre (not one of the fans’ favorite films in general), they still grossed over $879 million. Not bad, right?

 

You’re in a meeting with Eon.  Where should the franchise head?

So, now suppose you are sitting in one of the Eon meetings where they are deciding what to do next.   Are you raising your hand saying, “I think what is best for the business is if we kill off Bond in our next release?”

Well, if not you, who?  Danny Boyle?  And what is the argument?

“I think in Bond 25, we should kill off Bond and start afresh with a new 007 – perhaps a woman.   It would fit the social narrative of our cultures now, and we can gain a large part of the female audience that we lack so much now.   The male audience will continue to come to see the “Bond” movies because they are used to it and will want to see how the new 007 develops. We can merchandise lots of clothing and other items around the new 007 who is female.   We won’t lose out massive Bond audience if we do this right.”

What happens if you’re wrong?

Well.   What if you DO lose your audience – your multi-billion-dollar business might be competing with Charlies’ Angels instead of dominating the spy movie world.   What happens if the new 007 is NOT accepted?  IF people want Ian Fleming’s Bond still around – after all, THAT is the whole basis of the James Bond franchise – the original Ian Fleming manuscripts.

 Yes – James Bond has changed over the decades as we have said. He is becoming more of a good social citizen.   But we must remember, a spy by nature is two-faced.   When we talked to Roberto Schaefer, Director of Photography for Quantum of Solace, he said as much.   A spy is something else in the known world and an undercover assassin in the dark underworld.   So, how much do we want him to change IN the dark underworld where his business takes him? Do we want a completely different spy? A nicer spy in this dark world?  

Then what?

Basically, what else do we demand to be changed in the character of James Bond?   Let’s make a list.

  1. He is still too much a misogynist.  So, we must get rid of that.
  2. He still does not have enough respect for women.  So, we must change that
  3. He has been a cold-hearted killer.   Shooting and killing people who are unarmed, like Professor Dent on Dr. No.  We can’t have that.
  4. Bond knows how to do everything.  He can fly any craft, drive any vehicle, get out of any jam, disarm bombs – is anyone THAT good?  He needs to be more realistic. 
  5. And on what an agent makes, how can Bond afford the best clothes, the best food and drink, the best of everything?  MI6 isn’t paying for all that stuff, are they? Unrealistic.   Need a more grounded agent – grounded in the real world.

And if we change all of this in Bond, no one will accept this new iteration of Bond.   So, maybe we switch to a whole new spy.  A female “Bond-like” character.

This is all possible. With the delay of No Time to Die, we have more time to speculate. 

Our thoughts

Now, if it were SpyMovieNavigator making this decision, we would do one of two things.

Leave Bond alone.  People for decades have been loving James Bond in the movies, so leave him alone.
Sure, tweak some things as you have done in the past.   The faithful audience can accept that people, even spies, change over time.    And James Bond in the movies, HAS changed over time, and the last couple of Bond movies were the highest-grossing box office Bond films ever.   So, there is plenty of reason to stay the course.

If you are going to introduce another MI6 agent to take Bond’s place – a complete replacement – then do it as an experiment.  Do NOT kill off Bond.  Ian Fleming left us hanging at the end of his novel, “From Russia With Love, not knowing if Bond would survive the poison unleashed upon him by Klebb.   In No Time to Die, do a similar thing then, if you must.  Leave us hanging.

If you KILL off Bond, and the new agent replacement for 007 is NOT accepted, what do you do?   Now, if this were science fiction, you have no problem.   Because no one ever dies in science fiction.  You can write anyone back into the next script. 

But this is not science fiction.

Where have we seen this before?

But wait.   Sir Arthur Conan Doyle did it with Sherlock Holmes!  Sherlock Holmes died in “The Adventure of the Final Problem”, after falling off Reichenbach Falls.  Sherlock Holmes.  Dead.   And fans did not like it!  They were outraged!

So, after pressure from his publisher and the public, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle “brought back” Sherlock Holmes in “The Hound of the Baskervilles”, which was
a prequel to Holmes’ death in “The Final Problem”. So, he really was not brought back from the dead.   Yet.
They COULD do the same with Bond. Bring back Bond, if the new non-Bond 007 is a flop – in a series of prequels.  

But Sir Arthur Conan Doyle finally did bring Holmes back to life, in a series of short stories, “The Return of Sherlock Holmes”.

So, maybe EON Productions can bring back James Bond in a similar manner.   He dies, let’s say, in No Time to Die.  The movie-going public is outraged and rejects the new 007 in the next film released.   A board meeting.   Eon decides, we must bring Bond back.  And, they fabricate a screenplay that does just that.  It is possible.

And would the public accept it?  Yes, of course!  They did for Sherlock Holmes and they will for Bond!  

And that takes us to … To die or not to die?  That is the question . . . that may not matter!

So, it seems:

  1. If Eon Productions kills off Bond in No Time to Die, they could probably bring him back to life somehow in a future movie, that is either a prequel or he is resurrected and is alive again to “Die Another Day.”  Or, perhaps the new 007 is even more popular than James Bond, and he remains dead as long as the money is rolling in. 
  2. If they leave us hanging, with Bond appearing to die, or dying at the end, then Eon could easily choose to do what they want next.
  3. If Bond survives, then life goes on.  And so does the Bond franchise.

So, it looks like Eon Productions can do whatever they want in No Time to Die, and all will be fine for them.   Sure, some rough waters could be ahead, but they can always return to calm seas.  

For us James Bond 007 fans, let’s see what they do.  But, whatever they do, let’s just chill out.  In fiction, where you write it and it is done, anything can happen. 

 

 

 

 


Related Content

Cracking the Code of the No Time To Die Oscar’s trailer

We're Cracking the Code of the NO TIME TO DIE trailer aired during the 92nd Academy Awards on February 9th, several new things are revealed.

James Bond is Like Coca-Cola, Which Is Why For Him, This Is No Time to Die

In 1985 Coca-Cola changed their formula for Coke. Is James Bond like Coca-Cola? He we see why, for him, this is No Time to Die.

No Time To Die Trailer Discussion – A Quick-Fire Look

Join Tom and Dan in Cracking the Code of Spy Movies! Here we take a Quick-Fire look at the December 2019 trailer for No Time To Die and speculate as to what it all means.

In NO TIME TO DIE, It IS Time for Somebody To Die!

Today we look at the strengths and weaknesses of some of the speculative scenarios that are possible directions for EON to take on the James Bond movie, No Time to Die. What are the potential character plot twists that might…

NO TIME TO DIE Official Game Day Spot 2020 – Trailer Discussion!

Dan and Tom examine the latest James Bond, NO TIME TO DIE trailer basically frame by frame, and look for clues as to what changes might be coming, and the nuances of the shots included in the trailer, compared with…

No Time To Die Oscars Trailer Reaction!

Join Dan and Tom as they dive into the latest James Bond, No Time To Die trailer that appeared as an ad on the Oscars, February 9, 2020!

No Time To Die Title Song by Billie Eilish – Reactions & Lyrics Analysis

Watch the Video Version of this podcast Join Dan and Tom as they dive into the lyrics of the title song for No Time To Die by Billie Eilish! James Bond is returning!

Part 2: A Talk with QUANTUM OF SOLACE Director of Photography, Roberto Schaefer, ASC, AIC

Podcast Episode

Part 2: A Talk with QUANTUM OF SOLACE Director of Photography, Roberto Schaefer, ASC, AIC

Join Dan and Tom as they spend a couple of hours with Roberto Schaefer, Director of Photography for Quantum of Solace! This is Part 2 of a 2 part podcast with Roberto!

Join Dan and Tom as they spend a couple of hours with Roberto Schaefer, Director of Photography for Quantum of Solace!  Roberto has been the Director of Photography on some great films, including Finding Neverland, Monster’s Ball, Stay and many other great films.

In Part 2, we talk with Roberto about the team that makes a movie, a dive deeper into Quantum of Solace with some reveals(!) and lots more!  This is Part 2 of a 2-part podcast with Roberto!

Related Content

In this episode, we discuss the following topics with Roberto Schaefer, ASC, AIC:

  • Roberto’s favorite locations for Quantum of Solace
  • The interaction between the various crew teams and what must work to make a movie
  • How chase scenes were handled in Quantum of Solace (especially the Palio scene)
  • The impact of Goldfinger in the making of Quantum of Solace
  • Roberto’s long history of working with director Marc Forster
  • What he filmed that he was disappointed to see on the cutting room floor in Quantum of Solace
  • What Roberto is doing today
  • And more …

 


More Episodes

The Ian Fleming Foundation – Doug Redenius Interview

We talk to Doug Redenius, one of the founders of The Ian Fleming Foundation. They procure James Bond memorabilia, especially the vehicles.

Gadgets in James Bond’s THUNDERBALL Decoded!

Join Dan, Tom and Vicky diving into the gadgets in THUNDERBALL!

Hitchcock spy movie techniques with Tony Lee Moral

We talk with the author of the new book "The Young Alfred Hitchcock's Movie Making Masterclass" and discuss how Hitchcock made spy movies.

Keep current! Join Our Email List

Keep up to date with our latest and greatest spy movie finds. (See our Privacy Policy)

A Talk with QUANTUM OF SOLACE Director of Photography, Roberto Schaefer, ASC, AIC – Part 1

Podcast Episode

A Talk with QUANTUM OF SOLACE Director of Photography, Roberto Schaefer, ASC, AIC – Part 1

Join Dan and Tom as they spend a couple of hours with Roberto Schaefer, ASC, AIC - Director of Photography for Quantum of Solace!  Roberto has been the Director of Photography on some great films, including Finding Neverland, Monster's Ball, Stay and many other great films.    This is Part 1 of a 2-part podcast.

Join Dan and Tom as they spend a couple of hours with Roberto Schaefer, ASC, AIC – Director of Photography for Quantum of Solace!  Roberto has been the Director of Photography on some great films, including Finding Neverland, Monster’s Ball, Stay and many other great films.

In Part 1, we talk with Roberto about the role of Director of Photography, his work on Quantum and lots more!  This is Part 1 of a two-part podcast with Roberto!

Related Content

In this episode, we discuss the following topics with Roberto Schaefer, ASC, AIC:

  • How Roberto got the call to be Director of Photography on Quantum of Solace
  • What a Director of Photography does
  • How second units work in general and in Quantum of Solace
  • The prep work involved for Quantum of Solace was
  • How the British crews are different than American crews
  • How Roberto got his start
  • Roberto’s thoughts on working for Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson
  • His role in the last shot of Finding Neverland
  • The significance of the transitions in Stay
  • The role of Digital in the making of Quantum of Solace
  • And more …

More Episodes

The Hildebrand Rarity and Licence to Kill – Milton Krest

Ian Fleming’s "The Hildebrand Rarity" brought us Milton Krest. Dan and Tom discuss how Krest was transferred to the movie LICENCE TO KILL.

Gadgets in The Man With The Golden Gun and The Spy Who Loved Me

Join Dan and Tom as they take a look at the gadgets in THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN (TMWTGG) and THE SPY WHO LOVED ME (TSWLM).

DR. NO – James Bond’s Critical Choices at end Decoded!

Dan and Tom break down James Bond’s end game choices from his holding cell to the boat in which he and Honey flee in DR. NO.

Keep current! Join Our Email List

Keep up to date with our latest and greatest spy movie finds. (See our Privacy Policy)

Team Fukunaga and Waller-Bridge – Will This NO TIME TO DIE Team Work?

Podcast Episode

Team Fukunaga and Waller-Bridge – Will This NO TIME TO DIE Team Work?

Join Dan and Tom as they dive into how Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Cary Fukunaga team up with two different backgrounds on NO TIME TO DIE. Will this team work?

Join Dan and Tom as they dive into how and if screenwriter Phoebe Waller-Bridge and director Cary Fukunaga will work together on No Time To Die.    Two very different backgrounds have to merge together to create some magic – or will they?

Related Content

Bringing in Phoebe Waller-Bridge into the James Bond 25th film, No Time To Die in the Spring of 2019 was a recommendation by Daniel Craig from what we can gather.

  • Waller-Bridge, joining the other writers and Cary Fukunaga was a bold move.   There were many theories as to why this was done, and in this episode, we look at a few.
  • Also examined is the apparent differences in styles of Waller-Bridge and Cary Fukunaga, and backgrounds
  • Time is spent on how this teaming can work – or will it work?

More Episodes

International James Bond Trivia Marathon – Nov 14 2020

Join Steven Jay Rubin, author of the newly released The James Bond Movie Encyclopedia in this international James Bond Trivia Marathon! 

James Bond is to Spies What Sherlock Holmes is to Detectives

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Ian Fleming created some of the best known literary characters this world has ever known. Both Sherlock Holmes and James Bond made the leap from the pages of novels and short stories to the big…

You Only Live Twice – Scene and Title Song Analysis

Join Dan, Tom & Vicky in a scene analysis of YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE with connections to other movies and a lyrics analysis too!

Keep current! Join Our Email List

Keep up to date with our latest and greatest spy movie finds. (See our Privacy Policy)

Eastern Importations and Amnesia

Here we meet the quirky Major Hammond as he is arrested.  We don’t get his name in this scene, but we learn it soon afterward.  Additionally, we believe two items in this scene (Eastern Importations Company and Major Hammond’s amnesia) have influenced future spy books and movies. We examine these two items below:

  • Eastern Importations Company – This is the sign on the door of the place where the police first meet Major Hammond.  This isn’t Hammond’s company and we don’t learn specifically why he was there.  However, we do learn this was a place that he was investigating, but don’t get the specifics.  We don’t see why this place had any significance to him other than this is where he got hit in the head.
    • Similarly, Ian Fleming used Universal Export for the first time in his 2nd book, “Live and Let Die” as a cover company for the 00’s.  However,  we must note that “Export” was singular, not plural.  In the books and especially in the movies, “Exports” changes from singular to plural.  The movie Dr. No uses the plural form of “Exports”.  However,  On Her  Majesty’s Secret Service uses the singular “Export”.
    • So, did Ian Fleming get his idea of using “Universal Exports” from Q Planes “Eastern Importations”?
  • Amnesia – Major Charles Hammond is acting quirky here. He stays a bit quirky throughout the movie but does seem confused or out of it in this scene.
    • Did a blow to the head give Major Hammond amnesia?
    • Is this a precursor to Jason Bourne and his amnesia?

RELATED CONTENT

The Lost and Overlooked Bonds

Contributed by: Daniel Silvestri and Tom Pizzato of SpyMovieNavigator.com

Posted on

James Bond has been big for decades!  Spies still rule movies, and James Bond still rules spies!  There have been six actors who have played James Bond so far in the EON Production James Bond 007 movies.  Hundreds of articles and polls rank these actors as to who is the best, with rankings from one to sixThere is some consensus that people like Sean Connery the best.  Daniel Craig is ranked highly as well And, there are those who love Pierce Brosnan, and others who adore Roger Moore. Many times, what influences a person’s rankings or favorite Bond is the era in which they grew up. If you grew up with Pierce, then a lot of people like Pierce and so on. As a result, that means that there are two who are the lost and overlooked Bonds. 

We would like to concentrate on these “forgotten” Bonds. Namely, George Lazenby from On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, and Timothy Dalton from The Living Daylights  and Licence to Kill 

Is George Lazenby – A lost and Overlooked Bond?

George Lazenby wearing a tux - headshotOn Her Majesty’s Secret Service is just one of the best Bond stories Fleming ever wroteAnd while bringing it to film, EON Productions stuck very closely to the Fleming text. George’s only acting experience had been in television commercials.  Still, he landed the role after Sean Connery decided to leave the franchise.

The Criticism

There is a loof criticism swirling about that George Lazenby was a poor Bond, that his acting was terrible, that his characterization of Bond was weak. However, we think that this is misguided.  In our opinion, George is one of the lost and overlooked Bonds who deserves more credit than he gets.  We think George did a wonderful job as Bond.  He was surrounded by an outstanding cast spearheaded by Diana Rigg (Tracy di Vincenzo) and Gabriele Ferzetti (Draco, Tracy’s father)The movie was well done.  It has great cinematography and wonderful locations selected in Portugal and Switzerland 

George Lazenby’s Talent

George Lazenby was a believable, emotional, real-person Bond: much like Fleming wrote Bond. For example, look at the scene  at Draco’s birthday party at the bull ring.  Bond follows Tracy down the stairs and speaks with her just outside the bull ring.  Lazenby’s acting is just spot-on, he’s a believable guy. He’s a guy, not just a spy guy.  

James Bond (George Lazenby) and Tracy (Diana Rigg) in the barn

 

And when Bond and Tracy are hiding in the barn, and Bond asks Tracy to marry him. We think this is just a perfect scene – well played.  Diana Rigg certainly elevates the emotions and acting here.

 

George Lazenby as James Bond - see his expression when he looks at Tracy's dead body

 

In the last scene, he is cradling his dead wife in his arms in the car after she is killed.  George is just outstandingWe believe is a very real Bond.  He’s a very believable spy who is also a human being.  Lazenby gives a very consistent portrayal of Bond throughout this production. 

 

Our Thoughts On George Lazenby

Lazenby should have continued to do more Bond films, but he received advice from agents or friends that he should move onAnd he didThat is too bad because we think he would have been better and better as Bond, and a very solid contribution to the history of the franchiseGeorge Lazenby, at the time of this writing, is still active.  He participated in the 50th Anniversary of On Her Majesty’s Secret Service celebration held in Portugal and Switzerland in 2019, and is active on Twitter at https://twitter.com/lazenbyofficial 

We truly believe that George Lazenby is one of the lost and overlooked Bonds.  That is unfortunate because we really liked his performance in the role.

Is Timothy Dalton – a lost and overlooked Bond?

Timothy Dalton wearing a tux - headshotAfter Roger Moore left the Bond franchise having done seven James Bond films, Timothy Dalton stepped in as the next James Bond, for the 1987 film, The Living DaylightsHis take on the role was to bring back the Fleming-esque elements of Bond – the blunt instrument of the government – the tough, rough assassin who is dedicated to Queen and Country.   The transition from a very light Bond portrayed by Roger Moore, with a more tongue-in-cheek approach, lots of funny quips, more humor than we have seen ion any other Bond – to Timothy Dalton’s Bond was like Evel Knievel leaping across Grand Canyon on a motorcycle – a huge challenge.   

In short, after seven Bond films with Moore, the viewing public might not have been ready for this take on Bond. Dalton played a very serious James Bond – with few quips, few smiles, and a very hard-nosed focus on getting the job done, and in a way that was a very believable approach to how a spy in the real-world night workThe missions were more down-to-earth too: transporting a defecting spy from the Russians to the British in The Living Daylights, and capturing a South American drug lord in Licence to Kill.  This is stuff that really happens in the real world – not dealing with some demented, super-megalomaniacal enemy who wants to rule the world. Although in real life we have some instances of that.    

We like that “normal” approach to the spy world – which is more realistic.  However, we have enjoyed the world domination theme as well in the other films 

With Dalton, you can see several things which stand out in his acting: 

Facial Expressions

For instance, his facial expressions are exactly that – they express a lot to the viewer in just a few short seconds.  This is very difficult to doSome great examples of this are: 

    • In The Living Daylights:

Timothy Dalton looking for revenge after Saunder's death • Saunders gets killed and Bond runs to his side. A balloon blows in with “Smiert Spionom” written on it.  Dalton’s angry face says it all – he will retaliate.  

• Similarly, during the entire scene with Pushkin in the hotel room where Bond is threatening him with his gun.  Dalton has perfect facial expressions and body movement. 

    • In Licence to Kill:

Timothy Dalton's expression when looking at Della after her death 

When Bond finds Della’s body 

 

 

And then finds Felix in the body bag – his face just says it all – terrific acting.

 

 • His facial expression when M is talking to Bond at the Hemingway House, revoking his license to kill is top-notch.

• When Bond tells Sanchez about potential traitors and Sanchez says he was right and got the guy, and Bond says, “Only one?”  Again, lots of potential dialogue delivered in a couple of words and great facial communications which substitutes for more linePerfect.

In the scene where Sanchez dies.  Bond is wounded and bleeding.  Sanchez, after saying “You could have had it all” goes up in flames. Examine Bond’s face – you feel the pain, you feel the tension.   

Body Movement

Similarly, Timothy Dalton’s body movements are spot on.  In other words, he walks, he fights, and he runs just like what we think a normal human being would be like 

    • In Licence to Kill:
      • When Bond is walking with Hawkins through Mallory Square in Key West on the way to the Hemingway House to meet M. Bond which Bond did not know that’s where they were going at the time.  However,  he moves like a normal personNatural, walking, and walking. 
      • And, when he’s on the boat with Sharkey going to Wavecrest’s warehouse and research center – again, great facial expressions, and great, natural body movement. 
      • And, when he gets off the boat at the Barrelhead Bar in Bimini – again, perfect movement, perfect facial expressions, and inside the bar, his face says it allSo powerful.
    • In The Living Daylights, as above, with the Pushkin scene Dalton’s body movement is just what you think it should be. And, as you’re watching, you do not think about it. This is the pointThis entire scene is Dalton at his bestLove it! 

Our Thoughts On Timothy Dalton

These are just a few examplesDalton did a great job as Bond and we wish he would have done more Bond moviesFor a variety of reasons it was not to be.  This was partially due to delays in the next release (6 years).  Some licensing issues and rumors that lower box office numbers had something to do with it.  But, Dalton himself says, they approached him to do GoldenEye. However, they wanted a 5 movie deal.  As a result, Dalton thought that would be the rest of his life and turned them down.   See this article in Esquire where he talks about this very point.   

In our opinion, Timothy is the other lost and overlooked Bonds who deserves more credit than he gets.

Bravo Gentlemen

In short, these overlooked and mostly forgotten Bonds deserve an honored place in Bond movie folklore, performance, and durabilityThey have survived the years, and more people now think that their work should be appreciated as part of the James Bond 007 movie franchise 

Therefore, we salute both George Lazenby and Timothy Dalton as rightful Bonds! 

What do you think?

Drinking with Bond – Literally!

Podcast Episode

Drinking with Bond – Literally!

Join Dan and Tom and they literally mix some Bond cocktails as they discuss the wide variety of drinks of James Bond in the Ian Fleming novels.

Join Dan and Tom and they literally mix some Bond cocktails as they discuss the wide variety of drinks that James Bond 007 imbibes in throughout the Ian Fleming’s James Bond novels.

Old fashioneds? Irish coffee?  Stingers?  Join them in Cracking the Code of the James Bond drinks in the Ian Fleming novels!  Have a Bondian cocktail along with them as you listen safely from home!

Related Content

How many of these drinks from the James Bond novels have you tried?  We discuss them all, letting you know how to mix your own:

  • Vodka Martini
  • Vesper Martini
  • Whisky
  • Bourbon
  • Champagne
  • Negroni
  • Americano
  • Irish Coffee
  • Stinger
  • Old Fashioned

More Episodes

NO TIME TO DIE Sept. 3, 2020 Trailer – Analysis & Perspective!

Watch the Video Version of this podcast Join Dan and Tom and Vicki as they dive into the new No Time to Die trailer released September 3, 2020!  

In Defense of Quantum of Solace

Dan and Tom provide a defense of the James Bond movie Quantum of Solace, looking at the pros and cons of this movie.

Dr. No’s Impact On The James Bond Franchise

How did DR. NO impact the James Bond movie franchise? To celebrate DR. NO's 60th anniversary, we dive into the movie to answer that question.

