From Russia With Love (1963) - Full Reaction
Added 2023-02-06 01:22:24 +0000 UTCWelllll we did it guys! Bond number 1 in the books. So sometimes it takes a minute to "get in" to the style of an older movie but then you're immersed in it and can focus on the characters and story! I loved the plot, trying to figure it all out and Sean Connery was very charming and suave! Overall I think a great start and I'm truly excited to continue this series!
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Comments
When I think of James Bond, I picture Sean Connery. Honorable mention goes to James Craig. I notice that Grant is Quint from Jaws. Once had a 24-hour layover in Istanbul when flying Turkish Airlines from Houston to Rome (not long after Turkish Airlines first offered the non-stop flight from Houston to Istanbul). We stayed in Sultanahmet (Old City) not far from the Blue Mosque.
Clay F
2024-01-22 20:57:55 +0000 UTCInside From Russia with Love https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gGdzFKno2I4
Larry Darrell
2023-04-07 01:40:51 +0000 UTCMOONRAKER was the one that Black Widow was watching in the Black Widow movie,
Jayson Phillips
2023-03-17 03:44:49 +0000 UTCThey upload it to Youtube, then make the post with the links, so people can watch it, and then upload it to Google Drive and edit in the link to there after. It lets them release the reaction without having to wait for the Google Drive upload to finish first.
Planner
2023-03-07 03:13:37 +0000 UTCDidnt watch this in probably almost 20 years damn I forgot how slow the movie starts, but after it started picking up a bit it was fun again, but I think by now I prefer the newer ones, just enjoy the pacing way more.
samuel Jakob
2023-02-25 23:10:37 +0000 UTCThis was a 3/10 at best. Goldfinger is a massive step up from this. Bond could have been killed several times in this movie. I think Cassie will love Roger Moore Bond films the best. As I do. I think RM was the most lovable bond IMO. Can't wait to those to arrive.
John Cranberry
2023-02-10 09:43:25 +0000 UTCYou tell em Sticks..
Celeste McAllister
2023-02-08 13:55:07 +0000 UTCOne my favorite actors is Pedro Armendariz, who played Kerim Bey in this film. He performed in multiple John Ford movies, and was in The Conquerer with John Wayne. That film was shot in Utah, where the government was conducting nuclear testing. Many of the cast and crew developed cancer. FRWL was his final roll as he was dying of cancer, and wanted to provide financial support for his family.
Brian O'Grady
2023-02-08 13:12:56 +0000 UTCI never watched any bond films before roger moore. I thought it was ok. Surprised to see Robert Shaw as the vilan. Robert shaw was also in Jaws and The Sting.
Steve Barrett
2023-02-08 03:29:12 +0000 UTCI love old movies, but I was never a fan of Bond. I like the action aspect, but the oversexualization of everything, and women being nothing but rags for Bond to use and discard, repels me from it.
Sage Antone
2023-02-08 01:26:38 +0000 UTCEven though it was already the early eighties by the time I discovered Bond, I actually remember this aspect of them. They were virtually travelogues.
Stick Figure Studios
2023-02-07 22:02:59 +0000 UTCyes, my apologies. I was thinking of the The Longest Day.
Matt Mabry
2023-02-07 21:12:04 +0000 UTCCassie, when my son was in his late 20's we had a discussion about Lawrence of Arabia, and it's long slow cinematography, and 'exotic' locations. I had to explain to him that, post WWII, many American service persons brought back stories & photos of countries, people's, and customs from around the world. Big screen color movies of places all around the world were very intriguing to many people who never left the US, never saw motion pictures of foreign lands, etc. There was no internet, of course, no BBC 4K documentaries, no nothing! Bond films, and other 'post-war' movies featured exotic locations, and sometimes long cuts of exotic places and people, because the audiences were fascinated by all that. You took a belly dancing class? 99% of audiences had never even heard of belly dancing back then. Just sayin'.
Jon Johns
2023-02-07 21:02:10 +0000 UTCI was fascinated by these films when they would run on TV back in my childhood. I always fantasized about having my own high tech secret lair, with all the labyrinthine contrivances of the Bond villains but lacking their evil motives......ALRIGHT, I STILL DO!😋
BRT
2023-02-07 16:23:23 +0000 UTCI loved all those weekly movie spots in the network TV schedules. Always excited to see what was coming up in the TV Guide.