Keep current! Join Our Email List

Keep up to date with our latest and greatest spy movie finds. (See our Privacy Policy)

C2E2 Show Chicago: What Do Real Spy Movie Fans Think?

Podcast Episode

C2E2 Show Chicago: What Do Real Spy Movie Fans Think?

In our new segment, Opinions of Real Spy Movie Fans, we talk to a bunch of real people who attended C2E2 about what spy movies they like!

Tom and Dan head down to the Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo in Chicago to try to find some real spy movie fans!

In our new segment, Opinions of Real Spy Movie Fans, we talk to a bunch of real people who talk about what spy movies they like!

NOTE: No Time To Die release has been postponed until November 2020.  At the time of this recording, it was scheduled for April 2020.

Related Content

More Episodes

Reel Art Collectibles – Movie Collectibles Galore!

Watch the Video Version of this podcast Join Dan and Tom as they go On Location to a fabulous movie collectibles shop and warehouse and interview the owner, Cory Glaberson, who has sold stuff to some high-profile people around the…

All About Spy Movies – SpyMovieNavigator

Find out what we are doing at SpyMovieNavigator.com and how we are building a Worldwide Community of Spy Movie Fans! Dan Silvestri and Tom Pizzato explain the roots of SpyMovieNavigator and how this whole thing got started, and how we…

Cracking the Code of Spy Movies’ Fourth Anniversary Show – 2023!

Join Dan and Tom on their fourth anniversary show! We celebrate the four years of SpyMovieNavigator.com and Cracking the Code of Spy Movies!

Keep current! Join Our Email List

Keep up to date with our latest and greatest spy movie finds. (See our Privacy Policy)

All That Glitters – the Gold in Goldfinger – Part 2

Podcast Episode

All That Glitters – the Gold in Goldfinger – Part 2

Join Tom and Dan for part 2 as they go gold mining for the unique elements and special highlights of Goldfinger, and how other spy movies and real-world events affected Goldfinger, in the James Bond podcast, All That Glitters – the Gold in Goldfinger!

From a listener: “You’re the men with the midas touch, engaging & fun, as always!” – Eddie

GOLDFINGER was one of producer Cubby Broccoli’s favorite Bond films – top 3 of the 17 he produced.

Join Tom and Dan as they go gold mining for the unique elements and special highlights of Goldfinger, and how other spy movies and real-world events affected Goldfinger, in the James Bond podcast, All That Glitters – the Gold in Goldfinger!

This is Part 2 of a 2-part podcast!

Come join us on all of our podcasts as we’re Cracking the Code of Spy Movies!

Related Content

Goldfinger was one of the most loved James Bond movies of all time!
We have a 2-part podcast on Goldfinger, and here are the Episode Notes for Part 2.

Listen to All That Glitters – the Gold in GOLDFINGER – Part 1 and remember to Subscribe to our show, Cracking the Code of Spy Movies so that you are always up to date on new episodes!

Goldfinger Part 2 Episode Notes

  • “No. Mr. Bond I expect you to die,” three noteworthy facts, and history of real lasers! Do you know the laser was invented?   You will!
  • “My name is Pussy Galore” and Goldfinger’s Lockheed Jetstar discussions!
  • “A martini, shaken not stirred” fact!  Sean Connery fact!
  • “Operation Grand Slam “and Mob Bosses insights! Great Ken Adam set!
  • Mr. Solo heads to his pressing engagement insights! Oddjob in control!
  • The iron and metal yard where the Lincoln and Solo are crushed – key points
  • SpyMovieNavigator recently followed the route Oddjob takes, the Kentucky Friend Chicken where Leiter and Simmons are waiting to track Bond, and the iron and metal yard – we filmed them all (see videos) and discuss this too.
  • The Auric Stud Farm where Bond discovers Goldfinger’s real plans for Fort Knox
  • Rock A Bye Baby – The Baby is asleep assault on Fort Knox discussion
  • Bond versus Oddjob at Fort Knox talk? Who was injured filming this?
  • Bond to Washington, D.C. and Goldfinger plays his Golden harp talk!
  • How other  James Bond films relate past and future!

Listen to our other James Bond podcasts, from Dr. No to Billie Eilish and No Time To Die!


More Episodes

James Bond’s CASINO ROYALE (2006) Pre-Title Sequence Decoded!

Join us today as we take a gamble getting Daniel Craig’s first outing as Bond as we look at the pre-title and title sequence of Casino Royale!

The Hildebrand Rarity and Licence to Kill – Milton Krest

Ian Fleming’s "The Hildebrand Rarity" brought us Milton Krest. Dan and Tom discuss how Krest was transferred to the movie LICENCE TO KILL.

James Bond is Like Coca-Cola Which is Why for Bond, This is NO TIME TO DIE!

Join Dan and Tom as we explore No Time To Die and see why James Bond will survive his next mission, looking back at how changing the Coca-Cola formula in 1985 is similar to the formula change that is being…

Keep current! Join Our Email List

Keep up to date with our latest and greatest spy movie finds. (See our Privacy Policy)

No Time To Die Title Song by Billie Eilish – Reactions & Lyrics Analysis

Podcast Episode

No Time To Die Title Song by Billie Eilish – Reactions & Lyrics Analysis

Join Dan and Tom as they dive into the lyrics of the title song for No Time To Die by Billie Eilish! James Bond is returning!

Join Dan and Tom as they dive into the lyrics of the title song for No Time To Die by Billie Eilish!

Looking at the tune from the key it is written in & what the lyrics may portend for the film!   Let’s speculate together – join the fun!

Subscribe to our Cracking the Code of Spy Movies show and leave us a voice message about the song on our website!

 

Related Content

More Episodes

ON HER MAJESTY’S SECRET SERVICE – On Location – Road Where Tracy is Killed

Join Dan and Tom as go on the road to Portugal to find the spot where Tracy is killed in ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE.

His World Never Dies – The Evolution of James Bond – in movies

His World Never Dies: The Evolution of James Bond by Dave Holcomb - is a new book on James Bond which we found to be a nice read. Dave weaves a story on how Bond has evolved over the decades…

International James Bond Trivia Marathon – Nov 14 2020

Join Steven Jay Rubin, author of the newly released The James Bond Movie Encyclopedia in this international James Bond Trivia Marathon! 

Keep current! Join Our Email List

Keep up to date with our latest and greatest spy movie finds. (See our Privacy Policy)

Cracking the Code of the No Time To Die Oscar’s trailer

Related: NO TIME TO DIE:  Why You Cannot Kill Off James Bond.  Or could you?

Contributed by: Dan Silvestri and Tom Pizzato - Spy Movie Navigator

Posted on

Official Academy Awards TV Spot – released February 9, 2020

Podcast Available.

Join us as we’re Cracking the Code of Spy Movies – In the new No Time To Die trailer that aired as an ad during the 92nd Academy Awards on February 9th, several new things are revealed, so let’s take a quick look.

We’re just going to look at the differences in this new trailer versus the original trailer and the second Official Game Day Spot ad.

It begins with Bond and Swann in an embrace, and she whispers to him, “This is it.” And he echoes back, “This is it.”   Yes – we are left wondering WHAT is the IT, and why is it happening now?   But we do not know – they tell us no more.   Or do they?

Next, you see Bond standing in what looks like a hilltop graveyard.   There are mausaleum–type burial vaults in front of him – or is this a church and a churchyard?   The very next shot is Bond’s hand (yes it is Bond’s hand) – he is wearing a tan suit with a blue shirt while embracing Swann (you see the blue-collar above the jacket from the rear) and Bond is holding a note, with a crest on top, some indecipherable printing on the bottom, and the hand-written words: “Forgive Me”. And Bond is holding the note with his right hand and lights it afire with his left.

OK – this is big. WHO is the note from?   Is this another one of Bond’s loves gone bad, like in Casino Royale? Remember in Quantum of Solace when Mathis, while dying, tells Bond to forgive her (Vesper) and to forgive himself? Is this note along the same lines? Is it from Swann?   She did something that she now regrets, and wishes Bond’s forgiveness, much like Vesper? Or is the note from someone else?   Probably not from Safin – he seems to be the evil one.   Probably not from Blofeld. He predicted when her secret came out it would be the death of Bond (we think). From Felix Leiter? Did Felix betray Bond in this entire mission, setting him up? Wow – that WOULD CHANGE EVERYTHING.  This note is the most intriguing element in this entire 30-second trailer.   Whoever the author is will reveal a large chunk of the No Time To Die saga.

Let’s get back to the shot of Bond standing in the cemetery or churchyard.   He is looking down at what appears to be a tall burial vault, with what appears to be dried up flowers strewn on the ground in front of it – indicating the death and burial was not just moments ago. But when you blow the picture up, it looks like the flowers may be rather fresh – there are still visible heads on the flower stems.   WHO is buried here? Is Bond lamenting another loss of a key loved-one? Swann?

Again, in terms of arc, we know he lost Vesper in Casino Royale, and realized in Quantum of Solace, that Vesper did not betray him but died for him.   We do not know in this reboot if he has been married yet – to Tracy – from On Her Majesty’s Secret Service.   But, here Bond stands, with his hands at his sides, looking down, perhaps at an inscription, on the stone. Generally, when one stands with his or her hands at their sides, it means they are not going to fight – is Bond just giving in here, not fighting what has happened? Accepting it? Or is he destroyed by it?  He looks sad in this shot. His head is slightly cocked downwards. In body language, if a head is cocked downwards OFTEN is a sign of submission. IT can also mean, because you are exposing the hardest part of your head as animals do, that you expect a fight – but combined with your hands at your side, it may mean conflict. Like, “I want to give up but there is another battle ahead.” Which maybe is the conflict he has suffered the entire film, having been in retirement (stepping down or quitting) and then getting drawn back into the battle. Regardless, in this shot, Bond is feeling stressed, conflicted – it certainly is not boredom.   He may be anticipating something big that must still be done. Or it may indicate that he is truly finished – defeated. But . . . this is BOND!

Also notice in this shot, Bond’s left foot is slightly ahead of his right foot – sometimes that is just comfort, but sometimes it may indicate the direction in which you want to head – here, it could be into the grave of whoever is buried there – which may indicate he loved and misses this person so much. Wow – a lot in one shot!

Next, let’s look at still another verbal confrontation with Safin and Bond.   We remember in the first trailer Bond telling Safin, “History isn’t kind to men who play God.”

Here, we see a quick shot of Bond in a tux with people all around him – they almost look like that are backing out of the way to make room for Bond to walk through this crowd – most of the people look rather stern, but the woman on the right of the screen seems to be smiling (or is it sneering) looking strat at the back of his head – and Bond looks intense.

A second later, in this trailer, Safin says to Bond, “James Bond. I have made you redundant.”   That’s a British term that basically means, irrelevant, unnecessary, unneeded.   Like when someone gets fired from their job, the Brits say “your job has been made redundant.” It is a form of dismissal. So, in a powerful statement, Safin says this to Bond. But Bond quickly retorts, “Not as long as there are people like you in the world.” This indicates that Bond believes the fight must go on – again, we do not know the sequence of the actual clips (or if they are all really in the final cut). Was this after the graveyard scene? Before it? All this is important as well. Both Safin and Bond seem confident in their statements in this short clip. Notice Safin’s head is cocked backward, indicating confidence.   Bond’s is straight ahead – eyes blazing, shifting it in a “no” fashion when he says the words “not as long” – cocky and confident that he is right – that good will defeat evil in this world, and the fight will go on.

          

We see the words, again, THE 25TH FILM . . . WILL CHANGE . . . EVERYTHING. In between, THE 25th FILM . . . WILL CHANGE . . . we see a very short shot of a bare-chest Bond and what appears to be a clothed Swann, embracing – with a possible explosion in the distant background, and torches or lights burning closer to them. When in the sequence is this shot? Why is Bond bare-chested?   What IS going on in the background? The typical James Bond film ending with the villain’s lair blowing up and burning? We do not know.   But look closely at this image – at 21 seconds into the trailer.   What do you think it reveals?

Now we see the word EVERYTHING completing the prophecy that THE 25th FILM WILL CHANGE EVERYTHING statement.

Then a close-up of M, saying, “Come on Bond.” M seems concerned and wanting Bond to succeed. Then Bond and Nomi shoot out of the plane as we saw in the Official Game Day Spot trailer – in the glider with wings expanding after the craft is ejected from the plane.   Then the title No Time To Die again etc.   Wow!

Again, another teaser trailer doing exactly what it should do – make us speculate and wonder and want to see the film.!   Great job Eon Productions!

We have a podcast covering all of this as well so take a listen.   We have had out podcasts downloaded from 44 different countries so far! Join us in Cracking the Code of Spy Movies in all of our podcasts and videos, and on our website. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter and let us hear from you! We may include your comments on our show!


Related Content

NO TIME TO DIE:  Why You Cannot Kill Off James Bond.  Or could you?

With the upcoming release of NO TIME TO DIE, there are lots of rumors about what will happen in this movie and the direction EON Productions will take James Bond going forward. Check out our thoughts these issues.

No Time To Die Oscars Trailer Reaction!

Podcast Episode

No Time To Die Oscars Trailer Reaction!

Join Dan and Tom as they dive into the latest James Bond, No Time To Die trailer that appeared as an ad on the Oscars, February 9, 2020!

Join Dan and Tom as they dive into the latest No Time To Die trailer that appeared as an ad on the Oscars, February 9, 2020!

We examine the new scenes that are in the trailer and try to make sense of what is happening in each new scene and what it might mean for the entire film!

It’s a quick listen, so download it now!  And please subscribe to our Cracking the Code of Spy Movies channel through your favorite podcast app!

Click here to watch the trailer.

 

Related Content

In the No Time To Die Oscars Ad/Trailer podcast, we talk about the new scenes that they reveal to us:

  • Bond burning a note that is inscribed, “Forgive Me” and the implications of who might be the author of this note
  • Bond standing in front of a grave – we look at body language, implications, and whose grave it may be
  • Bond in a tux shot, with people seeming to part to get out of his way – but one woman is smiling
  • Shot of Safin telling Bond, “James Bond.  Your job has been made redundant.”  Explanation and implications
  • Bond addressing Safin in retort, “Not as long as there are people like you in the world.”  What is Bond thinking here?
  • The shot of Bond and Swann is analyzed – and what is going on in the background!

 

 


More Episodes

Gadgets in THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS and LICENCE TO KILL

Dan and Tom take a look at the gadgets in THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS and LICENCE TO KILL. These are the two Timothy Dalton James Bond movies.

THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH Pre-Title Sequence Decoded!

Is this a great pretitle sequence? Why is Bond in a Swiss bank? When is Cigar more than a cigar? Join us as we answer these questions & more.

James Bond’s OCTOPUSSY Pre-Title Sequence Decoded!

Join Dan, Tom and Vicky as they decode and take apart the pre-title sequence of Octopussy!

Keep current! Join Our Email List

Keep up to date with our latest and greatest spy movie finds. (See our Privacy Policy)

In NO TIME TO DIE, It IS Time for Somebody To Die!

Podcast Episode

In NO TIME TO DIE, It IS Time for Somebody To Die!

Today we look at the strengths and weaknesses of some of the speculative scenarios that are possible directions for EON to take on the James Bond movie, No Time to Die. What are the potential character plot twists that might unfold in No Time To Die? We'll look at Nomi, Bond, Leiter, and Swann.

We’ve watched the No Time To Die trailer a lot.  We are intrigued.  The photography, special effects, lighting – all so enticing and yet – not all that revealing.   Or is there something to be revealed here on several of the main characters?  This podcast is pure speculation!

FOCUS:  What are the potential character plot twists that might unfold in No Time To Die?   We’ll look at Nomi, Bond, Leiter, and Swann.

Today we are going to look at the strengths and weaknesses of some of the speculative scenarios that are possible directions for EON to take with No Time to Die.

So let’s speculate – and send us your speculations and insights through a voice message on our website, or message us on Facebook!  We might include your comments in our next show on the subject!!

Related Content

Tom Pizzato:                      00:02                     Hi, this is Tom Pizzato and Dan Silvestri from spymovienavigator.com — the worldwide community of spy movie fans – spy movie, podcasts, videos, discussions, and more. If you like our podcast, please give us a five-star rating on iTunes and Google Play. That helps us a lot like us on Facebook. Follow us on Twitter and on Instagram too. When you have feedback and idea for a podcast, something you want to say, just click the big red button on our website that says, “send us a voicemail” or send us a message from our Facebook page. We may include it on our show

Dan Silvestri:                     00:33                     In No Time to Die, it is time for somebody to die. We’ve watched the No Time to Die trailer a lot, we’re intrigued. The photography, special effects, lighting also enticing and yet not all that revealing or is there something to be revealed here on several of the main characters?

Tom Pizzato:                      00:55                     Now, pretty much the rest of this podcast is going to be pure speculation. We don’t know until April what happens, Dan. So, that said, we’re going to look at the strengths and weaknesses of some of the speculative scenarios and possible directions that EON might take with No Time to Die.

Dan Silvestri:                     01:12                     Yeah. And we’re going to look at what are the potential character plot twists here that might unfold in No Time to Die. We’re going to speculate with the rest of the world and let’s have some fun. So let’s go look at a few of the main characters here. That’s what we’ll do. Nomi, Bond, Leiter, and Swann. As we know, there is a ton of rumors and speculation flying about what will actually happen in No Time to Die. The world.

Tom Pizzato:                      01:39                     Beautiful thing about speculation, huh?

Dan Silvestri:                     01:41                     Yeah. The world is going nuts with this movie, so I think it’s going to be, it’s going to be a huge hit. They’ve done a great job of getting all of us to talk about this pretty much nonstop since the trailer came out. So we’re going to jump right in with the speculation too. And as Tom said before, send us your speculations. We’d love to hear your insights and speculations. Send us a voice message on our website, or message us through Facebook and we’ll include your comments in one of our future shows. That’ll be fun.

Dan Silvestri:                     02:11                     For Nomi, played by Lashana Lynch, of course, there has been the most speculation and we’re going to have some fun with that.

Dan Silvestri:                     02:19                     Four things can happen we think with Nomi: One) she could really be introduced as the next 007 and really replace James Bond going forward in the franchise.

Tom Pizzato:                      02:24                     Yeah Dan, How really likely is that?

Dan Silvestri:                     02:30                     That’s a good question. Well, she is introducing the trailer as we know as a double agent and she’s been gone for two years. We know she’s a badass. She’s already had to make two kills to get her double-O status.

Tom Pizzato:                      02:48                     I love, I love that requirement. It’s like you got to kill two people and then we make you licensed to kill.

Dan Silvestri:                     02:55                     Which is kind of weird but okay, so we know she’s, she’s already tough and then we hear her be a badass in the trailer when she tells bond though “the world has moved on commander bond. So stay in your lane. You get my way, I’ll put a bullet in your knee. The one that works.” I thought she’s fantastic. She delivers those lines with authority. Beautiful. So I think this reveals a lot about Nomi. A) she’s in control. You get in my way. So she’s got a way, she’s authorized to get her job done and does not want interference from Bond.

Tom Pizzato:                      03:36                     And it’s interesting Because Bond is used to getting things his way.

Dan Silvestri:                     03:39                     Yeah. So they’re already making her a very, very strong double-O. And B) she’s comfortable with her threat to put a bullet in his knee and would likely do it if she had to. I think she’d say, yeah, fine. You know what? Bam, there ya go. You little bastard. So wow. You know unlike Jersey numbers in sports that are sometimes retired for great athletes, maybe the 007 number is not retired just because Bond retires. So Nomi may be introduced as 007. That was a big rumor in the beginning. And of course, they didn’t tell you that in the trailer. But obviously, she’s not James Bond or the next James Bond. And Barbara Broccoli once said: I always feel that Bond is a male character. That is just a fact. We have to make movies about women and women’s stories, but we have to create female characters that are not just for a gimmick that turns a male character into a woman. And she took, she said that at the Bond 25 launch in Jamaica. So yeah, obviously 007, a woman, is not going to be James Bond. It’s like, okay, that’s pretty clear. And no matter, you know, Barbara Broccoli could say that all the time because that’s going to be true. You’re not going to have a female 007 as James Bond.

Tom Pizzato:                      05:02                     Okay, so, with that then Nomi is not going to be James Bond in our opinion then. Right?

Dan Silvestri:                     05:09                     Well, she’s not going to be James Bond. She could be 007 and she could replace James Bond. That’s what we’re speculating on here.

Tom Pizzato:                      05:16                     So this is one of the four areas of speculation.

Dan Silvestri:                     05:19                     The question is, will she be the franchise 007 agent in continuing 007 movies with no Bond or will James Bond return?

Tom Pizzato:                      05:31                     Well then that would lead us to speculation two, which would make the first one be absolutely impossible. Well, our speculation two then, the first one is that she becomes the next Bond. The second way to look at the next 007, replacing Bond. Then the next thing then would you know, you take the opposite of that. She could die in this movie.

Dan Silvestri:                     05:54                     We’re going to talk about that next. So Hey, here’s our second option: Nomi will die in this movie. Like Tom said. Okay, look, somebody has to die in this movie.

Tom Pizzato:                      06:05                     Well, why does somebody have to die? It’s No Time to Die. Nobody should be dying.

Dan Silvestri:                     06:09                     I know, but somebody is going to die and it’s going to be someone other than the character played by a Rami Malek, Safin. Is it Safin? I think that’s how you pronounce it. No one’s ever said it that I’ve heard. Somebody else is going to die. So could it be Swann? Could it be Nomi, it could be Felix. It’s happened before, obviously, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service his wife gets killed. He’s lost his love before, Bond. And we’ll talk about this a little bit later because he’s basically, Bond has had a tragic life. I mean, he’s got a pretty tough life, but let’s see. But maybe if it’s Nomi who will die, but wait, here’s our thought: EON Productions is going all-out to create this very powerful double-O agent in Nomi. And as Barbara Broccoli just said, as we just talked about, Hey, she wants to make movies about women and with strong women’s stories and so on. So that isn’t just a gimmick. So we think, look, you’re putting all this effort into No Time to Die for Nomi to be in this film as a strong double-O agent. EON has invested a lot into developing this female agent in the, in the modern world of advancing women’s causes and status and so on. So she gonna die. Ah, ah, yeah. I say probably not too.

Tom Pizzato:                      07:32                     All right. So we went with the thing that she replaces 007 she becomes a new 007. We then went to the speculation of she would die. So then what’s the third area of speculation we needed to tackle?

Dan Silvestri:                     07:46                     Well and I kind of like, I like these last two that Nomi will achieve equal status to James Bond in Bond films to come. This is what I think would be brilliant. And she’ll stay on as a powerful woman, double-O agent to maybe team up with Bond on cases in missions in the future or have parallel stories going on with Nomi and Bond in the same movie and teaming up at some point. This seems to be a very good idea to us at spymovienavigator.com and to us on our show here, Cracking the Code of Spy Movies. Why? It really is a perfect solution. Bring Bond back. Again they still have the issue that if he retired because of his age. As we said in the previous podcast, how do you bring them back? I mean, they do hint openly that he’s older and he’s been gone a while and so on here, but it’s the movies so they can bring them back. Right. Casino Royale was a reboot.

Tom Pizzato:                      08:44                     You know, they, they bring in new Bonds over time. So I mean they can do that

Dan Silvestri:                     08:48                     and look what they did with Casino Royale, you know, that was a reboot, but it wasn’t a reboot to 1962 it had modern technology.

Tom Pizzato:                      08:55                     It’s not just technology and also brought modern things. I know the game they’re playing, Texas Hold ’em, it’s not Chemin de fer.

Dan Silvestri:                     09:02                     That’s a good point. Yeah. So yeah, and with our willing suspension of disbelief is like, yeah, okay, we’re going to accept it and go with it. So we’re fine with that. We just love Bond. Judy Dench was still M again, you know, in the reboot and through Skyfall. So yeah, it could be done.

Tom Pizzato:                      09:25                     The weird thing to me about Judy Dench being M in the reboot. Is that the way they did this whole Daniel arc. With these stories going back to Casino Royale and then going forward with this whole series of related movies. You had nothing there about Tracy dying, about Tracy at all and her dying yet in previous Bond films, prior to Daniel, there were references made to the fact that he had a wife before.

Dan Silvestri:                     09:57                     Well, I’m going to give him a break here and say, Hey, this was a reboot and maybe these first four movies with Daniel Craig here are you know before that happened. So again, it’s the movies. They could do whatever the hell they want and we’ll eventually say, yeah, that’s okay. So anyway,

Tom Pizzato:                      10:17                     It’s EON Productions all bow down.

Dan Silvestri:                     10:20                     I mean, they’ve taken things out of order the whole time ever since they started with Dr. No. So with the order of the books versus the order of the movies with Quarrel getting killed in the Dr. No movie, the first movie. But, so anyway, we think this would be great though. You have two equal double-O agents that EON Productions can do whatever the heck they want with going forward. Wow. Yeah, I think that’s great.

Tom Pizzato:                      10:45                     I think that that, that’s a really good concept. So we’ve covered three of the four scenarios of what we think might have with Nomi. Let’s go ahead and get to the fourth one. And this one’s kind of Disney-like when you were talking to me about this one… You were talking about using Nomi and extending the double-O brand and creating a spinoff, which is different than what you were just talking about in the third scenario. Which is where they were like co-partners almost. It’s, you’re talking about in this fourth scenario, maybe they’re using this to spin off this Nomi character into a whole new series of movies.

Dan Silvestri:                     11:23                     Yeah. And I think that’s a possibility. Why not? I mean, others have done it and sure. It’s another investment in extending your brand and hoping this new brand extension works and that costs money to do all that. But Hey, they might be, and then they’re competing head-on with Atomic Blonde and Anna and all these other female spy movies. So, Hey, it’s a possibility, I think.

Tom Pizzato:                      11:52                     Yeah. But those movies did not make nearly the money as Mission: Impossible or a James Bond film.

Dan Silvestri:                     11:57                     Yeah. But they’re going to, this is going to have the Bond brand really. So it is a different scenario. I mean it’s possible. Is it likely? I don’t know. But it’s a strong scenario and it could happen. What do I like to happen? I think it would be fun if they actually did it and then they can either both, they could be cameos in each other’s movies and stuff. It’d be kind of cool.

Tom Pizzato:                      12:20                     Well the thing that intrigues me about this idea is that EON Productions could actually start getting to some kind of an alternating schedule. So like we’re having to wait five years for this movie. So if they could sit there and say, okay, every other year we’re going to put out a Nomi movie or a James Bond movie and alternate through there that gives them the time to do the development they need to do whichever character and whichever story. And still, be able to get out more frequently than this five-year hiatus gives us,

Dan Silvestri:                     12:54                     Yeah, that’s a good point. And that would be kind of fun. Everybody would say, Hey, wow, this is kind of cool. So that’s the end of our Nomi treatment. There are four different scenarios that could happen with Nomi and in this next film, No Time to Die. So we’re gonna look at James Bond now. Okay. Yeah. Lots of speculation as we just talked about in the Nomi treatment. What can happen to Bond?

Tom Pizzato:                      13:17                     Of course, Dan, he is going to die and they’re going to just wrap up the series.

Dan Silvestri:                     13:20                     Yeah, there you go. He dies and that’s, that curtain comes down, end of Bond – boom. EON Productions as a $7 billion franchise based on Bond. Right. The longest-running film franchise in history at stake here. Yeah. So they could make Bond die in this movie. Ah nah. I’m thinking. No.

Tom Pizzato:                      13:45                     Well you know they supposedly, the reason they changed directors was because the other director wanted to kill Bond off.

Dan Silvestri:                     13:53                     Yeah. But there was very strong speculation early on, before the trailer even came out, about Bond dying in this movie. They even said, Oh, you have Moneypenny hovering over Bond at the end and Bond looks like he might be dead. And she says, this is No Time to Die and then boom, it ends. That was one speculation. So is he going to die in this movie? No. Could he be dying in this movie? Yeah, I think that’s a possible scenario that he could be dying at the end of this movie. And

Tom Pizzato:                      14:26                     so that’s, that’s kind of along the lines of what we talked about in our previous podcast and in January where we were talking about, you know where James Bond was like Coca-Cola and why this is No Time to Die.

Dan Silvestri:                     14:39                     Yeah. So I mean, again, we’re looking at all sides so he could die or they could leave us hanging, whether he’ll live on to fight another day, you know, this is a nice little close for them to say, well, we don’t know. I mean Ian Fleming did this in “From Russia with Love”, the novel he wrote, he got poisoned at the end. You didn’t know if Bond was going to survive or not at the end of the novel.

Tom Pizzato:                      15:07                     we talked about that in that last podcast as well.

Dan Silvestri:                     15:10                     Yeah. So I mean this could happen. So, okay. So if EON wants time to think about what they’re going to do next with Nomi and the, you know, female, double-0 agent, this would give them a lot of time to think whatever.

Tom Pizzato:                     15:16                     And Bond in general, what do they do with the fact that they’ve got this guy who’s old and retired now?

Dan Silvestri:                     15:27                     This could be a very neat little scenario for them: a dying Bond. Okay, so we’re going to see, that’s another possibility. Here’s another one. He stays retired even after getting pulled back in by Leiter and MI6 and we’re still left wondering what will happen to 007 or Bond or Nomi? Well, maybe he stays retired as we said before, EON does have a problem bringing a retired Bond back if he’s too old. Well, they do. It’s like, okay, well now we bring back a young Bond How’s that fit in? Another reboot? Nah, I don’t think so.

Tom Pizzato:                      16:05                     Well see. I actually, I disagree with you on that, but go on.

Dan Silvestri                      16:08                     yeah, you think they could reboot it again?

Tom Pizzato:                      16:10                     Absolutely. I mean that’s, they’ve done that right?

Dan Silvestri:                     16:13                     Oh, can they. Yeah. I said, can they? Oh, of course they can. It’s the movies, but yeah, I just don’t see them doing it. But would we accept it? Yeah. Yeah, we would probably accept it. We’ll just have, suck it up and accept that Bond came back younger and this whole retirement thing was maybe a future concept, but maybe the new movies are just prequels to there. I’m retiring in this movie. They can do whatever the heck they want and we’ll, we’re going to go with it. We’re going to, we want more Bond movies. We, so I dunno. It’s fun guessing.

Tom Pizzato:                      16:50                     And that’s all we’re doing.

Dan Silvestri:                     16:51                     Yeah. So here we go. And then I think the last possibility for Bond, in No Time to Die, is he comes out of retirement and he stays out of retirement and he’s reassigned his 007 number. If it’s been reassigned, we don’t really know that for sure yet. Okay. That’s, that’s cool too. I think that would be all right. So again, the age thing still lingers over his head and this scenario though, but again, fill in the blanks and future movies of the younger Bond this strong Nomi, eh, it could be done. So he comes out of retirement, stays out of retirement and we got Bond back and a strong female double-O agent. Not bad.

Tom Pizzato:                      17:31                     Yeah. I’m not into that idea. I actually think, I actually think that uh, number one makes the most sense: Him dying and you know, gives EON time to see what public reaction to the movie was. And how they brought Lashana in and try to figure out what that Nomi character can do for them. So it gives them, it gives them some wiggle room and we’re all about analytics these days. What are the analytics from the moviegoers on this and how do we take it? The dying scenario to me gives them the most flexibility.

Dan Silvestri:                     18:11                     Yeah, it does. It does. All right. Now we’re going to take a look at Felix Leiter. This is a fun one. Felix Leiter has appeared in nine Bond films of the 24 prior to No Time to Die, this will be his 10th appearance. Seven different actors played Felix lighter. But Jeffrey Wright will have the most appearances as Felix Leiter at three with No Time to Die.

Tom Pizzato:                      18:38                     As an aside, Ian Fleming developed the name Felix Leiter from the middle name of a friend, Ivar Felix Bryce, and Leiter, which was a surname of another friend.

Dan Silvestri:                     18:47                     He did that a lot where he took,

Tom Pizzato:                      18:49                     and we’ve talked about that in other when we did our whole thing on the Ian Fleming manuscripts. How he did that a lot in his writing.

Dan Silvestri:                     18:57                     Yeah. So anyway, Felix here has been a big part of Bond’s life and in the trailer for No Time to Die, Felix comes to Bond who was retired and says to him, I need a favor, brother. You’re the only one I trust for this.

Tom Pizzato:                      19:14                     Well, and what I love about that is that means this has to be something really covert because he can’t trust his CIA brethren.

Dan Silvestri:                     19:22                     Yeah, that’s a good point, Tom. Because he is in the CIA. And Bond’s the only guy he could trust and Bond is retired. So yeah, this is big. So that’s pretty good. So Bond’s, strong bond with Felix is what seems to really jostle bond out of retirement and into this chase again. So yeah, so that’s a good point. He’s coming to Bond, not the CIA, his other cohorts in the CIA, but to Bond for this special mission. So

Tom Pizzato:                      19:55                     he’s going to bring Bond back out of retirement. But what’s going to then happen with Felix? Right? What are the options?

Dan Silvestri:                     20:03                     We’ve got a couple of things that could, that could happen to Felix. One is Felix entices Bond out of retirement. They succeed in their mission together and Bond feels like, Hey, this retirement thing is overrated. I’m back. This is a plausible scenario. Likely, I don’t know, probably not.

Tom Pizzato:                      20:25                     But retirement is a good thing.

Dan Silvestri:                     20:28                     Well why not? I mean, why not? He could be enticed out of it and think, eh, what the heck, I’m coming back.

Tom Pizzato:                      20:34                     Okay, so then Felix and Bond go on. Save the world in future movies.

Dan Silvestri:                     20:39                     Yeah.

Tom Pizzato:                      20:40                     Okay.

Dan Silvestri:                     20:41                     The other scenario would be, and I’d be disappointed, Felix dies.

Tom Pizzato:                      20:48                     (sighs)

Dan Silvestri:                     20:48                     Again, someone has to die. Maybe it’s Safin. Maybe it’s Felix and Safin. And maybe Felix comes to Bond and says he needs him. And in between that meeting and Bond unretiring Felix is killed. That would get Bond out of retirement in a heartbeat. Remember in Licence to Kill where Bond goes rogue to carry out his personal vendetta against Franz Sanchez who fed Leiter to the sharks. I mean if he gets killed, Bond would definitely come out of retirement to go retaliate and get whoever killed Felix Leiter.

Tom Pizzato:                      21:27                     That’s true.

Dan Silvestri:                     21:27                     Right. So this might be a very strong case.

Tom Pizzato:                      21:32                     The interesting thing is you’re referencing Licence to Kill, which is Felix having prosthetic leg and stuff like that. This is nowhere into the Daniel Craig things. So this whole, he went to seek revenge with his personal vendetta Either happens before the Daniel series starts or the Daniel series just totally ignores the past.

Dan Silvestri:                     21:54                     Yeah. It paints a picture of the portrait of James Bond and what he is and what we would do and what he’s willing to do.

Tom Pizzato:                      22:03                     And the fact that he had such a strong bond with Felix in License to Kill. We know that he’s got a strong bond for this guy.

Dan Silvestri:                     22:10                     Yeah. I mean, I hate to see Felix go, especially Jeffrey Wright. I think he’s been terrific.

Tom Pizzato:                      22:14                     Oh, he’s been absolutely wonderful. Now the interesting thing too for me here is in “Live and Let Die”, which was Fleming’s second novel. It’s actually where he wrote about Leiter getting mauled. Right. So that whole scene in License to Kill actually comes out of Fleming’s second book. And I mean even the line “he disagreed with, with something that ate him”. That was actually in “Live and Let Die”: a note pinned to Leiter in “Live and Let Die” that they just took into License to Kill.

Dan Silvestri:                     22:49                     Yeah. EON Productions and their screenwriters have done this kind of thing a lot. And, pretty well though

Tom Pizzato:                      22:57                     And the other thing though is that Fleming in that book was originally was going to have Leiter die and he had to be convinced to keep him alive. So Leiter dying really to me doesn’t sound too far-fetched. Although again, as we’ve mentioned, these story arcs are a little weird, his character does live on in some of the Bond continuation books. Yes. So where are we in time is the interesting part to me here.

Dan Silvestri:                     23:27                     The continuity thing has never been the biggest issue with the Bond series. Again, it’s our willing suspension of disbelief. It’s like, yeah, okay. It’s a little mixed up, but somewhere in there that makes sense somehow. But it may be the time now and maybe there’s another CIA operative that Bond will get close with and develop a relationship with in the future and whatever. And of course, Nomi is there to maybe be a presence for the MI6 for a long time. But this relationship with Felix and CIA and so on, I’d hate to see it end here, but that’s another possible scenario for Felix and one that sounds pretty strong.

Dan Silvestri:                     24:13                     All right. Lastly, we have to mention Swann. She’s either believable or not in the trailer. When she says to Bond, “Why would I betray you? In general, and this is my opinion, when people answer questions with another question, they’re covering something up and they’re really not answering your questions.

Dan Silvestri:                     24:33                     Like it’s like, why would I betray you? That doesn’t answer anything. It’s putting a question on you, so that’s clever for a trailer especially. Because we have no idea what’s going on and that’s good. So what are her dark secrets that they have not explored yet? It kind of says that in there. We haven’t gotten to your secrets yet. This is an exciting part of the trailer and, it makes us keep wondering throughout the trailer and till April. What’s going to happen?

Tom Pizzato:                      25:04                     We’ll find out in April.

Dan Silvestri:                     25:05                     Yeah. So what’s the first scenario for Swann? So maybe it’s all a mix-up. Here’s one possible scenario with Swann. Swann, though her father was a SPECTRE operative is clean. Tracy Di Vincenzo was clean in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, even though her father, Draco, ran a criminal organization.

Tom Pizzato:                      25:25                     So, now actually the interesting thing to me here is there’s been no acknowledgment of Tracy in the Daniel Craig arc. We’ve talked about this a couple of times. Is Swann a Tracy replacement? She’s got a dirty dad, she’s clean, do Bond and Swann get married and then she meets an unfortunate end. Is this, I mean, are they going to really do that kind of mirroring of what they did in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service with Madeline instead of Tracy?

Dan Silvestri:                     25:58                     Yeah. So if she’s clean, that’s a possible scenario, right? He ends up marrying, or maybe he did marry her. We don’t even know. You’ve been gone for a long time. Yeah. But the scene here, when she’s opening the box with the Phantom of the Opera mask, I mean that’s the eerie part that makes you question this whole scenario. Is she clean or not clean? Which is,

Tom Pizzato:                      26:19                     I love that when she opens that up.

Dan Silvestri:                     26:21                     Yeah. So you don’t really know. Was this in her possession all along or did she just happen upon it or did somebody?

Tom Pizzato:                      26:31                     Maybe she got it mailed to her. Maybe Safin sent it to her.

Dan Silvestri:                     26:34                     her and she’s just opening it. We don’t know. That’s the big question here.

Tom Pizzato:                      26:38                     That’s what I love about this part of the trailer is the look on her face when she opens that thing up and she’s like, and she looks at that mask. Is it “hello old friend” or is it, “what the heck is this?” Or “I know what this is and Oh my, I don’t like where this is going to go.” All three of those are possible with the expression she has on her face.

Dan Silvestri:                     26:59                     I look at her face and I think, Oh, she’s thinking, Oh no, I gotta do this. You know, that’s what I’m looking for. I’m thinking she’s looking at that going. Okay, shoot, I gotta do this. So I don’t know. So that’s one possible scenario. So the second scenario is maybe Swann is not so clean and she’s maybe infiltrated MI6 as a double agent. When Bond sees her in the hallway of MI6 when he says he won’t lose his control.

Tom Pizzato:                      27:26                     Yeah. He has that pause as he sees Nomi and Swan walking together.

Dan Silvestri:                     27:32                     Yeah. And he’s shocked. Is he doubting his control now that he’s seen her? That maybe she’s working for MI6 based on what he actually knows about her and that we don’t know yet. Oh, that’s also a possible scenario.

Tom Pizzato:                      27:46                     Well, I especially because the interesting thing to me is in Spectre when Swan and Bond meet Blofeld, there does not appear to be any recognition between Blofeld and Swann. Yeah. And so, but her dad worked for Spectre. Yeah. Mr. White. Yeah. So it’s

Dan Silvestri:                     28:09                     so Bond keeps getting involved in these people that have, uh, underworld connections. I, yeah. Why does he do that?

Tom Pizzato:                      28:16                     Yeah, exactly.

Dan Silvestri:                     28:18                     Anyway, this scenario, if this is a scenario where she’s not so clean, it cannot end well. Really cue the music. Maybe we will hear her Swann song as she ties.

Tom Pizzato:                      28:30                     Oh, Dan, you didn’t go there.

Dan Silvestri:                     28:34                     All right. So this would not be the first time Bond would lose his woman for one reason or another. This did happen to the other fellow because Bond is the other fella, Casino Royale 2006 he loses Vesper in the movie and in the novel by Fleming. Of course, like we just said On Her Majesty’s Secret Service in both the movie and the book he loses his wife Tracy. In Fleming’s book, “Moonraker“, Bond loses the woman at the end. He says I was going to take you off to a farmhouse in France. Her name is Gala, says to him, “I’m sorry I can’t oblige.” “Well, goodbye Gala.” And they, they go off, he loses her and later, you know, he’s talking about this is as though man, this, could have been a good relationship. Even in the book “Diamonds are Forever”, Bond really falls for Tiffany Case, but soon she’s out of his life.

Tom Pizzato:                      29:29                     He falls for all of these women.

Dan Silvestri:                     29:31                     Well he doesn’t, not in a serious way. He likes them all and he wants to have sex and whatever with them all. But in some of these cases, he really falls for them. Like this could be a love kind of thing. In Tiffany Case’s case, he really thought and he tells, it tells M, I think in from “Russia with Love”, he thought they could’ve gotten married, but she runs off with some American military officer and goes back to America. So again, he loses somebody he really cared about. It’s happened to Bond a lot. And so I think sometimes in both the films in the, in the novel Bond does not get a woman. We always think he always gets his woman. He does not always get his woman. And in this particular case, maybe Swann is another one that for one reason or another will get away or be killed. I don’t know.

Tom Pizzato:                      30:29                     All right. That’s possible. We’ve looked at the scenarios then of what could happen, what we think could happen to Nomi, to Bond, to Felix and to Madeline.

Dan Silvestri:                     30:39                     Yeah. And we know somebody who is not the evil bad guy is going to die. I just know that

Tom Pizzato:                      30:48                     (laughing) You just know it. Dan, this is what is the beauty of speculation.

Dan Silvestri:                     30:52                     Yeah, of course. It’s speculation. We don’t have any inside info here. We’re just speculating like the rest of the world. So who will it be? Send us your thoughts right now by sending us a voice message from our website. It’s spymovienavigator.com. Hit the big red button on the right of the screen that says “send us a voicemail” and we’ll put you in our next podcast about No Time to Die. Let’s see who can speculate the best. Go do it now. Send us a message we want to hear from you.

Dan Silvestri:                     31:20                     Did people like the trailer? Overwhelmingly it seems people like the trailer. In fact, most people love the trailer. We did a little poll on Twitter about the trailer of course, not a scientific poll and overwhelmingly those who responded mostly rated it ‘A’ with some ‘B’s. Nobody didn’t like the trailer and we loved the trailer. They did a fabulous job on the trailer. We can’t wait to see the movie.

Tom Pizzato:                      31:48                     Now, Dan, I think you and I have to go to London to see it. Because it releases there before it releases in the US that week in between the two

Dan Silvestri:                     31:55                     That might be fun. Let’s do it. I got to see this, right when it comes out.

Dan Silvestri:                     32:01                     Alright, let’s go to London and see it before it opens in the US that might be fun.

Dan Silvestri:                     32:08                     This has been Dan Silvestri and Tom Pizzato. We’re finished with our speculating. Head to our website now to send us the voice message with your speculations and guesses and you will be on our show and keep listening. We appreciate it very much. Let’s keep Cracking the Code of Spy Movies together.

 


More Episodes

Gadgets in James Bond’s Diamonds are Forever – Can You Believe it?

Join Dan, Tom, Vicky, and our special guest, Joe Pappalardo as we crack the code of the gadgets in Diamonds are Forever! We ask, Can you believe it?

LIVE AND LET DIE Pre-Title Sequence Decoded!

Join Dan, Tom and Vicky on this fun podcast as they dig into the funerals, coffins, knives, snakes, ambassadors & murder in LIVE AND LET DIE!

Spy Movies & Real-World Connections – Part 2

Have you ever thought about how events in the real world and other movies could affect and work their way into some of our favorite spy movies? Well, think about it a minute because that’s what we are going to…

Keep current! Join Our Email List

Keep up to date with our latest and greatest spy movie finds. (See our Privacy Policy)

NO TIME TO DIE Official Game Day Spot 2020 – Trailer Discussion!

Podcast Episode

NO TIME TO DIE Official Game Day Spot 2020 – Trailer Discussion!

Dan and Tom examine the latest James Bond, NO TIME TO DIE trailer basically frame by frame, and look for clues as to what changes might be coming, and the nuances of the shots included in the trailer, compared with the first trailer.

Join Dan and Tom as they dive into the No Time To Die trailer # 2, which aired during the SuperBowl LIV American football broadcast!

Here, we look at the trailer basically frame by frame, and look for clues as to what changes might be coming, and the nuances of the shots included in the trailer, compared with the first trailer.

What fun!

Click to view NO TIME TO DIE trailer #2

 

Related Content

Here we examine the Super Bowl trailer!

 

  1. Key scenes analyzed
  2. Implications of each scene
  3. Speculation as to what will happen in No Time To Die!

More Episodes

FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE – Pre-Title Sequence Decoded!

Join Dan, Tom and Vicky as we kick off our series into the pre-title sequences of spy movies, with From Russia With Love!

Uwe Brosamle Interview – How to visit James Bond filming Locations!

In this Uwe Brosamle interview, field operatives, Dan and Tom, discuss Uwe's travels to over 80% of the James Bond filming locations!

Steven Jay Rubin – The James Bond Movie Encyclopedia

Join Dan and Tom as they talk with author Steven Jay Rubin. The 4th edition of his book,  The James Bond Movie Encyclopedia  released on November 17, 2020.

Keep current! Join Our Email List

Keep up to date with our latest and greatest spy movie finds. (See our Privacy Policy)

James Bond is Like Coca-Cola, Which Is Why For Him, This Is No Time to Die

Related: NO TIME TO DIE:  Why You Cannot Kill Off James Bond.  Or could you?

Related: No Time To Die Trailer Discussion – A Quick-Fire Look

Contributed by: Dan Silvestri and Tom Pizzato - Spy Movie Navigator

Posted on

This article is based on the podcast Spy Movie Navigator did with the same name.   You can listen to this podcast here: (link). 

This article is based on the podcast Spy Movie Navigator did with the same name.

With No Time to Die on the horizon, there is lots of speculation about whether James Bond will survive this mission and whether Nomi, Lashana Lynch’s character, will indeed take over the 007 moniker and become the Double-O agent in future films. Rumor and speculations have been flying worldwide since EON Productions started filming. But as we know anything can happen.

Nomi’s Name

First of all, let’s look at Nomi. We think that’s a variation of Naomi. You can look it up. There are lots of different variations, but Nomi is a name from Hebrew-Japanese origin and it means beautiful, pleasant, delightful. Well, that’s a great name for a front and center Double-O agent’s intro here for Lashana Lynch. And from the No Time to Die trailer, Lashana Lynch is, all of that and tough.

In the trailer when she looks at his other knee and says the one that works, It’s like when she’s going to shoot him in the knee if he doesn’t stay in his lane. Yes, she’s tough.

But Nomi, if you’ll listen, you’ll say it slowly – NO-MI or NO-ME. Maybe her role will be short-lived. Will she survive this mission? Or could it be KNOW-ME, like we need to get to know her as we’ll be seeing her in future movies?

But these all speculations based on wordplay, but we’re all wondering whether Bond will survive, but there are a couple of other things really here.

We don’t know if the screenwriters are into numerology. We tried to find out and I couldn’t find out. In our research, there wasn’t anything that said, ‘yeah, they’re into numerology’. However, if you look into this a little bit, Nomi in numerology is eight, and that means power. It’s the great or marked ability to do, act or accomplish something. It’s a possession of control or command over others. Authority.

And the second big thing here is sacrifice, surrender or destruction of something prized for the sake of a higher claim. How does this fit Nomi in this movie so far? Well, there are a lot of interesting things here.  Is she going to sacrifice her life or is she going to sacrifice Bond’s life for a higher claim by authority, a higher goal? There’s some good stuff in here.

A skeptical view of the name Nomi is to look where we’ve seen the name in other movies. We’ve only found one other movie character with that name, that wasn’t in Asian cartoon, and that was Elizabeth Berkley’s character in the movie Showgirls. We don’t know if it was Elizabeth Berkley’s interpretation, the director’s interpretation or whatever, but she was just a nasty character that you really didn’t want to see anymore. So let’s just hope that the Nomi in No Time to Die is much better than the Nomi was in Showgirls.

We know she’s going to be tough. We know that for sure from the trailer. She was terrific in the trailer. She was good, but there always seems to be something in names. Writers are good at this kind of stuff. That’s why the Hemingway references in Licence to Kill and what we thought about with the bell in the No Time to Die trailer referencing “For Whom the Bell Tolls, are important to examine. We discuss the “For Whom the Bell Tolls” reference in our podcast on the No Time to Die trailer.  You can listen to that here (link). 

The Dove
Paloma is the character portrayed by Ana de Armas. What does Poloma mean? It means dove, which is a symbol of peace. So, is she going to have a character role in this film that’s going to be more like on Bond’s side or what? We don’t know, but these writers think of this stuff like we’re thinking of this stuff.

Coca-Cola’s Secret Formula

Bond is like Coca-Cola. It’s obvious, isn’t it? The Coke formula was secret. No one person knew the entire Coca-Cola formula for a hundred years. It’s locked in a safe and people know pieces of it and then they know or put their pieces together and they make the stuff.

The Pepsi Generation

So, in 1963, the maverick and creative genius Alan Maxwell Pottasch launched the ‘Pepsi Generation’ campaign. It was the first major advertising campaign to associate a product with a lifestyle rather than features.

The model before this was to talk about this product this feature, that feature, so this is why you should buy it. This campaign associated the product, Pepsi, with a lifestyle. So they had commercials showing young people skiing or having fun on beaches. And again, it was a lifestyle they were connecting to and not, not the product features. You’re going to live like this.

This made Pepsi a strong competitor to Coca-Cola. There’s a great article on this that came out right after Alan died. It’s called “Creative Father of the ‘Pepsi Generation’ Turned the Lifestyle into a Selling Point” by Betsy McKay on August 4, 2007, in The Wall Street Journal. Here’s a link to the article: (link).

So, here you see a product marketing campaign against a major competitor, Coca-Cola based on associating its product with the younger generation. And it pigeonholed Coca-Cola as the has-been product for the older generation. They never said that explicitly. They never had to, but it worked brilliantly and they had slogans like, “You’ve got a lot to live. Pepsi’s got a lot to give” – just brilliant stuff.

I’d Like to Buy the World a Coke

Coke fought back in the 70s with its own “I’d Like to Buy the World a Coke” campaign, which was a huge hit. The man responsible for this campaign was Bill Backer. Bill Backer created the campaign and Billy Davis and Roger Cook actually wrote that song.

But Coke nonetheless was still feeling their market share slipping.

Taking The Gloves Off
Pepsi initially didn’t outright say Coke was the older generation in their initial Pepsi Generation campaign. They kind of implied that.

If you fast forward to the 1990s: you had the Mac versus the PC commercials. This was really in-your-face and not subtle. Did Pepsi’s next move inspire those commercials?

In 1985 Pepsi created an ad attacking Coca-Cola as a relic. There is an archeologist somewhere hundreds of years in the future. And he’s digging up something and it’s a Coke bottle and he’s like quizzically looking at it like, what the hell could this mean? You can see how brilliant this ad is. It won all kinds of awards. It was spectacular. You can find it on YouTube here: (link).

Now Pepsi has Coke cornered. They had to do something.

What Does This Have To Do with James Bond?

We titled this article to imply we would talk about James Bond and No Time to Die, so far we’ve been talking about the cola wars between Coke and Pepsi.   Let’s see where this intersects with today’s James Bond and No Time to Die.

Let’s Change It

In 1985, Coca-Cola decided because the Pepsi generation was eating into their market share, they had to do something. And they came up with the New Coke. They came up with a new formula that they were going to put out there to compete now with Pepsi in a better way, and to become more responsive to the world, to the market, to the new generation, to the new way of doing things.

Pepsi made Coke a relic an out-of-touch-with-reality-dinosaur. Now we’ve heard Bond referred to as a dinosaur in Goldeneye: “I think you’re a sexist, misogynist dinosaur — a relic of the Cold War”, M said to Bond. This a little connection. It’s going to get bigger.

Coke was still number one, but Pepsi was eating the market share. That wasn’t good for Coke. So, they changed their formula. Mistake, right? 13% of soda drinkers liked the new formula. Epic implosion for Coke.

Pepsi jumped all over Coke in commercials, consumers protested and wanted the old Coke back and less than three months later, Coca-Cola announced they were bringing back the old formula as Coke Classic.

Was this a colossal failure on the Coca-Cola company’s part? Clearly, they spent millions of dollars on the New Coke campaign and formula.  But they got a lot of press. They got millions of dollars worth of press out of this. And when they brought back the old formula, because consumers were screaming for the old formula again, that was big news.

The Changing World for Bond

EON Productions is looking at the landscape of the world today: with the #Me Too movement, the focus on the power and leadership of young girls, the focus advancing women’s causes. EON Productions has decided not to call Bond Girl Bond Girls anymore, but Bond Women and so on. All of this is now connected. Why? To be altruistic? Probably not. They weren’t doing all this to be altruistic.

We think they were thinking: Well the market is responding in a certain way. Like the Pepsi and Coke markets responded. We must remember that half of MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE movies had better worldwide revenue numbers than the BOND movies introduced since Mission: Impossible released in 1996. Listen to our podcast The Spies Who Loathe Me for a discussion of how MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE is battling the Bond franchise (link).

EON Productions is feeling the heat and you know we still have this Bond guy who is a womanizer and all of his faults. We think they want to broaden the interest in their base: not just men who love Bond movies. But to expand it to the millennials and the younger generation to women and so on.

Dave Holcomb talked a little bit about that on the podcast we did on his book: “His World Never Dies – The Evolution of James Bond”. We have an interview with Dave in our podcast with the same name (link).

Other filmmakers have women spies front and center. Films like: Atomic Blonde, Salt, Charlie’s Angels, Spy, Anna, Red Sparrow, The Man From U.N.C.L.E., and Get Smart all had a woman spy in a lead role.

Some of these movies were making money. They are all trying to capitalize on highlighting women in these lead roles. EON Productions wants to tap into what is happening today in the real world and not be the Coca-Cola bottle found and examined quizzically a few hundred years from now.

Is EON Productions Changing Its Formula?

Will EON Productions truly change the formula in this movie: No Time to Die? This would be a change after 58 years or so, and not a hundred like Coke. But it looks like they’re doing it. So have EON Productions, taken the 1985 version of Coke as a model?

Let’s hope they learned.

Lots of rumors are flying. At the beginning of the filming of Bond 25, now titled No Time to Die, there were rumors that Lashana Lynch, as Nomi, would be introduced as 007. Remember that rumor? Oh yeah, the door opens after M says “Where’s 007?” and in comes Lashana Lynch. That was the rumor in the beginning when they announced Bond 25. And even with the first official trailer out Nomi is acknowledged as a Double-0 agent. But they never say the number that’s after the Double-O (sneaky ad writers).

And one of the rumors about why they changed directors was that James Bond was supposed to die. 

They might still do that in the movie, we just don’t know. But, like Coca-Cola, there’s a lot of hype and lots of attention being paid to Bond and No Time to Die right now and here we’re talking about it again.

So the formula concept here is the same. They’re looking at how to change the formula. We think Eon Productions wants to change the formula.

James Bond’s Previous Formula Changes

Even if you look back at Ian Fleming, when he wrote “The Spy Who Loved Me”, he was changing the formula. And in that particular novel, Bond doesn’t appear until about the middle of the manuscript. And it’s this woman Viviene Michel who’s telling the story. It was not well received by the public. Ian Fleming had tried to change the formula.

In his next novel, the next year, “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service”, Bond is mentioned right on the first page and he’s back to the old formula. And in reality, when Eon Productions did The Spy Who Loved Me movie, there was nothing based on that novel that Fleming actually wrote other than the title. So what does Eon Productions want to do?

Ian Fleming tried to kill off Bond in “From Russia With Love”. When they end that book he’s actually poisoned, potentially dying. Because you know, Fleming wanted to get rid of James Bond and write something else. This was much like Sir Arthur Conan Doyle wanted to do with Sherlock Holmes. He wanted to get rid of Holmes and write something else.

The Impact of Formula Changes

Coke and EON want to change the formula. Okay. It didn’t work out exactly for Coke or for Ian Fleming when he wrote: “The Spy Who Loved Me”. Quite frankly, we don’t think it will work out for EON Productions. But, they seem to be toying with this idea right now.

Reacting To The Consumer

This movie is the Coke formula. This is what they’re thinking. And now what? Coca-Cola realized that Coca-Cola belongs to the consumers, not the company. Meaning that they felt the consumer reaction and flat sales when they came out with their New Coke and Coke change back quickly, like in 10 weeks.

EON Productions doesn’t have the ability to pivot that quickly if they release a movie with a changed formula that the consumer doesn’t like. They can’t change in 10 weeks as Coca-Cola did. It takes them 5 years to put a movie out.

However, they can change within the movie, which we think they did. At least this is our assumption.

Is This All a Publicity Stunt?

So what will EON Productions do? Is all this hype, a publicity stunt? It could be, which would be great for them because it’s been five years since coming out with their last movie. These rumors are getting all of us to talk about Bond, to hype up No Time to Die so that it’s a box office smash and help the franchise.   They haven’t put a movie out in five years, which is a long time. It’s a long time to be waiting: maybe. Or maybe they really wanted to change the formula.

Just Because You’re Paranoid Doesn’t Mean They Aren’t After You
Let’s remember Joseph Heller’s line in Catch-22: “Just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean they aren’t after you.”  EON Productions are running up against MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE, which in 2021 and then again in 2022 are releasing movies. This has to be putting the heat on EON. It’s been five years for Bond and they may be changing all this stuff. And if it takes them another five years to react to whatever happens from this one. What happens to the franchise?

Having To Respond To The Backlash

So there you have it. Coke got a lot of backlash from its consumers when they changed the formula. And based on all the rumors at the beginning of Bond 25 when it was being announced, EON Productions got a lot of backlash based on the rumors from fans saying that Bond is Bond, 007 is Bond. Tons of podcasts, YouTube videos, articles almost daily about this stuff.

Look at Bond’s history. Fleming was going to kill off Bond at the end of, “From Russia With Love”. He doesn’t do it. And his next two books were “Dr. No” and “Goldfinger”. If he hadn’t written those books… Remember, the first movie was “Dr. No”.. What would have happened?

So what will EON do?
Maybe, and this is likely to be true if they follow the Coke analogy, maybe we see Bond dying at the end of this film, like in the “From Russia With Love” novel. Dying, not dead. Leaving us with a cliffhanger.

Let’s hope it resolves better than the “Who Shot JR cliffhanger” on the TV show, “Dallas” and his death is just a dream. Or worse yet, assuming this is Daniel Craig’s last turn at Bond, the new Bond actor leaps from the dying/dead body like Joe Pendelton in Here Comes Mr. Jordan or in the remake Heaven Can Wait? A new James Bond pops up from the dying Bond, just as he’s about to expire? Let’s hope not.

A cliffhanger would give Eon Productions another two years, three years, five years, whatever it takes for them to come up with another movie to decide what they’re going to really do.

Is It Time For a Retirement Party?
We talk a little bit about this in our, in our No Time to Die trailer podcast, but maybe Nomi is introduced as 007. Maybe she’s going to be introduced as that. James has kind of retired. The implication is he’s old. In the trailer, they go out of the way to make James Bond seem like he’s been gone a while.

The shot in the trailer when he really looked old was when he’s talking to that security guard. He was asked what his name was. He said Bond …. James Bond. The guard had no idea who this old guy was. We think that was a brilliant way of getting that line into the movie in a different way than normal. (again, changing the formula). Skyfall kind of gave you that feeling as well.

The Trap Eon Productions Finds Itself In

We think EON Productions has a problem though. In the No Time to Die trailer, Nomi tells Bond “the world has changed, Commander Bond. Stay in your lane.” The problem is this: if he survives, (assuming he does and we think he’s going to survive. Based on the Coca-Cola formula, we can assume that.) then how do they bring back an old Bond? This is the problem. They have painted themselves in a little corner here with him being old.

They can’t reboot again. That would be crazy, wouldn’t it? With Daniel, they did a complete reboot and went back to Ian Fleming’s first James Bond book, “Casino Royale”.

But now you’ve got five stories kind of connected here. They’re all connected his five movies, right? So now there’s like, yeah, you’re old, you’re retired, you’re whatever. Now what? He must survive this movie.

With Daniel’s supposed retirement from the role, they are going to have to start with somebody new and in a totally different direction.

So, this is the conundrum there. We think they were thinking at the beginning of their work on this movie, maybe he dies in this movie and we bring up Lashana Lynch as the new 007. We have a woman spy.  But now they’re there in this corner. Now they’re going to have Bond survive because the feedback is not good or whatever. And now he’s old. Now, what do you do? It’s a problem. If they would’ve just said he’s retired cause he was sick of it. Tired of it. Tired of that lifestyle. Okay, that’s good.

Plus, you have a whole industry with James Bond, this James Bond that: all talking about your product and you change it?

So, number one, he’s got to survive. Number two, they have to wrestle with this problem.

However, the trailer appears to go out of its to make him look like he’s been gone awhile nobody even knows who he is anymore. He’s Mr. Irrelevant.

This is a problem. This is a company with about $7 billion in gross revenues for their movies so far. About $4 billion of that was Daniel Craig’s movies. But the world is changing. EON Productions would be wrong if they don’t do what Coke did or at least play around with the formula, but in the end, keep the old one.

Coke released the new formula. and got rid of the old formula. But they were able to react quickly where EON can’t. If they change the formula in this movie and they go with the Lashana-Lynch-as-007 plot, they may find out that only 13% of James Bond fans liked the new formula. Like the Coke experience with their change.

The Old Guard
It’s going to be really interesting, in general, for spy movies because the two biggest series are at a point where their chief spy guy is getting old. We think Tom Cruise’s age is why they’re doing back-to-back releases for MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE. They need to do a handoff. It will be interesting to see what they do: whether they had come up with a new Ethan Hunt or whether it’s Ethan Hunt now running the whole thing as Phelps did. But MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE has the benefit of what happened in the TV show where the teams changed over. They can continue that model easier.

Bond’s a little tougher problem because of where they’ve taken the story arc and Bond’s aging.

Spy Movie Navigator’s Guess

So, we think James Bond will not only survive into a beyond-Craig-as-Bond film with another male lead, but he’ll survive for many decades to come. We don’t think any of us should worry that the formula is going to be changed in such a big way as Coke did it with New Coke.

Bond. Will Survive.

Classic Coke, Classic Bond.


Related Content

NO TIME TO DIE:  Why You Cannot Kill Off James Bond.  Or could you?

With the upcoming release of NO TIME TO DIE, there are lots of rumors about what will happen in this movie and the direction EON Productions will take James Bond going forward. Check out our thoughts these issues.

No Time To Die Trailer Discussion – A Quick-Fire Look

Join Tom and Dan in Cracking the Code of Spy Movies! Here we take a Quick-Fire look at the December 2019 trailer for No Time To Die and speculate as to what it all means.

James Bond is Like Coca-Cola Which is Why for Bond, This is NO TIME TO DIE!

Podcast Episode

James Bond is Like Coca-Cola Which is Why for Bond, This is NO TIME TO DIE!

Join Dan and Tom as we explore No Time To Die and see why James Bond will survive his next mission, looking back at how changing the Coca-Cola formula in 1985 is similar to the formula change that is being attempted with the Bond franchise!

Join Dan and Tom as we explore No Time To Die and see why James Bond will survive his next mission, looking back at how changing the Coca-Cola formula in 1985 is similar to the formula change that is being attempted with the Bond franchise!  This is a unique look at Bond and No Time To Die!

Be part of Cracking the Code of Spy Movies and send us a voice message by clicking the red button to the right of the screen.

Related Content

In this podcast show we talk about:

  • How the changes that Coca-Cola made to their formula in the 1980’s parallels the potential changes we will see in the Bond formula going forward!
  • We draw some conclusions based on what happened to Coca-Cola when they changed the formula and what we think will happen wit the James Bond franchise.
  • Fun stuff!

On this show, we reference the following links:

Commercials (these links will take you to YouTube):

  •  I’d like to buy the world a Coke – (link)
  • Archaeology – (link)

Article:  Creative Father of the ‘Pepsi Generation’ Turned Lifestyle Into a Selling Point, By  Betsy McKay. Updated Aug. 4, 2007 12:01 am ET in The Wall Street Journal (link)


More Episodes

No Time To Die – No-Spoiler Fan Reaction

Join us in this No-Spoiler look at the new James Bond Movie, NO TIME TO DIE. Comments by Tom and Vicky as well as fans as they left the theater. Even comments by Mike Reyes and David Zaritsky.

GOLDFINGER – Pre-Title Sequence Decoded!

Join Dan, Tom and Vicky as we dig for the gold in the pre-title sequence of GOLDFINGER!

James Bond – The Daniel Craig Arc from CASINO ROYALE to SPECTRE!

Join Dan Tom and a special guest, our agent in Montreal "Eddie," in looking at the Daniel Craig arc - get ready for NO TIME TO DIE!

Keep current! Join Our Email List

Keep up to date with our latest and greatest spy movie finds. (See our Privacy Policy)

Examining Ian Fleming’s Original James Bond Manuscripts – Part 2

Podcast Episode

Examining Ian Fleming’s Original James Bond Manuscripts – Part 2

Join Dan and Tom for Part Two of their journey to The Lilly Library at Indiana University in the USA, as they examine, in-person, all of these wonderful James Bond masterpieces, gaining some insight into the novels and into Ian Fleming’s way of writing!

Dan and Tom of SpyMovieNavigator.com had the privilege of examining 11 of Ian Fleming’s James Bond manuscripts – his actual typed pages, with hand-written edits in the margins, crossed-out sections, add-ins and more!  You can see where he changes a name that we all know, and then – there it is in the final published version of the novel!
Come with us to The Lilly Library at Indiana University in the USA, as we examine, in-person, all of these wonderful James Bond masterpieces, gaining some insight into the novels and into Ian Fleming’s way of writing!
This is Part Two, covering Dr. No to Live and Let Die of a 2-part series!  Be sure to listen to Part 1 as well!”

Related Content

Ian Fleming and the Lily Library 

The Ian Fleming Manuscripts!  Bond from the Page to the Screen! 

Join us as we continue our discussion where we examine the Ian Fleming James Bond manuscripts at The Lilly Library at Indiana University in the state of Indiana in the United States.

We pick it up with the novel Dr. No:

Dr. No – published  1958 

  • Honey Ryder in the manuscript is not wearing a bikini – but just the wide leather belt and a hunting knife in a sheath!  Anyone can read this in the published book, of course, but looking at the manuscript and how Ian Fleming describes her is quite nice:   first he types that she emerges naked, but then in a handwritten note, in ink, he writes: “She was not quite naked.  She was wearing a broad leather belt around her waist, with a hunting knife in a leather sheath at the right hip.”   Fleming used a lot of detailed descriptions to make things spicy and hot.   The last line in his hand-written correction is, “The belt made her nakedness extraordinarily erotic.”  How cool is that!  Of course, in the movie, she was wearing a bikini and the knife was on her left hip.    
  • On pg 1, the Queens Club was originally called “The St. James Club”.  It was first changed to Kings Club and finally Queens club.  The manuscript goes on to say “which for fifty years, has boasted  ‘No Jews. No Negroes. No Dogs‘.  This was changed to “which, for fifty years has boasted the power and frequency of its black-balls.  This isn’t the last time in the Ian Fleming books where race and religion are written in, let’s call it “an ideology fortunately changed” 
  • The last line of the manuscript was handwritten by Fleming to be “Do what I tell you.   This was changed to “Do as you’re told” in the final version of the book. 

For Your Eyes Only – published 1960 

From A View to a Kill – nothing to do with the movie! 

  • A rosebush splits and opens to a shaft.   
    Takes place in Paris? 
  • “You’re just like a lot of children playing at Red Indians,” says Mary Ann.  Very close to in Goldeneye when Natalya Simonova says to Blond, “You are just like boys with toys.”  

Death Leaves an Echo 

  • Starts in Jamaica 
  • Mrs. Wilson is scratched to become Mrs. Havelock 

Quantum of Solace 

  • Not really a Bond story, but he is in it.   More of a story within a story, that someone narrates to Bond.   Weird. 
  • Nassau – Bond didn’t like Nassau.   Everyone was too rich. 
  • Bond leaving for Miami the next day.  Castro rebels etc. 
  • Last line:  about Bond: “For some reason, his life suddenly seemed hollow and lonely” 

 

Risico – 32 pages  

Hildebrand Rarity  32 pages 

  • On the island of Mahe – the largest island in the Seychelles group. 
  • Mr. Krest – who appears in the movie License to Kill, actually appears in the Hildebrand Rarity and he collects marine specimens – something to do with his Foundation.   There is supposedly a fish that is only found around Chagrin island 
  • Sharks and barracuda  
  • Bond sent to Seychelles because the British fleet is having trouble with their fleet based in the Maldives – communists sabotaging.  Bond found nothing and thought all was good. 
  • Krest is driven by money and he can get anything he wants – even species protected by law – with enough money.  Page 13  
  • Page 14: Krest: “Twenty-four hours on the island and I’ve already knocked off three-quarters of my list.”   
  • The Hildebrand Rarity – is a fish “caught by Professor Hildebrand of Johannesburg University in a net off Chagrin Island in the Seychelles group. April 1925”  A unique member of the SquirrelFish family 

 

Goldfinger – published 1959 

  • Title page: GOLDFINGER typed out. Then crossed out and above is handwritten: “The Richest Man in the World”, then that is scribbled out with pen, and beneath it is written in pen, “GOLDFINGER”   Fascinating to know what Ian Fleming was thinking when he did this, but the name could have been changed!     We could have been referring to Ian Fleming’s seventh novel (3rd movie from EON Productions) as “The Richest Man in the World.”   Doesn’t have the zing of Goldfinger, does it?   Maybe why Fleming changed it back! 
  • Jill Masterton was originally called Tilly Masterton.  Tilly was scratched out and renamed Jill.    Remember in the movie, the sisters have the last name of MasterSon, note the S, not Masterton with a T as the book has it 
  • His car was an Aston Martin DB III in the book.  In the manuscript, it was a DB7 until it was crossed out and became the DB III.  We all know the DB5 from this movie. 

 

On Her Majesty’s Secret Service – published 1963 

 

  • Page 29: Fleming scratches out  “M. Stomboni” and hand-writes in pen, “Draco”!    Another name change that to us Bond fans, Draco is so well known!  Not Stomboni!”   And Fleming describes his face as a very delightful face, “so lit with humour and mischief and magnetism . . .”  Gabriele Ferzetti was perfectly cast to place Marc-Ange Draco!   One of my favorite Bond characters ever. 
  • On page 33:  Draco is talking about his marriage and the result of his marriage is his daughter, “Terrizina.”   But wait!  Fleming scratches out Terrzina and pens in “Teresa”! 
  • On page 34, we discover that Tracy’s first husband, an Italian that Draco did not like, deserted her.  BUT…..Fleming scratches out “Draco” which was going to be her husband’s last name, and puts in instead Count “Julio Vincenzo.”   Wow!  So Fleming reversed the surnames of her Italian husband and her father because earlier on page 29 he changed Stomboni to Draco for Teresa’s father!!  All on Page 34 
  • Page 29: When Bond meets Draco for the first time, he does indeed throw the knife at a calendar, saying “September the 16th” and throws the knife sticking it in the calendar.   “Draco says, “actually the 15th but quite respectable.”   Very close to the movie. 
  • Blofeld info on Page 50 
  • Page 67 is the description in Chapter Nine: Ten Gorgeous Girls (Piz Gloria in the movie) 
  • Page 125: Piz Gloria mentioned.  Back up to …. 
  • Page 129: Blofeldhandwritten 
  • Page `62 the Walther PPK is mentioned 
  • Page 1`66: Fleming scratches out Harpers and writes in “Jack Daniels’ bourbon”  Bond pours himself a drink on the rocks and added water 
  • Married at the British Council (page 192) on New Year’s Day at 10:30 am.  The head of Station M was the best man.   After the ceremony at the Counsel’s home, Bond walks down the steps to the waiting Lancia, with white ribbons tied from the corners of the windscreen to the grill of the radiator.  This is not in Portugal however, but on the Autobahn near Strasburg and Kufstein. 
  • Tracy is driving in the written manuscript and Bond asks her to pull over because “I’ve got two things to do.”   1) He took her into his arms and kissed her.  In pen, Fleming writes about the typewritten lines, “That’s the first thing and I just want to say that” (back to typewritten  “I’ll look after you, Tracy.   Will you mind being looked after?”    Tracy replies with a smile, and concludes “Let’s just look after each other.” 
  • Then Bond wants to get out of the car and take down the ribbons, saying, “ I can’t stand looking like a coronation. D’you mind?”  So this part is very close to the movie.   Then they took the roof down on the car.  “Let’s,” says Tracy.  “We can only see half the world with it up (handwritten)… 
  • As they drive, Bond notices a speck of red – a car miles behind them.    And Tracy notices it is coming up fast and asks, “Do you want me to lose him?”  “No,” said Bond.  “Let him go.  We’ve got all the time in the world.”  And Bond waves them past.  He hears a shattering roar and the windscreen disappeared.  Bond catches sight of a gun being withdrawn into the red car, and Bond and Tracy’s Lancia crashed on the side of the road, and Bond’s head hits the windscreen and he was out. When he came to, an Autobahn patrolman was shaking him.  When Bond awoke, he saw Tracy with her face buried in the steering wheel.  That’s when Bond sayto the patrolman, just like in the movie, “It’s all right.  It’s quite alright.  She’s having a rest.  We’ll be going on soon.  There’s no hurry.  You see,” and Bond whispers into Tracy’s hair, “You see, we’ve got all the time in the world.”  This is the iconic line in the entire movie, and the Louis Armstrong song of the same title is haunting when heard from this point forward.   

Diamonds are Forever 

  • The manuscript starts out untitled – Handwritten Chapter 1 at the start 
  • Fleming had some major rework with inserts and cross-outs with his discussion with Vallance. 
  • Fleming is trying to describe the fake diamond that Bond was looking at.  He originally typed glass, then hand wrote crystal, crossed it out and changed it to quartz.  He had to change “glass” to quartz later on the page as well.  
  • Chapter 13 in the book:  Page 85 in the manuscript.  Insert describing Bond’s feelings about Negroes.  Probably good Fleming scratched it out. “Bond liked the Negro races but something in him objected to the idea of close physical contact with them and he knew that anthropologists were agreed that the revulsion was mutual.”
  • Wint and Kidd were originally Wint and Gore, no Mr. in front of their names, just the last names. 

 

The Spy Who Loved Me 

Ian Fleming with Vivienne Michel 

  • Spine & Title credits this to Ian Fleming and Vivienne Michel.  Vivienne Michel is the character name of the person who tells the story from her perspective 
  • On pg 9, “My name is Vivienne Michel and at the time I …”   Vivienne is originally spelled Vivian, crossed out and spelled Vivienne” 
  • Most of the edits were minor grammar, spelling, wordsmithing in this manuscript. 
  • Look at the last page as he changed the last line. I love looking at the last line changes.  It can really shape your closing thoughts of the book  It originally said: 
  • I knew exactly who he was and what he was. … This was a man.  
  • (the ellipses were words overtyped so we can’t read them.) 
  • Now says: 
  • “I knew exactly who he was and what he was and everything, every smallest detail would be written on my heart forever.”

 

You Only Live Twice 

  • Credit for the poem at beginning changed from “Japanese itinerant poet” to “Japanese poet” 
  • “To R.M. Hughes & Torao Sito” changed to “To Richard Hughes & Roao Saito 
  • Chapter 7 inserts for page 49 list the poison categories apparently replacing what was originally on pgs. 50 and 51 which are not in the manuscript 

 

  • Not many corrections in this version.  However, there are numerous pages with different typefaces and paper sizes.   I presume that this means pages were replaced in this edition of the manuscript so we can’t see the original 

 

Moonraker 

  • This must have been an early draft – a lot of inserts are in this manuscript 
  • 3T2A0178.jpg –  Title page with lots of renamed chapters including:
    “The Man with Ogre’s Teeth”   Was changed to  The “Shiner” 
  • My favorite Insert in all of the manuscripts was in chapter 2 of Moonraker.   There is a long hand-written insert that was pasted on top of the original manuscript page so we couldn’t see what it replaced.  What makes this so classic is that the paper Ian Fleming used for this had a letterhead of CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, WASHINGTON DC.  This letterhead isn’t in the book.  It just happened to be the paper Fleming used to write his changes. 
  • The ending again changes with a hand-written addition:  

She laughed. ‘I’m sorry I can’t oblige.  But there are plenty of others waiting to be picked.’ 

‘Yes, I suppose so,’ said Bond.  ‘Well, goodbye, Gala.’  He held out his hand. 

‘Goodbye, James.’ 

He touched her for the last time and then they turned away from each other and walked off into their different lives. 

 So, 11 manuscripts later, we feel like we know Bond, and Ian Fleming much better.  We’ve gotten a peek into Fleming’s mind as he developed these stories. This was a fabulous outing to see the original manuscripts of Ian Fleming’s James Bond novels  – what a unique experience and opportunity!   We really loved seeing the handwritten entries Fleming made.  That was really cool.  We would love to go back and study the manuscripts even more!   Just as a reminder, you need to make a reservation to use the reading room so don’t just show up.    

One final thought:  Indiana University is at a very large university in the US.   If you are into college sports of any type, you can try to schedule a visit around a game.  I scheduled our trip so that we could see the Indiana University basketball team play.  Dan is a big Marquette basketball fan.  I sort of forced him to go see Indiana play.  Unfortunately, the Indiana Hoosier basketball team got blown out.  That was the only disappointment with this trip.  The campus was great, the Lilly Library was fantastic, and Mother Bear’s pizza still is fantastic. 

This wraps up our trip to The Lilly Library at Indiana University!  

Subscribe to our podcasts on spy movies, as we look at connections between these films and other spy movie films, and their connections to the real world!  This podcast was focused on Bond and the Ian Fleming manuscripts.  We have podcasts focused on Mission: Impossibleclassic spy moviesconnections between Bond and Sherlock Holmes, classic spy movies like The 39 Steps, Filming Location trips we’ve taken and more. 

Thanks for listening!   This is Dan Silvestri and Tom Pizzato from SpyMovienavigator.com – the Worldwide Community of Spy Move Fans – spy movie podcasts, videos, discussions and more!  If you like our podcasts, please give us a 5-star rating on iTunes and in Google Play – that helps us a lot!  Like us on Facebook, Follow us on Twitter and on Instagram too.  And when you have feedback, an idea for a podcast, something you want to say – just click the red button on our website that says “Send us a Voicemail”, or send us a message and we may include it on our show! 


More Episodes

In Defense of Quantum of Solace

Dan and Tom provide a defense of the James Bond movie Quantum of Solace, looking at the pros and cons of this movie.

Rick English stunt performer on MI, James Bond, Kingsman, and more

Award-winning stunt performer Rick English talks spy movie stunts with Dan and Tom. Rick has worked on all of the big spy movie franchises.

Part 2: A Talk with QUANTUM OF SOLACE Director of Photography, Roberto Schaefer, ASC, AIC

Watch the Video Version of this podcast Join Dan and Tom as they spend a couple of hours with Roberto Schaefer, Director of Photography for Quantum of Solace! This is Part 2 of a 2 part podcast with Roberto!

Keep current! Join Our Email List

Keep up to date with our latest and greatest spy movie finds. (See our Privacy Policy)

Examining Ian Fleming’s Original James Bond Manuscripts – Part 1

Podcast Episode

Examining Ian Fleming’s Original James Bond Manuscripts – Part 1

Join Dan and Tom for Part One of their journey to The Lilly Library at Indiana University in the USA, as they examine, in-person, all of these wonderful James Bond masterpieces, gaining some insight into the novels and into Ian Fleming’s way of writing!

Dan and Tom of SpyMovieNavigator.com had the privilege of examining 11 of Ian Fleming’s original James Bond manuscripts – his actual typed pages, with hand-written edits in the margins, crossed-out sections, add-ins and more!  You can see where he changes a name that we all know, and then – there it is in the final published version of the novel!
Come with us to The Lilly Library at Indiana University in the USA, as we examine, in-person, all of these wonderful James Bond masterpieces, gaining some insight into the novels and into Ian Fleming’s way of writing!
This is Part one, covering Casino Royale to From Russia With Love, of a 2-part series!  Look for Part 2 as well!”

Related Content

Ian Fleming and the Lily Library 

The Ian Fleming Manuscripts!  Bond from the Page to the Screen! 

How would you like to touch and examine the actual pages that Ian Fleming typed when writing his James Bond novels?  Well, we did and here’s our story! 

Hi, this is Dan Silvestri and Tom Pizzato from SpyMovienavigator.com – the Worldwide Community of Spy Move Fans – spy movie podcasts, videos, discussions and more!  If you like our podcasts, please give us a 5star rating on iTunes and in Google Play – that helps us a lot!  Like us on Facebook, Follow us on Twitter and on Instagram too.  And when you have feedback, an idea for a podcast, something you want to say – just click the red button on our website that says “Send us a Voicemail”, or send us a message and we may include it on our show! 

We like traveling, hunting down spy movie filming locations and other significant places that played a part in spy movies.   Like, when we were in London not too long ago, we stood on the steps, and at the door of Les Ambassadeurs in London.   Of course, we know that is the casino that Bond is playing baccarat in at the beginning of Dr. No – where we first meet Bond on film, and with his now-famous, “Bond. James Bond” introduction to Sylvia Trench and all of us!  It’s also when Ian Fleming met with some of the EON folks early on to solidify a deal to turn the books into films.  

Well, how about visiting a place that owns 11 of Ian Fleming’s James Bond novels?  Type-written pages that he typed at Goldeneye in Jamaica!  With Ian Fleming’s hand-written notes, deletions and additions, edits in blue ink?  Well, Indiana University in the State of Indiana in the United States has a special library called, The Lilly Library – and they have the manuscripts!   

The maddening thing is that this is where I got my undergraduate degree.  I knew the library existed and that is was a rare book library.  I knew it had part of the Gutenberg Bible.  They have the letter with George Washington accepting the first presidency of the United States.  I just knew it as a rare book library and never went in there in my four years of study.  Now I find out it had 11 James Bond manuscripts typed and hand-written by Ian Fleming?   What better reason to go visit my alma mater, read the manuscripts and get a chance to see if Mother Bear’s pizza is still as good as I remember (it is). 

Only a fourhour ride for us, we drove down and spent a day and a half pouring over all 11 of the manuscripts.   We photographed every page of Casino Royale, the first novel.   We are trying to get permission to post some of these pictures.   We were able to turn the pages of each manuscript with ungloved hands – touching the very pages that Fleming typed in his typewriter in Jamaica.  And examining every edit he made in all 11 manuscripts.  

This was a thrill beyond belief!  If you are a spy movie fan, and especially as a James Bond fan, we would highly recommend this.   When we drove down there, parked the car in the nearby Student Union parking lot, and were walking to the door of the library, our hearts were racing!  We walked in, signed in, and went into the special room where they brought the manuscripts – from the vault!  SpyMovieNavigator was about to examine in person, the original manuscripts! 

One quick note:  you need to make a reservation for the reading room which you can do online at https://libraries.indiana.edu/lilly-library . You request what you want to read.   We allocated a day and a half and really could have used 3 – 4 days in order to go page-by-page with the manuscript and the published book.  

They brought each manuscript out, 2 at a time – one for Dan and one for Tom.  They set then on foam rubber stands that allowed the book to sit there, opened, on an angle so you can read, and easily turn the pages.   We were not allowed to pick up the books, and of course, not to make ANY marks on these valuable pages.    

Here are the manuscripts that they have.   Now, keep in mind, there may be other editions of these drafts – because there were some things in other drafts that made it into the books, and so on.   The only novel they don’t have is his last one, The Man With The Golden Gun. They don’t have Thunderball either, but that was based on a screenplay that was credited to Kevin McClory, Jack Wittingham, and Ian Fleming.  But that’s a different story we won’t go into this podcast, maybe a later one. 

Here are the 11 they have and we examined: 

  • Casino Royale published 1953  (21st  Movie: 2006) 
  • Live and Let Die – published 1954 (8th Movie: 1973) 
  • Moonraker – published 1955 (11th Movie: 1979) 
  • Diamonds are Forever – published 1956 ( 7th Movie:1971 ) 
  • From Russia With Love  published 1957 (Second Movie: 1963) 
  • Dr. No – published  1958 (First Movie: 1962) 
  • Goldfinger – published 1959 (3rd Movie – 1964) 
  • For Your Eyes Only – published 1960 (From A View to a Kill).  (12th Movie – 1981) 
  • Also part of this short story set: Death Leaves an Echo, Quantum of Solace, Risico 
  • The Spy Who Loved Me – published 1962 (10th Movie: 1977)  
  • On Her Majesty’s Secret Service – published 1963 (6th Movie – 1969) 
  • You Only Live Twice – published 1964 (5th Movie: 1967) 

Fleming used a lot of inserts to make changes.  Sometimes these would be written on the back of the previous page.  Other times they were typed and either inserted or pasted on the page. 

 We’re just going to go through a few of the highlights of paging through these manuscripts, book by book.   We can talk for a couple of hours about this great outing! 

Casino Royale published 1953  (Movie – 1962) 

  • The first page of the book and the manuscript have some slight differences so this isn’t the last manuscript. Many edits in all of the books handwritten by Ian Fleming.  
  • Fleming liked to name people in his books with names similar to real-life people.  Therefore, in the manuscripts, there are some name changes.  The first change is actually a company name change.  Messrs. Lascelles de Mercado was changed to Messrs. Caffrey.  It is interesting to see these as he had to go through other references to those names and change them too.  This was before cut/paste, Word, WordPerfect, Word processors, or even Wite-Out.  
  • What do you think, Petty?  Petty is scratched out.  Hand-written by Fleming is the word: “Penny.”   A couple of sentences later, Miss Pettavel is scratched out, and hand-written in its place is Miss Moneypenny!   OMG!  This is where it happened – right on this page!  Significant name change! 
  • The person who he modeled Pettavel after was based on Kathleen Pettigrew who was the personal assistant to the real-life MI6 director. 
  • CHECK FOR A VERSION RELEASED IN 2013 where Fleming had Bond as the real name, but James Secretan as his real name.  From an article by Susanna Lazarus, April 15th, 2013.  On page 59 in the version we have examined, he says his name is Bond! This isn’t until chapter 7. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2309144/The-names-Secretan–James-Secretan-Early-Ian-Fleming-draft-reveals-nearly-chose-different-007.html  
  • Bentley details: changed it to an almost new 1933. 
  • The Bitch is dead – it’s in there! 
  • Vesper Martini – ingredients described 
  • In describing a member of SMERSH, the name “Maxim Gorki” is changed to “Trotsky” and gives an assassination date of August 22, 1940.  There was a real-life Russian Revolutionary named Leon Trotsky who was killed in Mexico.  Actually, the attack came on Aug 20th and Trotsky died on the 21st.  There was a Russian writer named Maxim Gorky who died in 1936.   

 

Live and Let Die – published 1954 

  • Title page IN RED INK: “The Undertaker’s Wind”, which is scratched out in blue ink, and above it printed in blue ink: “Live and Let Die”.   “Live and Let Die was also written in on the left side of the title page and scratched out.    
  • 134 manuscript pages Bond in America – because he did well with the CIA in the Casino job (Bond handling the Jamaican end for the British) 
  • All the gold coins minted before 1620.  Over 1000 have shown up in the US in the last few months 
  • Mr. Big stands for Buonaparte Ignace Gallia.  Plus he is huge height and bulk.  This was added to the story as an insert at x on page 11`.  Chapter 3 
  • There is a hand-written insert for Page 18,  “and don’t go stirring up a lot of trouble for us.  This case isn’t ripe yet.  Until it is, our policy with Mr. Big is “live and let live.”  Bond looked quizzically at Dexter.  “In my job,” he said, “when I come up against a man like this one, I have another motto.  It’s ‘live and let die.”   This is cool because this is an edit to the story and now a big part of it! 
  • Description of Solitaire page 36 
  • Solitaire: Her real name was added as a written in the edit by Fleming at the top of page 53: to Bond: “I will just tell you my real name.   It is Simone Latrelle, but you can call me what you like.” 

 

From Russia With Love  published 1957 

  • Puts chapter titles 
  • Donovan Grant – the result of a midnight union between a German professional (The Mighty O’Donavanweight lifter and a Southern Irish waitress (Grant).  Behind a circus test just outside of Belfast.  Page 11 in the original manuscript 
  • Lots of background details on Grant and his life.  Kills Dr. Baumbartner as a test.   Then put into training for Russians.  He was an advanced manic depressive.  He carried out many executions for the soviets 
  • Head of SMERSH was General Brubozabou – schikovknow as G. 
  • Soviets agree that an act of terrorism against the British Secret Service would be their next move – looking for a target of someone who is admired and whose destruction would cause dismay.   They decide on Bond who had twice frustrated the operations of SMERSH – at the Casino with LeChiffre and Mr. Big.  And another adds Drax (Moonraker) WHO WAS FOILED BY Bond.  The most recent info was Bond having something to do with a diamond affair, from Africa to America,  Pages 38 – 42.  Casino Royale, Live and Let Die, Diamonds Are Forever, and Moonraker had already been published – so some acknowledgment of previous missions and books.   
  • Bond’s scar: “three-inch scar showing whitely down the sunburned skin of his right cheek”  Page 43.  Page 44: Expert pistol shot, boxer, knife-thrower, does not use disguises; languages French and German; smokes heavily; vices; drinks but not to excess and women.  Knows the basic holds of Judo 
  • Kronsteen and Klebb get the orders to kill Bond.   Page 52 
  • Biela Klebb changed to Rosa Page 54 and  Fleming must scratch out Biela and insert Rosa from now on! 
  • Romanov gets recruited by Klebb page 58 and the dialogue is very very close to the movie.  It is a remarkable job in the movie to capture this moment.   
  • Klebb picks Grant page 75 
  • Bond in a funk page 84 because Tiffany Case, his love of several months, had left him.  They had gotten on very well, because M asked him to explain, and there “was some idea we might get married”  Page 89.  But she then met some American on the Military Attaché staff and they both went to America.   Fleming writes in the next top margin (page 90) that M was secretly pleased and the last thing he would want is “for Bond to be permanently tied to one woman’s skirt” and that is in the final print version of the book! 
  • Bond prefers to fly on the 13th of the month because no one wants to and he has fewer passengers to deal with and gets better service.  “I always choose the thirteenth whenever I can”  Page 97 
  • During a very rough part of the flight to Istanbul, Bond gets concerned, and Fleming writes in the bottom margin with an arrow to where it should be placed: “Bond “smelled the smell of danger.   It was a real smell, something like the mixture of sweat and electricity you get in an amusement arcade.”    Fleming describes Bond as going into his hurricane room – the kind of strong room they have in the middle of their homes in the tropics to protect themselves – he only did this when things were “beyond his control and no other possible action could be taken”   Page 100. 
  • Kerim: “Common blood is the best security” talking about his sons and uncles working with him. 
  • In the manuscript, the chapter titles The Tunnel of Rats – has pages 121 – 177 lined out in pencil.  Yet a lot of it is in the book.   Then again with CHAPTER TWENTY THREE from 178-187, and again for Chapter twenty-four FROM 188-195 and CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE from 196-20-5, and CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX from 206-213 and CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN from 214-220 
  • CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT is NOT lined out from 221–  228  

More Episodes

Mark Cerulli on The Making of GOLDFINGER and THUNDERBALL

Mark Cerulli wrote or co-produced the MAKING OF series for the James Bond movies GOLDFINGER and THUNDERBALL. Watch as he tells us the story.

ON HER MAJESTY’S SECRET SERVICE – On Location – Wedding Reception and Bull Ring

Dan and Tom find two more ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE filming locations - Draco's mansion and the bullring.

Derek Lyons – 4 Bond movies, Star Wars, Indiana Jones – tells Back Stories!

Derek Lyons joins Dan, Tom & Vicky on Cracking the Code of Spy Movies! He's discusses his career which includes appearing in four James Bond movies, Star Wars and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.

Keep current! Join Our Email List

Keep up to date with our latest and greatest spy movie finds. (See our Privacy Policy)

No Time To Die Trailer Discussion – A Quick-Fire Look

Podcast Episode

No Time To Die Trailer Discussion – A Quick-Fire Look

Join Tom and Dan in Cracking the Code of Spy Movies! Here we take a Quick-Fire look at the December 2019 trailer for No Time To Die and speculate as to what it all means.

Join Tom and Dan as they crack the code on the trailer for No Time to Die!

We’ll talk about the key scenes in the trailer.  We’ll see if they create interest and intrigue. And we look at “the bell”.  Yep, there is a bell we think might be important as well as a few other significant shots. See the clip here.

Listen to our No Time To Die podcast!  Subscribe to our YouTube channel, Cracking the Code of Spy Movies!

Related Content

We take a Quick-Fire look at the first trailer!

Lots of implications discussed, and initial reaction!

 

  • Who is 007?
  • Will Bond die?
  • Who is Felix Leiter chasing?

Join in the fun and discussion!

 


More Episodes

Why <em>Dr. No</em> is Dr. YES for Spy Movie Fans

Dr. No, EON Productions first James Bond movie based on Ian Fleming’s sixth James Bond 007 novel gets a big YES from movie-goers at the time of release in 1962, and has been a staple of Bond movies ever since.…

In Defense of Quantum of Solace

Dan and Tom provide a defense of the James Bond movie Quantum of Solace, looking at the pros and cons of this movie.

THUNDERBALL – A Deep Dive – Part 1

Watch the Video Version of this podcast Join Dan and Tom as they take a deep dive into the James Bond 1965 film, THUNDERBALL, starring Sean Connery, Claudine Auger, Adolfo Celi.

Keep current! Join Our Email List

Keep up to date with our latest and greatest spy movie finds. (See our Privacy Policy)

New James Bond-focused book: His World Never Dies: The Evolution of James Bond, by Dave Holcomb

Related: His World Never Dies – The Evolution of James Bond – in movies

Contributed by:

Posted on

His World Never Dies: The Evolution of James Bond, by Dave Holcomb

This is a very good book that treats the whole concept of Bond from a unique vantage point. Dave weaves a story on how Bond has evolved over the decades with some unique insights, a treatment of sexism and race, and a very interesting concept of how history and the Bond series goes through what is called a History Gyre, which suggests that history does not only repeat itself but that it moves in an evolutionary circle. Dave suggests that the four stages of this evolutionary circle are:

1. Primitive – where there are revolutionary ideals and a shared belief in a new order

2. Hierarchical – where religion, written law, and superstition are the focus

3. Classical – where society and civilization is at its very best, at a peak, and lastly

4. Decadent – focused on spectacle and excess

The insight Dave advances is that this circular evolution can be applied to the Bond movie series as well, and he discusses this in detail. Brilliant insights!

Dave goes through virtually all of the movies with the backdrop of what is the right thing to do in terms of sexism, race, the way women are treated, Bond’s overall character and demeanor. He discusses everything from music to specific scenes and dialogue.

This is a fun, quick read and we would recommend you take a look at it. We highly recommend, His World Never Dies: The Evolution of James Bond!  It is available through Amazon! Drop Dave a note on Twitter @dmholcomb and tell him how much you enjoyed his book, and that SpyMovieNavigator says hello!

PODCAST!  Listen to our podcast with the author! And hey – here’s s secret!  If you would like an autographed copy of the book, please contact Dave on Twitter @dmholcomb or email him directly at holcombmdavid@gmail.com and tell him SpyMovieNavigator sent you!  How cool is that?!


Related Content

His World Never Dies – The Evolution of James Bond – in movies

His World Never Dies: The Evolution of James Bond by Dave Holcomb - is a new book on James Bond which we found to be a nice read. Dave weaves a story on how Bond has evolved over the decades…

From Russia With Love: The United States was far From Russia With Love in 1963 – Part Two

Podcast Episode

From Russia With Love: The United States was far From Russia With Love in 1963 – Part Two

How would you feel about a love affair between the US and Russia in 1963? Well, it wasn’t likely, as then the United States was as far as it could be, From Russia With Love. James Bond at his best! Join Dan and Tom as they search for the love in From Russia With Love! This is Part 2 of a 2 Part show on From Russia With Love.

From Russia with Love is the second EON Productions entry into the film series and it is an outstanding film. Many choose From Russia with Love as one of their favorite James Bond movies, and we have to agree – this is definitely one of our top 5 Bond films ever made by EON Productions because of the screenplay, the cast, and just how well the story unfolds before our eyes. This is a top-notch Bond!

In today’s podcast, Dan Silvestri and Tom Pizzato will take an in-depth look at this movie.  They’ll discuss how many of the things that come out in this movie set the stage for later films in the franchise.  They’ll also look at how real-world events and scenes from earlier movies may have influenced From Russia with Love.

This is Part 2 of a 2 Part show on From Russia with Love.

Related Content

From Russia With Love

How would you feel about a love affair between the US and Russia in 1963? Well, it wasn’t likely, as then the United States was as far as it could be, From Russia With Love.

Join us now as we search for the love in From Russia With Love!

5th Ian Fleming James Bond 007 novel (1957), 2nd EON Productions James Bond 007 film (1963). When Ian Fleming wrote the novel, the Soviet Union had not yet launched Sputnik, the first satellite ever put into space. But by October 4th, 1957, Sputnik was successfully launched which began the official space race between the then Soviet Union and the United States – so the subject matter of the film was very much on everyone’s mind worldwide – what will happen in space, and what will tensions between the US and the Soviet Union bring to the world.   Another great choice by EON Productions to produce this film in 1963. Any advantage one super-power could gain on the other would be a strategic plus for that country.

The movie is all about James Bond heading to Istanbul to attempt to retrieve the Lektor, the top-secret Russian decoding machine.

Actors:

From Russia with Love is the second EON Productions entry into the film series and it is an outstanding film. Many choose From Russia With Love as one of their favorite James Bond movies, and we have to agree – this is definitely is one of our top 5 Bond films ever made by EON Productions because of the screenplay, the cast, and just how well the story unfolds before our eyes. This is top-notch Bond!

Here is as 2 minute plus a trailer to whet your appetite for the film, and to refresh your memory as to the tremendous number of great action shots and theatrical shots that we will see in many more spy movies to come throughout the next 5 plus decades.

The exotic locations, the tremendous explosions, the intrigue, the beauty of the photography and sets – all rolled up into one great film! The clip is fast-paced, as are many parts of the film. This is one of the best spy movies ever! The villains are true villains, from Red Grant, Kronsteen, to Rosa Klebb – and of course, Blofeld – who has people obeying orders in fear of death.

https://youtu.be/VqAOf66o1Wg

Pre-Title Sequence
In one of the most intriguing pre-title sequences, the mood is dark, the setting is dark, and we see Bond pursued by an agent (SPECTRE).

Pre-Title Sequence in a setting we are not familiar with and with a very perplexed and worried look upon James Bond’s face – he really does not look confident, which makes us viewers nervous.   He has a gun in hand, as he walks cautiously around these dark grounds with statuary and foliage – lot s of hiding places. Until, from behind, Bond is strangled to death.   For 1 minute and 52 seconds, he was pursued and killed.   Bond, dead. But wait… .ala Mission: Impossible’s use of masks, the mask is lifted off of Bond to reveal that it was really someone else. Note that the Mission: Impossible television series does not start until 3 years after the filming of From Russia With Love, so here, the film could have possibly influenced one of the major components of Mission: Impossible television series, and later the films! Of course, The List of Adrian Messenger was released in June 1963 and was the first we know of to heavily use make-up and facial masks as disguises, which are peeled off at the end of the film. So perhaps, From Russia With Love was influenced by The List of Adrian Messenger (not a spy movie per se) and then later influences the spy television series, Mission: Impossible and the subsequent films.

There is a great article written about some of this by Jeremy Dunns, April 14, 2015. Read it!

John F. Kennedy was President of the US then, and Ian Fleming actually met President Kennedy.   Kennedy was quoted as saying that From Russia With Love was one of his 10 favorite books.   The Fleming novels took off in sales after that.   Of course, later in 1963-1964, the film was released, but President Kennedy had been assassinated on November 22, 1963, in Dallas, Texas.

The subject matter of the film, obtaining a Soviet Lektor (which is an encoding device to protect communications – much like the Enigma machine in WW-II) which was stolen by SPECTRE, giving the West an advantage over the Soviets, was very much in vogue at the time. In the film, Russia is very much aware of James Bond already, and the pre-title sequence demonstrates how they are training to be able to kill Bond.   So, the tension of the film is established immediately.

SPECTRE Briefing

In this clip, we get a glimpse into the existence of SPECTRE and how SPECTRE works its evil plans.   We even see here a reference to Dr. No – and that by stealing the Lektor from the Russians, and setting up the plan for the Russian girl to theoretically defect and provide the Lector to the British, MI6 will most certainly send Bond, and then SPECTRE can exact their revenge on Bond for the death of Dr. No. So, we see for the first time a reference to a previous Bond movie – we will see others in future Bond movies. Here you see, Number One, stroking a white cat, but you never see his face.   Kronsteen in Number 2 and Rosa Klebb Number 3. High-level planning to get the Lector and kill Bond too.

The attention to detail for the sets continues EON Productions meticulous execution of fabulous sets, many built at Pinewood Studios outside London, and of course many scenes filmed on location – which SpyMovieNavigator is focused on with our videos.

Tatiana and Klebb (Head of Operations for SMERSH) Have A Meeting

Here we see the behind the scenes plan for getting the Lektor.   Tatiana Romanov works for Russia, and she thinks Klebb is still head of operations for the Russians (SMERSH). This set is in the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul, and you can still find this very building (an inn) that was used to shoot this scene.   Again, a great set, nice lighting, a believable meeting. The set details make the movie most believable, and the locations feel very real. This scene sets up the rest of the movie, with two characters here who will appear at the very end of the movie as well. The atmosphere really shows at this moment, Tatiana is not in control, and the cat walking past her ads to the intrigue and dark atmosphere, as does the creaking door, all while Shaw watches her enter. Colonel Klebb, with a threatening baton/whip in hand, demonstrates that she is in complete control, and reinforces that with, after Tatiana says about making love to Bond, ”And if I refuse?” Klebb sternly rebukes, “Then you will not leave this room alive.” Note, when Klebb places her hand on Tatiana’s knee to wrestle complete control of the situation, Tatiana is very uncomfortable and shifts her legs. Klebb may have same-sex tendencies, and others have written at length about this. We think this scene might have been filmed in Istanbul as well, and we are investigating.   The exterior of the building it is said was Istanbul.

A Smart Looking Piece of Luggage: Briefcase

As Bond is called into M’s office to get the details of his assignment to Istanbul to recover the Lector, we see Q Branch, the quartermaster (Boothroyd), for the first time, played by Desmond Llewelyn. This first scene with Q is one of my favorite scenes in any Bond movie because you just have to love Q! I have loved Q played by Llewelyn from this moment forward, and enjoy every moment he is in a scene.   He is a special character and here we see him for the first time. Bravo, Desmond!

And Q does give Bond a rather smart piece of luggage, which, of course, will come in very handy.  From here on out, Q is very much in tune with what field agents might need!

https://youtu.be/Vu4yHOssCJA

Bond Lands in Istanbul
https://youtu.be/ahf_ceRT2EU

After leaving M’s office, knowing that he is Instanbul-bound, he signs the photograph that M wants back and gives it to Miss Moneypenny with the inscription, “With Love” to which Bond adds above it, “From Russia!”   Notice Moneypenny’s face – looking longingly at Bond. All the Connery movies have these playful interactions between the two. This is a very tightly written scene, reinforcing the rendezvous with Tatiana Romanov, the mission to get the Russian Lektor, and the title of the movie. Brilliant piece of writing here to get the viewer absolutely hooked, and one of the many reasons, From Russia With Love is a fan favorite.

At the airport in Istanbul, we are again left with unknows as there is a suspicious man following him out of the airport (the Bulgarian) and another in a car observing Bond. We will grow to know both of their roles very precisely soon. And, as in Dr. No, a driver is sent for him, but this time, through validation through a spoken code, it is an ally, not an adversary.

Bond makes it to the hotel safely, but tailed, and checks into Room 32.   He quickly searches for bugs and finds one behind a painting.   As if one bug is not enough, he keeps looking for more – in the chandelier and then checks the phone with an electronic device.   Of course, he will switch rooms.   This scene shows again the mystery of who is following him, and the thoroughness that 007 exhibits in the execution of his duties. Between Dr. No, and From Russia With love, we are beginning to learn who James Bond is: A tough assassin in Dr. No and a thorough, untrusting agent in From Russia With Love. 

James Bond and Karim at Cistern

Bond heads to Istanbul to meet Karin Bey the MI6 agent in Instanbul, and to talk about meeting Tatiana Romanov (who thinks she is working for Russia under Klebb who has defected to SPECTRE) who can get the Lektor. After a bomb goes off in Bey’s office, and he is wondering why the Russians are acting like this, Bond tells him maybe it is because he is here. Then SPECTRE will steal the Lektor and sell it. Here, Karim Bey takes Bond beneath his offices and to the underground cistern where he uses a periscope to spy on the Russian embassy.

This location is actually near the Aya Sofia Mosque. There is an entrance fee, but when you enter, you walk down the steps that Bond and Karim walk down in this scene.   Very cool!

The Gypsy Camp

Bey uses the gypsies for information. This has caused tension with the rival gypsy groups.   This is a beautiful scene on a beautiful evening, with belly dancing, and even a serious fight between two gypsy women . We quickly see that Krilencu is involved here as well, and it is also clear that Klebb’s assassin is nearby too, though Bey took precautions not to be followed.   The assassin is at this point protecting Bond because he needs Bond to get the lector first. Bey is wounded in the arm.

Krilencu was trying to kill Bey. So, next Bey and Bond head to where Bey knows Krilencu lives. Bey feels he better kill Krilencu before Krilencu gets another chance to kill Bey.   So, Bond, with his trusty Ar-7 briefcase rifle, heads to the known living location of Krilencu.

https://youtu.be/xsL7T32XG3M

Krilencu Hideout

https://youtu.be/iSUR050VECM

Here Bond and Bey take care of Krilencu so there is no other chance Krilencu will get Bey.   Bey’s sons are security police, in on the attack.   This is a touching scene, and you see how close Bond and Bey are – almost like a Felix Leiter kind of closeness.   It also highlights how much Bond and MI6 agents in the field are assassins.   This is a clear-cut assassination – shooting an unarmed nemesis as he escapes.   A perfect set-up.

 It’s the Right Size

https://youtu.be/jaA7_aOD2ig

When Bond gets a new suite at the hotel because of the bugged suite, he returns to it to find Tatiana Romanov in his bed.   This is the first time they meet when she says to him that she thinks her mouth is too big, and Bond says, “it’s the right size . . . for me that is.”   Again, we see Bond is flirtatious with women, and even while kissing her, he is asking her about the Lektor, where it is, and how she can draw a map of the consulate. It is obvious they will sleep together from the dialogue, and Tania (her friends call her that) looks fabulous and inviting – Daniella Bianchi is perfect for Tania.   We also discover that behind the mirrors, they are being filmed – part of a plan to do away with them both later in the film.

Red Grant Kills Foreign Agent

https://youtu.be/C96t9J5c6TU

Tania obviously got the plan of the consulate and will leave it at the Aya Sofia as Bond had suggested. The Blue Mosque is seen in the background as Tania approaches Aya Sofia. We see more intrigue here- nothing goes quite that simple in a Bond movie. You will see some familiar faces we saw at the airport when Bond landed in Istanbul. Remember, Tania is leaving the plan for the Consulate in a small container for Bond. But one of the guys we saw at the airport, is tracing her and goes to retrieve it before Bond.   But he is killed by the other man we saw at the airport following Bond – later identifying himself as Red Grant.   But he does not take the compact container – why not?

Remember, this is a complex plan – Tania thinks she is working for the Russians, and Klebb and Shaw have other plans. They want Bond to get the plan. And this all comes out in this scene. And you can still visit Aya Sofia and it is exactly the same as it was in the movie!

 Ferry Boat Encounter

https://youtu.be/S9yL6DAWYIg

Ferry Boat Encounter – In this clip, Bond is clandestinely meeting with Tatiana Romanova on a ferry boat in Istanbul, on the Bosphorus.    Here, he has a camera gadget that conceals a tape recorder and pretends to be taking pictures of Tatiana.   But in reality, he is recording her describing the physical attributes of the LEKTOR, the Russian decoding machine.

Bond is calm, cool, and very directive – completely in control of the encounter.  Watch his face, listen to the well-written dialogue.  He is in command.

She also describes where it is kept in the consulate, when it is used, and so on.  Clearly, Tatiana is starting to fall for Bond. We will see, of course, in many more Bond films, and certainly in other spy movies along the way – where the spy wins over a key ally in a woman.  This has happened in spy movies since the first one, The 39 Steps in 1935.

So check out the beautiful scenery, the Ferry Boat Encounter, as Bond advances the opportunity to get the LEKTOR.  We must call-out Daniela Bianchi, who is stunning as Tatiana, both in beauty and in her role.  She is voiced by British actress, Barbara Jefford.  Bianchi, an Italian actress, was 1st runner-up in the Miss Universe contest of 1960.  She steals lots of scenes in our opinion and was perfectly cast.

As a way to see Istanbul, this  Bosphorus River Ferry is a very good way to do it according to many who have traveled to Istanbul.

Russian Clocks are Always Right – Escape with the Lektor

https://youtu.be/EsAXWF9wDd0

The Lektor is the reason Bond is in Istanbul, and here he receives clearance from M to proceed with the mission.   Note Bond tells Kerim Bay that they will execute the plan for getting the Lektor out of the Russian Embassy on the 14th after Bey asks the 13th? Bey is to explode a bomb at 3 PM, and here Bond asks if the clock is correct as he checks his watch as well.   The gates when Bond walks through to access the Russian Embassy are still around, but not near the other filming locations. When the bomb goes off, chaos ensues, and Bond gets into the room where Tania has the Lektor, with team gas in the air, mask on Bond, and she says that she thought it was going to be the 14th but today is the 13th.   The question is why did Bond tell Karim in his office that it would be the 14th, but then they executed it on the 13th?   Perhaps they were being cautious in case anyone overheard, but it is not absolutely clear in the clip.

Train Fight
https://youtu.be/WmTs5bF0-mQ

One of the greatest train fights in all cinema, this one is brutal, painful, and dangerous. In 1935, in The 39 Steps, we see a train chase in a spy movie pretty much for the first time.   From Russia With Love takes this to new heights, which will impact many future spy movies – with tremendous train fights and chases like Live and Let Die, The Spy Who Loved Me, Octopussy, Mission Impossible (1996), SPECTRE, Bourne Ultimatum (2007), and others. This is one of the best train fights of all time.

The acting is superb by both Robert Shaw and Connery.   Shaw, as Grant, is tremendous, and you see the vulnerability of Bond clearly and also how Q’s gadgets can save the day when used properly.

This train fight is a tremendous scene and a turning point in From Russia With Love. Remember, in the pre-title sequence, Shaw was training to kill Bond, and his plan has worked flawlessly to this point.   But, when Bond gets the better of the ole boy, the tide turns. Grant is dead, not Bond.

SpyMovieNavigator has a signed Sean Connery photo of him in the train car.   Very cool.

Truck vs. Helicopter

https://youtu.be/4oD3vvgb3vk

In what will become a staple item in future spy movie films, this helicopter chase scene sets the stage for the rest of From Russia With Love, and for many spy movies to come.   The first helicopter searching for a “spy” is in The 39 Steps from 1935, a Hitchcock produced movie. It appears only for a few seconds, but it is the beginning of the use of this vehicle in pursuits throughout dozens of movies, and spy films for sure.   Many Bond movies, Mission: Impossible movies and more of the best of the rest.

This scene again shows how in tune Q is in what gadgets Bond might need for a mission, as his smart looking piece of luggage with the AR-7 comes in very handy once again.

SpyMovieNavigator was actually in Scotland looking for Bond locations, and we tried to find the rock that Bond was hiding under when he shot down the helicopter and we could not find it!   We were close to the location and should have been able to find it, but we could not.

 Death of Kronsteen

https://youtu.be/v7cEnaXU8Ec?t=4

We know very little about SPECTRE at this point, but this scene highlights how brutal and unforgiving SPECTRE is, and we get a glimpse of # 1, albeit from shoulders down, as he is stroking a white cat, as we flashback to the cat that walked by Tania as she was on her way to meet Klebb for the first time.   SPECTRE wants the Lektor as they have made arrangements with the Russians to return it to them, for a price. The atmosphere this scene creates is one of terror – terror for # 3 and # 5, but terror and tremendous tension for the viewing audience, as we realize the SPECTRE will stop at nothing, does not tolerate failure, and, as Blofeld says, SPECTRE always delivers what it promises.

Here we see for the first time, the poison blade that pops out of the shoe of the assassin here, as he kicks # 5 with it. How long does it take for Kronsteen to die? 12 seconds and # 1 is not happy that it takes that long.   Bond is up again an evil organization!

Klebb’s Final Assault
https://youtu.be/-SXbmeFCnTM

Just when you think it’s safe…Klebb shows up once again, in Venice, as Bond and Tania are ready to depart.   The thing to note here is that Klebb now has the poison shoe bald device that killed # 5 in SPECTRE # 1’s office. Here, she is willing to use it to kill Bond and retrieve the Lektor.   Here in the film, Bond escapes the poison blade, and Tania – who Klebb still thinks is on her side, foils Klebb’s plans to kill Bond.   Here in the film, Bond escapes without injury, though in the novel by Ian Fleming, Bond is punctured by the poison blade, and his fate is unknown.

In the film, as below, Klebb’s attempts to kill Bond with the poison shoe blade and with a pistol are foiled by Tania as she shoots Klebb.   Twice Tania reassures Bond that she knows nothing about Klebb being there, by shaking her head left and right while looking directly at Bond – twice – to show Bond her loyalty is to him.   We all feel relief that Tania is on the “good” side, and Klebb, evil incarnate – is finally dead. As in many Bond films, you never know when it’s over – but now, the danger is over at least!

Escape to Venice
After the helicopter chase scene in which Bond and Tatiana escape, they force the driver to take them to the dock where Red Grant was supposed to meet them and escape.   This scene was actually shot in Scotland, and SpyMovieNavigator has visited the dock location.

We could not find a clip of the pick-up truck arriving at the dock, but in our videos below this is what the dock and the bluffs look like now. In the movie, the pier is in great shape as the yellow truck drives onto the pier and stops at the end.   Then, Bond, Tatiana, and the truck driver board the escape boat on their way to Venice, Italy (this was supposed to be taking place in Turkey, but this scene was shot in Scotland)!.   The dock today is a bit dilapidated, and if you are watching this online, you can see that.   But we found the actual dock in Scotland, and this is the place where the final escape with the Lektor takes place, and the ensuing chase by the SPECTRE boats.   A very key location in the movie.   In our video, you can also see where. In the distance, the chase scene begins, as the bluffs and hills are pretty much the same.

You will see the bluffs and water that appear in our video above in the boat chase scene which appears in the film, below.   Very cool to be there, and Scotland is a beautiful country!

Venice – Canal Scene Ends the Movie

https://youtu.be/-Slk80uIzBg?t=6

The boat scene in Venice, when Tania and Bond are now relaxing with the mission complete, the establishing shots are of the Doge Place, the Bridge of Sighs, the Venice canals. It looks like green-screen stuff with eh actors super-imposed against the background. One of the things see here in the background, is the Bridge of Sighs – for a short time behind Bond and Tania.   The Bridge of Sighs, in olden times, was the bridge prisoners would cross over from the courtyard where they were sentenced to death or to prison and maybe even to the execution area – so they knew they would never cross that bridge again or see the beautiful view of Venice they could see through the bridges barred windows. Hence, the sighs.   Here, in From Russia With Love, there could be a couple of meanings: 1) That Bond and Tania are now beyond the danger zone – they passed under the Bridge of Sighs and the mission is accomplished; they are out of danger; 2) or, it can be a sexual symbol – Bond is reviewing the film of he and Tania making love in the bridal suite (that Tania did not know about as you recall) – and Grant was going to use this film as the reason Tania and Bond were dead – one was going to use it as blackmail against the other, then murder and suicide. So, the film had enough sexual content to be potent.   Bond is looking at it now and Tania asks what it is, and Bond just says that he will show her all as they pass from canal to canal – to the Grand Canal., which can be taken as metaphors or symbols.   It is a pleasant moment for the two of them, as they wrap up their mission, and their passion.   And they are now in the safety zone! And Daniella Bianchi as Tania was just perfect casting – she is stunning! Tell us what you think!


More Episodes

International James Bond Trivia Marathon – Nov 14 2020

Join Steven Jay Rubin, author of the newly released The James Bond Movie Encyclopedia in this international James Bond Trivia Marathon! 

James Bond is to Spies What Sherlock Holmes is to Detectives

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Ian Fleming created some of the best known literary characters this world has ever known. Both Sherlock Holmes and James Bond made the leap from the pages of novels and short stories to the big…

Gadgets in THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS and LICENCE TO KILL

Dan and Tom take a look at the gadgets in THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS and LICENCE TO KILL. These are the two Timothy Dalton James Bond movies.

Keep current! Join Our Email List

Keep up to date with our latest and greatest spy movie finds. (See our Privacy Policy)

From Russia With Love: The United States was far From Russia With Love in 1963 – Part One

Podcast Episode

From Russia With Love: The United States was far From Russia With Love in 1963 – Part One

How would you feel about a love affair between the US and Russia in 1963? Well, it wasn’t likely, as then the United States was as far as it could be, From Russia With Love. Join James Bond at his best! Join Dan and Tom as they search for the love in From Russia With Love!

From Russia with Love is the second EON Productions entry into the James Bond film series and it is an outstanding film. Many choose From Russia with Love as one of their favorite James Bond movies, and we have to agree – this is definitely one of our top 5 Bond films ever made by EON Productions because of the screenplay, the cast, and just how well the story unfolds before our eyes. This is a top-notch Bond! This is Part 1 of a 2 Part show on From Russia with Love.

In today’s podcast, Dan Silvestri and Tom Pizzato will take an in-depth look at this movie.  They’ll discuss how many of the things that come out in this movie set the stage for later films in the franchise.  They’ll also look at how real-world events and scenes from earlier movies may have influenced From Russia with Love.

Related Content

From Russia With Love

How would you feel about a love affair between the US and Russia in 1963? Well, it wasn’t likely, as then the United States was as far as it could be, From Russia With Love.

Join us now as we search for the love in From Russia With Love!

5th Ian Fleming James Bond 007 novel (1957), 2nd EON Productions James Bond 007 film (1963). When Ian Fleming wrote the novel, the Soviet Union had not yet launched Sputnik, the first satellite ever put into space. But by October 4th, 1957, Sputnik was successfully launched which began the official space race between the then Soviet Union and the United States – so the subject matter of the film was very much on everyone’s mind worldwide – what will happen in space, and what will tensions between the US and the Soviet Union bring to the world.   Another great choice by EON Productions to produce this film in 1963. Any advantage one super-power could gain on the other would be a strategic plus for that country.

The movie is all about James Bond heading to Istanbul to attempt to retrieve the Lektor, the top-secret Russian decoding machine.

Actors:

From Russia with Love is the second EON Productions entry into the film series and it is an outstanding film. Many choose From Russia With Love as one of their favorite James Bond movies, and we have to agree – this is definitely is one of our top 5 Bond films ever made by EON Productions because of the screenplay, the cast, and just how well the story unfolds before our eyes. This is top-notch Bond!

Here is as 2 minute plus a trailer to whet your appetite for the film, and to refresh your memory as to the tremendous number of great action shots and theatrical shots that we will see in many more spy movies to come throughout the next 5 plus decades.

The exotic locations, the tremendous explosions, the intrigue, the beauty of the photography and sets – all rolled up into one great film! The clip is fast-paced, as are many parts of the film. This is one of the best spy movies ever! The villains are true villains, from Red Grant, Kronsteen, to Rosa Klebb – and of course, Blofeld – who has people obeying orders in fear of death.

https://youtu.be/VqAOf66o1Wg

Pre-Title Sequence
In one of the most intriguing pre-title sequences, the mood is dark, the setting is dark, and we see Bond pursued by an agent (SPECTRE).

Pre-Title Sequence in a setting we are not familiar with and with a very perplexed and worried look upon James Bond’s face – he really does not look confident, which makes us viewers nervous.   He has a gun in hand, as he walks cautiously around these dark grounds with statuary and foliage – lot s of hiding places. Until, from behind, Bond is strangled to death.   For 1 minute and 52 seconds, he was pursued and killed.   Bond, dead. But wait… .ala Mission: Impossible’s use of masks, the mask is lifted off of Bond to reveal that it was really someone else. Note that the Mission: Impossible television series does not start until 3 years after the filming of From Russia With Love, so here, the film could have possibly influenced one of the major components of Mission: Impossible television series, and later the films! Of course, The List of Adrian Messenger was released in June 1963 and was the first we know of to heavily use make-up and facial masks as disguises, which are peeled off at the end of the film. So perhaps, From Russia With Love was influenced by The List of Adrian Messenger (not a spy movie per se) and then later influences the spy television series, Mission: Impossible and the subsequent films.

There is a great article written about some of this by Jeremy Dunns, April 14, 2015. Read it!

John F. Kennedy was President of the US then, and Ian Fleming actually met President Kennedy.   Kennedy was quoted as saying that From Russia With Love was one of his 10 favorite books.   The Fleming novels took off in sales after that.   Of course, later in 1963-1964, the film was released, but President Kennedy had been assassinated on November 22, 1963, in Dallas, Texas.

The subject matter of the film, obtaining a Soviet Lektor (which is an encoding device to protect communications – much like the Enigma machine in WW-II) which was stolen by SPECTRE, giving the West an advantage over the Soviets, was very much in vogue at the time. In the film, Russia is very much aware of James Bond already, and the pre-title sequence demonstrates how they are training to be able to kill Bond.   So, the tension of the film is established immediately.

SPECTRE Briefing

In this clip, we get a glimpse into the existence of SPECTRE and how SPECTRE works its evil plans.   We even see here a reference to Dr. No – and that by stealing the Lektor from the Russians, and setting up the plan for the Russian girl to theoretically defect and provide the Lector to the British, MI6 will most certainly send Bond, and then SPECTRE can exact their revenge on Bond for the death of Dr. No. So, we see for the first time a reference to a previous Bond movie – we will see others in future Bond movies. Here you see, Number One, stroking a white cat, but you never see his face.   Kronsteen in Number 2 and Rosa Klebb Number 3. High-level planning to get the Lector and kill Bond too.

The attention to detail for the sets continues EON Productions meticulous execution of fabulous sets, many built at Pinewood Studios outside London, and of course many scenes filmed on location – which SpyMovieNavigator is focused on with our videos.

Tatiana and Klebb (Head of Operations for SMERSH) Have A Meeting

Here we see the behind the scenes plan for getting the Lektor.   Tatiana Romanov works for Russia, and she thinks Klebb is still head of operations for the Russians (SMERSH). This set is in the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul, and you can still find this very building (an inn) that was used to shoot this scene.   Again, a great set, nice lighting, a believable meeting. The set details make the movie most believable, and the locations feel very real. This scene sets up the rest of the movie, with two characters here who will appear at the very end of the movie as well. The atmosphere really shows at this moment, Tatiana is not in control, and the cat walking past her ads to the intrigue and dark atmosphere, as does the creaking door, all while Shaw watches her enter. Colonel Klebb, with a threatening baton/whip in hand, demonstrates that she is in complete control, and reinforces that with, after Tatiana says about making love to Bond, ”And if I refuse?” Klebb sternly rebukes, “Then you will not leave this room alive.” Note, when Klebb places her hand on Tatiana’s knee to wrestle complete control of the situation, Tatiana is very uncomfortable and shifts her legs. Klebb may have same-sex tendencies, and others have written at length about this. We think this scene might have been filmed in Istanbul as well, and we are investigating.   The exterior of the building it is said was Istanbul.

A Smart Looking Piece of Luggage: Briefcase

As Bond is called into M’s office to get the details of his assignment to Istanbul to recover the Lector, we see Q Branch, the quartermaster (Boothroyd), for the first time, played by Desmond Llewelyn. This first scene with Q is one of my favorite scenes in any Bond movie because you just have to love Q! I have loved Q played by Llewelyn from this moment forward, and enjoy every moment he is in a scene.   He is a special character and here we see him for the first time. Bravo, Desmond!

And Q does give Bond a rather smart piece of luggage, which, of course, will come in very handy.  From here on out, Q is very much in tune with what field agents might need!

https://youtu.be/Vu4yHOssCJA

Bond Lands in Istanbul
https://youtu.be/ahf_ceRT2EU

After leaving M’s office, knowing that he is Instanbul-bound, he signs the photograph that M wants back and gives it to Miss Moneypenny with the inscription, “With Love” to which Bond adds above it, “From Russia!”   Notice Moneypenny’s face – looking longingly at Bond. All the Connery movies have these playful interactions between the two. This is a very tightly written scene, reinforcing the rendezvous with Tatiana Romanov, the mission to get the Russian Lektor, and the title of the movie. Brilliant piece of writing here to get the viewer absolutely hooked, and one of the many reasons, From Russia With Love is a fan favorite.

At the airport in Istanbul, we are again left with unknows as there is a suspicious man following him out of the airport (the Bulgarian) and another in a car observing Bond. We will grow to know both of their roles very precisely soon. And, as in Dr. No, a driver is sent for him, but this time, through validation through a spoken code, it is an ally, not an adversary.

Bond makes it to the hotel safely, but tailed, and checks into Room 32.   He quickly searches for bugs and finds one behind a painting.   As if one bug is not enough, he keeps looking for more – in the chandelier and then checks the phone with an electronic device.   Of course, he will switch rooms.   This scene shows again the mystery of who is following him, and the thoroughness that 007 exhibits in the execution of his duties. Between Dr. No, and From Russia With love, we are beginning to learn who James Bond is: A tough assassin in Dr. No and a thorough, untrusting agent in From Russia With Love. 

James Bond and Karim at Cistern

Bond heads to Istanbul to meet Karin Bey the MI6 agent in Instanbul, and to talk about meeting Tatiana Romanov (who thinks she is working for Russia under Klebb who has defected to SPECTRE) who can get the Lektor. After a bomb goes off in Bey’s office, and he is wondering why the Russians are acting like this, Bond tells him maybe it is because he is here. Then SPECTRE will steal the Lektor and sell it. Here, Karim Bey takes Bond beneath his offices and to the underground cistern where he uses a periscope to spy on the Russian embassy.

This location is actually near the Aya Sofia Mosque. There is an entrance fee, but when you enter, you walk down the steps that Bond and Karim walk down in this scene.   Very cool!

The Gypsy Camp

Bey uses the gypsies for information. This has caused tension with the rival gypsy groups.   This is a beautiful scene on a beautiful evening, with belly dancing, and even a serious fight between two gypsy women . We quickly see that Krilencu is involved here as well, and it is also clear that Klebb’s assassin is nearby too, though Bey took precautions not to be followed.   The assassin is at this point protecting Bond because he needs Bond to get the lector first. Bey is wounded in the arm.

Krilencu was trying to kill Bey. So, next Bey and Bond head to where Bey knows Krilencu lives. Bey feels he better kill Krilencu before Krilencu gets another chance to kill Bey.   So, Bond, with his trusty Ar-7 briefcase rifle, heads to the known living location of Krilencu.

https://youtu.be/xsL7T32XG3M

Krilencu Hideout

https://youtu.be/iSUR050VECM

Here Bond and Bey take care of Krilencu so there is no other chance Krilencu will get Bey.   Bey’s sons are security police, in on the attack.   This is a touching scene, and you see how close Bond and Bey are – almost like a Felix Leiter kind of closeness.   It also highlights how much Bond and MI6 agents in the field are assassins.   This is a clear-cut assassination – shooting an unarmed nemesis as he escapes.   A perfect set-up.

 It’s the Right Size

https://youtu.be/jaA7_aOD2ig

When Bond gets a new suite at the hotel because of the bugged suite, he returns to it to find Tatiana Romanov in his bed.   This is the first time they meet when she says to him that she thinks her mouth is too big, and Bond says, “it’s the right size . . . for me that is.”   Again, we see Bond is flirtatious with women, and even while kissing her, he is asking her about the Lektor, where it is, and how she can draw a map of the consulate. It is obvious they will sleep together from the dialogue, and Tania (her friends call her that) looks fabulous and inviting – Daniella Bianchi is perfect for Tania.   We also discover that behind the mirrors, they are being filmed – part of a plan to do away with them both later in the film.

Red Grant Kills Foreign Agent

https://youtu.be/C96t9J5c6TU

Tania obviously got the plan of the consulate and will leave it at the Aya Sofia as Bond had suggested. The Blue Mosque is seen in the background as Tania approaches Aya Sofia. We see more intrigue here- nothing goes quite that simple in a Bond movie. You will see some familiar faces we saw at the airport when Bond landed in Istanbul. Remember, Tania is leaving the plan for the Consulate in a small container for Bond. But one of the guys we saw at the airport, is tracing her and goes to retrieve it before Bond.   But he is killed by the other man we saw at the airport following Bond – later identifying himself as Red Grant.   But he does not take the compact container – why not?

Remember, this is a complex plan – Tania thinks she is working for the Russians, and Klebb and Shaw have other plans. They want Bond to get the plan. And this all comes out in this scene. And you can still visit Aya Sofia and it is exactly the same as it was in the movie!

 Ferry Boat Encounter

https://youtu.be/S9yL6DAWYIg

Ferry Boat Encounter – In this clip, Bond is clandestinely meeting with Tatiana Romanova on a ferry boat in Istanbul, on the Bosphorus.    Here, he has a camera gadget that conceals a tape recorder and pretends to be taking pictures of Tatiana.   But in reality, he is recording her describing the physical attributes of the LEKTOR, the Russian decoding machine.

Bond is calm, cool, and very directive – completely in control of the encounter.  Watch his face, listen to the well-written dialogue.  He is in command.

She also describes where it is kept in the consulate, when it is used, and so on.  Clearly, Tatiana is starting to fall for Bond. We will see, of course, in many more Bond films, and certainly in other spy movies along the way – where the spy wins over a key ally in a woman.  This has happened in spy movies since the first one, The 39 Steps in 1935.

So check out the beautiful scenery, the Ferry Boat Encounter, as Bond advances the opportunity to get the LEKTOR.  We must call-out Daniela Bianchi, who is stunning as Tatiana, both in beauty and in her role.  She is voiced by British actress, Barbara Jefford.  Bianchi, an Italian actress, was 1st runner-up in the Miss Universe contest of 1960.  She steals lots of scenes in our opinion and was perfectly cast.

As a way to see Istanbul, this  Bosphorus River Ferry is a very good way to do it according to many who have traveled to Istanbul.

Russian Clocks are Always Right – Escape with the Lektor

https://youtu.be/EsAXWF9wDd0

The Lektor is the reason Bond is in Istanbul, and here he receives clearance from M to proceed with the mission.   Note Bond tells Kerim Bay that they will execute the plan for getting the Lektor out of the Russian Embassy on the 14th after Bey asks the 13th? Bey is to explode a bomb at 3 PM, and here Bond asks if the clock is correct as he checks his watch as well.   The gates when Bond walks through to access the Russian Embassy are still around, but not near the other filming locations. When the bomb goes off, chaos ensues, and Bond gets into the room where Tania has the Lektor, with team gas in the air, mask on Bond, and she says that she thought it was going to be the 14th but today is the 13th.   The question is why did Bond tell Karim in his office that it would be the 14th, but then they executed it on the 13th?   Perhaps they were being cautious in case anyone overheard, but it is not absolutely clear in the clip.

Train Fight
https://youtu.be/WmTs5bF0-mQ

One of the greatest train fights in all cinema, this one is brutal, painful, and dangerous. In 1935, in The 39 Steps, we see a train chase in a spy movie pretty much for the first time.   From Russia With Love takes this to new heights, which will impact many future spy movies – with tremendous train fights and chases like Live and Let Die, The Spy Who Loved Me, Octopussy, Mission Impossible (1996), SPECTRE, Bourne Ultimatum (2007), and others. This is one of the best train fights of all time.

The acting is superb by both Robert Shaw and Connery.   Shaw, as Grant, is tremendous, and you see the vulnerability of Bond clearly and also how Q’s gadgets can save the day when used properly.

This train fight is a tremendous scene and a turning point in From Russia With Love. Remember, in the pre-title sequence, Shaw was training to kill Bond, and his plan has worked flawlessly to this point.   But, when Bond gets the better of the ole boy, the tide turns. Grant is dead, not Bond.

SpyMovieNavigator has a signed Sean Connery photo of him in the train car.   Very cool.

Truck vs. Helicopter

https://youtu.be/4oD3vvgb3vk

In what will become a staple item in future spy movie films, this helicopter chase scene sets the stage for the rest of From Russia With Love, and for many spy movies to come.   The first helicopter searching for a “spy” is in The 39 Steps from 1935, a Hitchcock produced movie. It appears only for a few seconds, but it is the beginning of the use of this vehicle in pursuits throughout dozens of movies, and spy films for sure.   Many Bond movies, Mission: Impossible movies and more of the best of the rest.

This scene again shows how in tune Q is in what gadgets Bond might need for a mission, as his smart looking piece of luggage with the AR-7 comes in very handy once again.

SpyMovieNavigator was actually in Scotland looking for Bond locations, and we tried to find the rock that Bond was hiding under when he shot down the helicopter and we could not find it!   We were close to the location and should have been able to find it, but we could not.

 Death of Kronsteen

https://youtu.be/v7cEnaXU8Ec?t=4

We know very little about SPECTRE at this point, but this scene highlights how brutal and unforgiving SPECTRE is, and we get a glimpse of # 1, albeit from shoulders down, as he is stroking a white cat, as we flashback to the cat that walked by Tania as she was on her way to meet Klebb for the first time.   SPECTRE wants the Lektor as they have made arrangements with the Russians to return it to them, for a price. The atmosphere this scene creates is one of terror – terror for # 3 and # 5, but terror and tremendous tension for the viewing audience, as we realize the SPECTRE will stop at nothing, does not tolerate failure, and, as Blofeld says, SPECTRE always delivers what it promises.

Here we see for the first time, the poison blade that pops out of the shoe of the assassin here, as he kicks # 5 with it. How long does it take for Kronsteen to die? 12 seconds and # 1 is not happy that it takes that long.   Bond is up again an evil organization!

Klebb’s Final Assault
https://youtu.be/-SXbmeFCnTM

Just when you think it’s safe…Klebb shows up once again, in Venice, as Bond and Tania are ready to depart.   The thing to note here is that Klebb now has the poison shoe bald device that killed # 5 in SPECTRE # 1’s office. Here, she is willing to use it to kill Bond and retrieve the Lektor.   Here in the film, Bond escapes the poison blade, and Tania – who Klebb still thinks is on her side, foils Klebb’s plans to kill Bond.   Here in the film, Bond escapes without injury, though in the novel by Ian Fleming, Bond is punctured by the poison blade, and his fate is unknown.

In the film, as below, Klebb’s attempts to kill Bond with the poison shoe blade and with a pistol are foiled by Tania as she shoots Klebb.   Twice Tania reassures Bond that she knows nothing about Klebb being there, by shaking her head left and right while looking directly at Bond – twice – to show Bond her loyalty is to him.   We all feel relief that Tania is on the “good” side, and Klebb, evil incarnate – is finally dead. As in many Bond films, you never know when it’s over – but now, the danger is over at least!

Escape to Venice
After the helicopter chase scene in which Bond and Tatiana escape, they force the driver to take them to the dock where Red Grant was supposed to meet them and escape.   This scene was actually shot in Scotland, and SpyMovieNavigator has visited the dock location.

We could not find a clip of the pick-up truck arriving at the dock, but in our videos below this is what the dock and the bluffs look like now. In the movie, the pier is in great shape as the yellow truck drives onto the pier and stops at the end.   Then, Bond, Tatiana, and the truck driver board the escape boat on their way to Venice, Italy (this was supposed to be taking place in Turkey, but this scene was shot in Scotland)!.   The dock today is a bit dilapidated, and if you are watching this online, you can see that.   But we found the actual dock in Scotland, and this is the place where the final escape with the Lektor takes place, and the ensuing chase by the SPECTRE boats.   A very key location in the movie.   In our video, you can also see where. In the distance, the chase scene begins, as the bluffs and hills are pretty much the same.

You will see the bluffs and water that appear in our video above in the boat chase scene which appears in the film, below.   Very cool to be there, and Scotland is a beautiful country!

Venice – Canal Scene Ends the Movie

https://youtu.be/-Slk80uIzBg?t=6

The boat scene in Venice, when Tania and Bond are now relaxing with the mission complete, the establishing shots are of the Doge Place, the Bridge of Sighs, the Venice canals. It looks like green-screen stuff with eh actors super-imposed against the background. One of the things see here in the background, is the Bridge of Sighs – for a short time behind Bond and Tania.   The Bridge of Sighs, in olden times, was the bridge prisoners would cross over from the courtyard where they were sentenced to death or to prison and maybe even to the execution area – so they knew they would never cross that bridge again or see the beautiful view of Venice they could see through the bridges barred windows. Hence, the sighs.   Here, in From Russia With Love, there could be a couple of meanings: 1) That Bond and Tania are now beyond the danger zone – they passed under the Bridge of Sighs and the mission is accomplished; they are out of danger; 2) or, it can be a sexual symbol – Bond is reviewing the film of he and Tania making love in the bridal suite (that Tania did not know about as you recall) – and Grant was going to use this film as the reason Tania and Bond were dead – one was going to use it as blackmail against the other, then murder and suicide. So, the film had enough sexual content to be potent.   Bond is looking at it now and Tania asks what it is, and Bond just says that he will show her all as they pass from canal to canal – to the Grand Canal., which can be taken as metaphors or symbols.   It is a pleasant moment for the two of them, as they wrap up their mission, and their passion.   And they are now in the safety zone! And Daniella Bianchi as Tania was just perfect casting – she is stunning! Tell us what you think!


More Episodes

Brigitte Millar – Dr. Vogel in SPECTRE and No Time to Die!

Join Dan and Tom as they have a charming talk with Brigitte Millar, who played Dr. Vogel in SPECTRE and in No Time to Die!

You Only Live Twice – Scene and Title Song Analysis

Join Dan, Tom & Vicky in a scene analysis of YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE with connections to other movies and a lyrics analysis too!

James Bond’s FOR YOUR EYES ONLY – Pre-Title Sequence Decoded!

Fly with us through the Pre-Title and Title sequences of the James Bond movie, FOR YOUR EYES ONLY!

Keep current! Join Our Email List

Keep up to date with our latest and greatest spy movie finds. (See our Privacy Policy)

Spy Movie Navigator visits Licence to Kill Filming Locations in Key West Florida (USA)

Podcast Episode

Spy Movie Navigator visits Licence to Kill Filming Locations in Key West Florida (USA)

Eon Productions film, Licence to Kill was filmed, in part, in Key West, Florida in the USA. Spy Movie Navigator took a trip to Key West to see what the locations from the movie look like today. Join Dan and Tom as they navigate the Key West streets and harbors and get an updated look at these sites.

This is part 2 of Spy Movie Navigator’s Florida trip.

Do you remember the airports in Licence to Kill, both the airport that Sanchez lands his Cessna and the one where James Bond lands in Key West?  How about the Seven-Mile Bridge where Felix Leiter, Sharkey, and Bond are in their Rolls Royce heading to Felix’s wedding (and where Sanchez executes his escape)? These scenes and many others were actually in Key West, Florida and in other Florida Key, in the USA.    We visit over a dozen film Licence to Kill locations in the Florida Keys!

Join Dan Silvestri and Tom Pizzato on their journey to Key West to find out what has happened to these, and other, Florida Key filming locations from the fantastic movie,  Licence to Kill.

Related Content

LICENCE TO KILL 

First EON Productions film where the title was not taken from a Fleming work.  Was going to be called Licence Revoked, but powers that be thought not many people would understand the word “Revoked” at that time, so was changed to Licence to Kill.  What EON did well is take pieces of Flemings works and characters and move them around in their screenplays for their movies.    Here, Milton Krest is taken from the Fleming short storyThe Hildebrand Rarity written in 1960, which was published in the For Your Eyes Only collection The Hildebrand Rarity is a rare fish, by the way.  Here, Krest is inserted into Licence to Kill as a main character.   Simply brilliant.     

This is a story of a South American drug lord (Franz Sanchez) who the US DEA has been after for bringing drugs into the US, is captured on US soil, here in the Florida Keys, directed by Felix Leiter and fellow DEA team, along with Bond.   After a daring escape by Sanchez, he retaliates against Leiter, kills his new bride, and leaves Leiter for dead after feeding him to sharks.  The rest of the story is Bond going rogue as an agent to get his revenge on Sanchez for what he has done, MI6 wanting him out of the picture, and all the details that happen to get resolution to this situation, which of course, Bond does.   

Filmed in the Florida Keys and Mexico 

 

  1. Seven Mile Bridge – Rolls Royce and Helicopter landing – to let Felix, Sharkey, and Bond know Sanchez is on the mainland.   

The helicopter with DEA agents aboard, stop the Rolls Royce carrying the tuxedo-clad Leiter, Sharkey, and Bond who are on the way to Felix Leiter’s wedding.   By the way, in the movie, they are shown driving in the opposite direction of Key West where the wedding is taking place, but that’s artistic license.     

The helicopter lands in what is now a parking lot near Marathon (a Key about halfway between Key Largo and Key West).  There is the old Seven Mile Bridge running parallel to this bridge.   Leiter decides to go pursue Sanchez and tells Sharkey to tell Dells, his bride to be, that he will be there.  Leiter and Bond get into the helicopter right here and fly off to pursue Sanchez who is supposedly on American soil in pursuit of his girlfriend, Lupe somewhere in the Keys.   

 

  1. Sugarloaf Key – airport where Sanchez lands his jet. 

Sanchez’s plane lands here because he knows that his girlfriend Lupe is in some house here with a lover.    

 

  1. The wooden house where Lupe is caught with boyfriend.  Sanchez, Lupe, Boyfriend, and Dario (Benicio del Toro) and Braun (Guy De Saint Cyr)

At this very house, which looks a little different today than it did in the film, Sanchez’s goons kill a guy who is dozing on these stairs by strangling him from behind and leaving his body beneath the stairs.   Sanchez, Dario and Braun climb these stairs throw open the door and find Lupe (Talisa Soto) in bed with another man.   Here we see how evil, malicious and wicked Sanchez is (played brilliantly by Robert Davi – one of our all-time favorite Bond villains.  

He is the personification of evil when they yank the lover out of bed, and Sanchez asks Lupe,   “Did he promise you his heart?  Give her his heart.”  And his goons take the man outside, presumably to cut out his heart.   At this point, they hear the helicopter coming, and start to leave the house.  A jeep swings by to pick up Sanchez as he now descends these very steps.    

  1. The field where the chase takes place  

A big chase happens right in the fields near this house, where the helicopter has landed, the jeep is driving, bullets are flying everywhere,  where Sanchez leaps from the jeep and eventually gets away taking off in a Cessna 172 sports plane.  As he escapes, he looks down at Leiter and Bond and the DEA agents, smiles and salutes them goodbye.   

 

  1. Sugarloaf airport where Sanchez takes the Cessna 172 (N54748 – was a 3) plane and escapes.  (NOW PRIVATELY OWNED: SKYDIVE WEST – William Respess, manager.  5 Bat Tower Road  305-396-8806). Here is the runway at Sugar Loaf Airport, where Sanchez takes off with the Cessna.  You can still see the houses in the background that were in the film.   

 

  1. St. Mary’s Star of the Sea Catholic Church,  on Truman Ave and Windsor Lane
    There are several shots of the church while Della is riding around the block with her father, as Sharkey tells her to go around again because Felix is not here yet.   Her dad, p[prophetically tells Della, “I told you this was a mistake.”    Eventually, after Bond’s daring fishing venture where he is lowered from the helicopter on the cable and wraps the cable around the tail of Sanchez’s plane to capture the villain, both Bond and Leiter parachute down to the wedding and land right in front of the church.   They actually did this in one take, even though they landed several yards apart.   

 

So here we see the sky above the church where they parachuted down, and the front of the church where they landed.  We are standing in the very spots where Felix landed, and then Bond a moment later.  Here is the beautiful church, pretty much looking exactly like it did in the film.   While they did not show the inside of the church in the film, we wanted to take a look inside and to be able to show you this beautiful church, whose doors are always open.  This is a must-stop for Bond fans. 

 

  1. Seven Mile Bridge – where Sanchez is being transported and where truck crashes off the bridge for his escape.  

We are back on Seven Mile Bridge, where the secured armored prison vehicle is transporting the captured Sanchez to Miami.  This time, by the way, they are headed in the right direction.    

Sanchez has paid off a DEA agent, Killifer, and an escape plan is hatched and in the works here.  At a precise moment, the van is crashed off the bridge into the water, near Pigeon Key (an island in the middle of the old Severn Mile/Parallel Bridge), and just before the parking lot at Marathon. 

  1. Felix Leiter’s House – wedding reception.  707 South Street – Stephano’s house?  SOLD for $5m in 2017 

Felix and Della’s wedding reception takes place at Felix’s house, in the side yard.  This is a beautiful home surrender by palm trees.   It is at the reception that Della and Felix give Bond a gift, a silver lighter engraved, “To James.  Love Always, Della and Felix.” 

This is the second wedding reception location we have been too – we were at the James Bond and Teresa di Vincenzo’s wedding reception mansion in Portugal – which was simply gorgeous.  Look up our “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service” videos and podcasts for that. 

 

  1. Airport – outside where Bond parks and Continental counter, which is now United 
  1. Outside where Bond parks his car and gets his bags out of the trunk, and the inside counter which was a Continental counter at the time of the filming, where Bond is getting his ticket.  This is now a United Airlines counter.   This is where Bond hears a lot of sirens and sees a lot of police officers and asks what’s going on;   The ticket counter agent tells him some drug lord has escaped, and that’s when Bond heads back to Felix’s house to discover Della dead and Felix almost dead.  
     
  1. Conch Republic Seafood Company is a restaurant now at 631 Green Street (at Elizabeth) where the warehouse was where Krest was and where Leiter was fed to the sharks.  We went in to see if we could see where that took place but no remnants of that are left.   

 

  1. Felix Leiter’s House again – finds Della dead, Felix almost dead
     
  1.  Meeting with Pam Bouvier, Barrelhead Bar in Bimini: Actually is The Harbor Lights Raw Bar at Palm Avenue/Eisenhower Drive (In North of Key West Old Town).   Lunch here?  Inside was shot in Mexico.  Shoot where boat pulls up, and the building, etc.] 

After Bond discovers Della dead, and Felix almost dead from shark attack with a bloody note on his body, right from the Fleming book, “He disagreed with something that ate him” he later finds the laser disk that Felix had hidden behind a photo of Della and examines it and discovers that Felix was supposed to have a meeting with Pam Bouvier at the Barrelhead Bar in Bimini.   So, Bond gets a boat and heads to Bimini.  This location of the Barrelhead bar is really on the north end of Key West, so we are here for a visit now!    

The real name of the place is The Harbor Lights Raw Bar and for the film, they built a false front wall to the building – which later a hole is blown through.   This is where Bond comes in with the boat, and the dock man ties it up and keeps an eye on the boat, and actually turns it around for Bond.   When he enters the bar, this is actually filmed somewhere in Mexico and not in this bar. 

But we went in this bar anyway, hand lunch, and they claim to have the original neon Barrelhead Bar sign that was used in the film above the bar here.  Here is the sign in the bar.  You decide! 

  1. Garrison Bite: Charter Dock: Sharkey’s Boat – where Bond meets Sharkey  

We wanted to see where all the charter boats go out, as this is where Sharkey’s boat was when Bond met with him.  So we think we are about where Sharkey’s boat would have been, but the area looks a lot different now as you can see.  It still is a beautiful area and a very busy one indeed. 

  1. Mallory Square Walking with DEA Agent Hawkins on way to Hemmingway House 

We are walking in Mallory Square, one of the hot spots of Key West – this is where lots of people meet at sunset, there are street musicians and all kinds of things going on – this is Key West – pretty crazy here.    

This is where DEA agent Hawkins meets Bond, taps him on the shoulder and says that they heard about what happened the nights before at that Krest fish warehouse, and some were killed, etc. and that Bond should basically back off and let the DEA do their job because we have laws here too.   Bond is not happy, but Hawkins is taking Bond to a meeting, which will take place at Hemingway House – though they stroll a short distance walking and talking, the Hemingway House is probably about a mile or so away. 
Hemingway House
907 Whitehead
Key West, FL 

M: “You were supposed to be in Istanbul last night.  I’m afraid this unfortunate Leiter business has clouded your judgment.   You have a job to do.  I expect you on a plane this afternoon.” 

When Bond says he has not finished here, M says “Leave it to the Americans.   It’s their mess.  Let them clear it up.”  Bond objects again saying he owes it to Leiter.   M says, ‘Oh spare me this sentimental rubbish.  He knew the risks.”  Bond: “And his wife?”    M: “This personal vendetta of yours could easily compromise her majesty’s government.  You have an assignment and I expect you to carry it out objectively and professionally.  

Bond: “Then you have my resignation, sir.  “We’re not a country club 007”  “Effective immediately your license to kill is revoked. And I require you to hand over your weapon.   Now.” 

Bond: “I guess it’s A Farewell to Arms.” 

Farewell to Arms, is an obvious reference to a Hemingway novel, that was written at the very house where M is telling Bond that his License to Kill is revoked.   When instructed to turn over his weapon, Bond quips “A Farewell to Arms” meaning both he will have no weapons, and the Hemingway reference.  The hidden message is that in A Farewell to Arms, the main character, Henry, wants out of the army, and abandons his men on the front so he can rejoin his love, Catherine.   So, the reference is to a soldier gladly giving up his weapons to pursue life as he wants.  The irony here is Bond is doing just the opposite.  He does NOT want to give up his weapon, and he does NOT want to discontinue the fight – for him, against Sanchez for killing Della and almost killing Felix Leiter.   

So, as M and 2 agents close in on Bond, to turn over his weapon, while a sniper is on the lighthouse tower watching over M and the other agents, Bond puts up a fight and leaps over the railing of the balcony of the Hemingway House and escapes.   While some shots are fired at him here, M stops them from shooting any more – not because he doesn’t want Bond shot, but because he says “too many people.”   But as the camera looks up at M from below as he leans over the railing, he says “God help you, Commander”  This made us think that perhaps M stopped his agents from shooting Bond because he really did not want Bond killed, but said “too many people” to show his reports that he is tough and means business. 

 

  1. Coast Guard Pier – is where WaveKrest was docked, where WaveKrest crashes into the dock was filmed here, and other scenes.  Between Pier one and Pier 2.   Can we get in there?  Maybe not 

 


More Episodes

Uwe Brosamle Interview – How to visit James Bond filming Locations!

In this Uwe Brosamle interview, field operatives, Dan and Tom, discuss Uwe's travels to over 80% of the James Bond filming locations!

James Bond’s QUANTUM OF SOLACE Pre-Title Sequence Decoded!

Join Dan, Tom, and Vicky of SpyMovieNavigator.com – and our Cracking the Code of Spy Movies show!  Jump behind the wheel  with us and let's race into QUANTUM OF SOLACE!  On your mark! Set! Go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

James Bond Tomorrow Never Dies Pre-Title Sequence Decoded!

We discuss Tomorrow Never Dies' Pre-Title sequence exploring the location, the music, chess, M, and of course the arms bazaar.

Keep current! Join Our Email List

Keep up to date with our latest and greatest spy movie finds. (See our Privacy Policy)

Spy Movie Navigator visits Goldfinger Filming Locations in Miami Florida (USA)

Podcast Episode

Spy Movie Navigator visits Goldfinger Filming Locations in Miami Florida (USA)

Eon Productions film, Goldfinger was filmed, in part, in Miami Florida in the USA. Spy Movie Navigator took a trip to Miami to see what the locations from the movie look like today. Join Dan and Tom as they navigate the Miami streets and get an updated look at these sites.

Do you remember the metal yard in Goldfinger where Mr. Solo met his “pressing engagement”?   How about the Kentucky Fried Chicken where Felix Leiter and Simmons are waiting to find 007?  Or, do you remember the wonderful hotel where Auric Goldfinger cheats at cards, Felix Leiter meets with James Bond (who is having a massage), and Jill Masterson meets her golden demise?

All of these scenes were actually in Miami, Florida in the USA.

Join Dan Silvestri and Tom Pizzato on their journey to Miami to find out what has happened to these, and other,  Miami-based filming locations from the fantastic movie, Goldfinger.

Related Content

GOLDFINGER 

LOCATION 1: Miami 

KENTUCKY FRED CHICKEN:
701 NW 119th Street, Miami, Florida 

 

As you recall from the movie, Goldfinger, Bond escapes from his confinement cell and overhears the plans for Operation Grand Slam.  We also know that Mr. Solo, who was one of the gold investors in the Operation, wants out.  Goldfinger graciously allows him to get out of the deal, and instructions his people to get Mr. Solo’s gold, load it in the car and for Oddjob to take Mr. Solo to the airport.   Of course, this is all taking place at Goldfinger’s ranch in Kentucky, but the set for the ranch was built at Pinewood Studios outside of London.  The filming of the next couple of scenes was actually done in Miami! 

Bond slips his homing device in Mr. Solo’s suit jacket, along with the note about the Operation Grand Slam plans, as he is getting into the Lincoln that Oddjob is driving.  As they drive off, theoretically to the airport (though we don’t know how Mr. Solo would have checked his million dollars worth of gold at the airport!),  Felix Leiter is waiting near his car in the parking lot of a Kentucky Fried Chicken shop.   This shop is located at 701 NW 119th Street in Miami because, in the film, you can see the address of the shop.  From his car, Leiter can track the 007 homing device and drive towards it.    

So, we are heading to that location right now. 

We are pulling in the parking lot now.   Over the years, things have changed, but the Kentucky Fried Chicken shop is still here, but now called KFC.  It has been totally remodeled over the years as you can see here, but it is the same location where this part of the film was shot!   

  1.  We are on the approximate spot where Felix Leiter’s car was when his partner was waiting for him to exit the KFC so they can follow Bond’s homing device in Oddjob’s car.   
  2. And we are standing at the entrance/exit of the shop where Felix Leiter is scene heading back to the car with a napkin in his left hand!   
  3.  The car backs up to get Leiter and we are now standing on the spot where Leiter gets into the passenger seat of the Thunderbird! 

Though lots has changed, it is nice to see that this spot is here.  Of course, it was an important shot because it showed that Bond’s device, along with the note about the Operation Grand Slam details, might be found by Leiter in time.  Bond, of course, did not know that Mr. Solo would singularly be eliminated in a crushing event coming up. 

As an aside, as reported by Martijn Mulder in his book, On the Tracks of 007, the director Guy Hamilton was so thrilled to find a Kentucky reference in Miami, since this was supposedly taking place at Goldfinger’s ranch in Kentucky, when he found the Kentucky Fried Chicken shop!  At the time he did not know it was a restaurant chain with restaurants all over the United States! 

 

GOLDFINGER 

LOCATION 2: Miami 

Aimco Miami Iron & Metal Co.  ???
3338 NW River Drive, Miami, Florida 

As Oddjob drives Mr. Solo to the airport, Mr. Solo notices that Oddjob misses the airport exit on the road.   The ride to the “airport” partially takes place on 7th Avenue, but lots has changed on 7th Avenue over the years.   At one point, you see a shot of the Lincoln in front of Royal Castle, as it then turns left near a Sunoco gas station and Joe’s DriveIn, at Opa Looka Bvd., then you see Leiter’s car pass a Ford dealership on the left, then the Lincoln is passing the International Airport sign, Solo notices, then the Lincoln turns right and Oddjob stops, turns around and shoots Mr. Solo dead, then proceeds under an overpass, to the Atlantic Iron & Metal Co.turning left into the yard, located west of the Miami International airport.   There is a railroad track running parallel to the fence in the movie.  We have been driving down this avenue, trying to find the location of the metal recycling plant that was used for this scene in Goldfinger.    

Goldfinger gets out of the car, a huge magnet picks up the car and moves it to a crusher with Mr. Solo and the gold still in it, and the entire car is crushed to a heavy cube, which is loaded in the back of a blue Ford pick-up truck and driven off by Oddjob.  As the car gets crushed, Leiter loses the tracking signal.   

So, Leiter returns to the farm (Goldfinger’s ranch). 

Here is a shot of what this metalworks company looks like today:  a new name, some changes like the fence, but the entrance is just about where it was in the movie, and there is a remnant of a railroad track that can be seen. 

This is not in a great area of Miami, so either be very careful when visiting this film location OR just enjoy this location from the comfort and safety of your home and watch our video! 

 

GOLDFINGER 

LOCATION 3: Miami 

Fontainebleu Resort
4441 Collins Ave., Miami Beach, Florida
305-538-2000 

 

This famous hotel is used for establishing shots in Goldfinger, meaning the main cast did not shoot here.  Many of the scenes, like Goldfinger playing cars near the pool, and Sean Connery observing the card game from Goldfinger’s room were shot in studio, and the backgrounds used ala greenscreen that second unit in Miami actually shot on location at the Fontainebleu.   

This resort has been frequented by Presidents of the United States, and many stars performed here.  Many things have changed over the years since Goldfinger was shot in 1963/`1964.  The entire pool area is different. 

For purposes of our filming on this location, we contacted the public relations department of the resort, but they were not able to accommodate us at the time of our visit but promised to work with us when the resort was less busy.  So, we are shooting this on our own. 

Because the stars of the film never really shot here, the Fontainebleu becomes a secondary Bond location, but we think still worth a visit.   This kind of reminds me of The Drake Hotel in Chicago’s role in Mission: Impossible 1 – it never appeared in the film, but played a key role in the plot of the film.  Here, the Fontainebleu appears in the film for several shots, but the stars did not shoot their parts here.   

Also, you see in Casino Royale in 2006, Daniel Craig has a couple of scenes in Miami, yet those scenes were shot in Prague! 

 

 


More Episodes

NO TIME TO DIE Official Game Day Spot 2020 – Trailer Discussion!

Dan and Tom examine the latest James Bond, NO TIME TO DIE trailer basically frame by frame, and look for clues as to what changes might be coming, and the nuances of the shots included in the trailer, compared with…

The Ian Fleming Foundation – Doug Redenius Interview

We talk to Doug Redenius, one of the founders of The Ian Fleming Foundation. They procure James Bond memorabilia, especially the vehicles.

Gadgets – ON HER MAJESTY’S SECRET SERVICE and LIVE AND LET DIE – Can you Believe It?

Join Tom and Dan & special guest host Vicki Hodges (from the UK) as we discuss the gadgets in ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE and LIVE AND LET DIE - and some Bond movie locations that have been visited and…

Keep current! Join Our Email List

Keep up to date with our latest and greatest spy movie finds. (See our Privacy Policy)

Pre-title Sequence

In one of the most intriguing pre-title sequences, the mood is dark, the setting is dark, and we see Bond pursued by an agent (SPECTRE).  Pre-Title Sequence in a setting we are not familiar with and with a very perplexed and worried look upon James Bond’s face.

He really does not look confident, which makes us viewers nervous. He has a gun in hand, as he walks cautiously around these dark grounds with statuary and foliage – lots of hiding places.

Until, from behind, Bond is strangled to death. For 1 minute and 52 seconds, he was pursued and killed. Bond, dead. But wait…ala Mission: Impossible’s use of masks, the mask is lifted off of Bond to reveal that it was really someone else.

Masks in Use

Note that the Mission: Impossible television series does not start until 3 years after the filming of From Russia With Love, so here, the film could have possibly influenced one of the major components of Mission: Impossible television series, and later the films!

Of course, The List of Adrian Messenger was released in June 1963 and was the first we know of to heavily use make-up and facial masks as disguises, which are peeled off at the end of the film. So perhaps, From Russia With Love was influenced by  The List of Adrian Messenger (not a spy movie per se) and then later influences the spy television series, Mission: Impossible and the subsequent films.

There is a great article written about some of this by Jeremy Dunns, April 14, 2015. Read it!

“From Russia With Love” was Ian Fleming’s 5th James Bond 007 book, published in 1957, and the second EON Productions film about our master spy hero. Timely released in 1963 during the ramp-up of the space race between the US and Soviet Union –  the two giant and powerful countries were at each other’s throats.

Fleming Gets a Boost from the U.S. President

John F. Kennedy was President of the US then, and Ian Fleming actually met President Kennedy. Kennedy was quoted as saying that “From Russia With Love” was one of his 10 favorite books. The Fleming novels took off in sales after that in the US.  Of course, later in 1963-1964, the film was released, but President Kennedy had been assassinated on November 22, 1963, in Dallas, Texas.

The subject matter of the film, obtaining a Soviet Lektor (which is an encoding device to protect communications – much like the Enigma machine in WW-II).   It was stolen by SPECTRE,.  But if obtained by Bond it would give the West an advantage over the Soviets.  This topic was very much in vogue at the time. In the film, Russia is very much aware of James Bond already, and the pre-title sequence demonstrates how they are training to be able to kill Bond. So the tension of the film is established immediately.

SUBSCRIBE

Subscribe on your favorite podcast app