BRT
2023-02-07 16:05:45 +0000 UTCUhm. Sean Connery wasn't in The Great Escape. ;)
RX2904
2023-02-07 09:28:11 +0000 UTCDr. Number had me on the floor! Never change, Cass! LOL
RX2904
2023-02-07 09:26:22 +0000 UTCOne of the Major Through Lines in the James Bond Films are the Women and James Bond's Relationships with them. One might look at the Women Characters and just think of them as "Eye Candy" for the audience and just a pretty girl for Bond to "Get it On" with, but that is Not Accurate. Yes, that's a small part of who they are, because of the Producers, but there is so Much More to the Women Characters. The Bond Girls. Each Bond Girl in the films are unique, and have a particular effect on James Bond. Some more lasting than others. If you pay attention to his interactions with women, you begin to learn more about the character of James Bond. One important character trait that one could have learned after Dr. No & From Russia With Love, is that Bond Hates Violence against Women. He feels that women should be protected and kept out of danger. Women to him should be put up on a pedestal. And of course, Bond doesn't mind taking them down off that pedestal every now and then and "enjoying" them, as long as they're willing. Many women certainly are willing, in this series. This is where viewers find the films Sexist, and perhaps so, such as the women being portrayed as "Needy." It was the 60s and this kind of writing was common. But, I feel the extent of the Sexism is in the writing as a whole, and not in the specific character traits of James Bond. An example of Bond hating violence towards women, is him asking Vavra for a favor, to Stop the Girl Fight. This was his first thought after a major gun battle. There was no need for him to do that, and he absolutely didn't expect Vavra to have them wait on him hand and foot. Again, the Writers and Producers creating Provocativeness. There are other examples of this trait in Dr. No as well. One Distinction to be made about James Bond hating violence towards women, that one may notice in his interactions, is on occasion he may himself act violently towards certain women. This tells us that Bond is not Perfect, but it shows his virtues. (think Bud White, from L.A. Confidential) Bond seems to classify Women into two different categories, simply put, "Good Girls" and "Bad Girls." Good Girls are the ones he protects and tries to keep on that pedestal, while Bad Girls are the ones that have fallen off the pedestal and can and just might kill him. Bond, being a Violent Man and having a License to Kill, uses the Tools and Methods that he knows to protect himself and others, by any means necessary, regardless of a Person's Sex. When James Bond reacts violently towards a woman, there is a reason, and when James Bond is on a mission, his reasons just might be worth considering. Bond was willingly being used as a Pawn, through out most of the film. He knew Tanya was playing him, but still went along with her plans to defect with the Lektor, because he felt an innocence in her. He still kept changing details of the plan and was keeping her out of the Loop, though. He thought he had the upper hand, but when Kerim Bey wound up killed by the Russian agent, as believed at the time, the Game was Over. He was now alone and lost, and needed information Now. Tanya was the only other person on the train that knew what was going on. She was now in the "Bad Girl" category, and he slapped her, to get information, but I don't think he enjoyed it. He had gotten close to her, had some feelings for her. Bond seemed rather annoyed when Grant informed Bond, in detail, how she was just a Pawn, and that she was marked to be killed also. "Must be a pretty sick collection of minds to dream up a plan like that." "Which lunatic asylum did they get you out of?" She was under his Protection from then on. Until for a moment in the end, when he thought she was betraying him, but it was only a moment. James Bond does have a Character Arc, that runs from Dr. No and ends before Pierce Brosnan. The Bond Girls are at the center of this Arc. Also, if you think of each of the Actors who play James Bond as different "Sides" of the Same Person, it really helps to see it. Different "Phases" that one person may go through in a lifetime.
Larry Darrell
2023-02-07 09:12:07 +0000 UTCI'm guessing the scene in the barn.
Stick Figure Studios
2023-02-07 07:21:44 +0000 UTCNothing memorable happens in the first 45 minutes of FRWL... other than it appears for a second like Bond gets hunted and killed in the opening teaser, we see the lethal training facilities on SPECTRE island, we meet Desmond Llewellyn's Q for the first time and are shown the gadget-laden briefcase, a chauffeur gets murdered, a guy gets saved from being blown up at his desk because he chose to make out with his woman at the last second and two gypsy woman fight viciously with each other... but other than that, sure, nothing memorable.
Stick Figure Studios
2023-02-07 07:14:45 +0000 UTCAttaway to make me feel old, Celeste. :-(
Stick Figure Studios
2023-02-07 07:06:08 +0000 UTCThe exotic nature of OCTOPUSSY was clearly influenced by RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK. It even has a character saying "I hate snakes" at one point.
Stick Figure Studios
2023-02-07 07:04:00 +0000 UTCDidn't realize we were gatekeeping in this forum. I guess I will keep my opinions to myself next time.
DarthChef
2023-02-07 06:48:47 +0000 UTCThey just don't make them like they used too, and that's a bummer.
Larry Darrell
2023-02-07 06:37:46 +0000 UTCOctopussy always gets lumped in with A View to a Kill, most likely because of its name and its proximity to A View to a Kill. It is certainly Underrated.
Larry Darrell
2023-02-07 06:33:36 +0000 UTCThat theory has been debunked.
Stick Figure Studios
2023-02-07 06:26:38 +0000 UTC18 minutes.
Larry Darrell
2023-02-07 06:17:40 +0000 UTCDownload this full reaction (coming soon). What is happening here? Are we suppose to get it off YouTube now?
John Cranberry
2023-02-07 03:44:12 +0000 UTCI'm shaken but not stirred! Good film and reaction.
Roger Wayne Alms
2023-02-07 03:09:11 +0000 UTCIt's funny how you both mentioned that James Bond should be using an alias. James Bond may already be an alias since at least 6 different actors have played him, in a sense they just pass the name on to another agent.
DarthChef
2023-02-07 02:51:07 +0000 UTCIt gets better with Goldfinger.
Richard Bourne
2023-02-07 00:50:02 +0000 UTCSince you liked it, you should go back and watch Dr. No and then go forward.
Mr Trick
2023-02-07 00:45:51 +0000 UTC"I want him to fill her in." Bond movie? Or Cassie?
Steve Mercier
2023-02-07 00:41:28 +0000 UTCWell Cassie, it is really ironic when you have a JAWS shirt on and miss the connection between the movies. The shark hunter in Jaws is the blond haired guy in this movie. And you saw Sean Connery in the Great Escape. It was a fun watch.
Matt Mabry
2023-02-06 23:52:03 +0000 UTCThe Living Daylights is in my top three.
Aaron Ritchie
2023-02-06 23:49:15 +0000 UTCJust for the sake of balance, I don’t agree with a single word of opinion Rick Williams offered up there. Conversely, I do agree with everything Dazman said. Balance. Heh.
Jason Chirevas
2023-02-06 23:36:06 +0000 UTCMoore is low on my list, but I do have a soft spot for most of his films. I think I enjoy them with a different mindset and on their (and Moore's) own merits. The Brosnan films don't really give me enough to overcome my lack of fondess for Brosnan's performance and they seem kind of generic in that 90s kind of way (Die Another Day is very poor).
Dazman
2023-02-06 23:25:09 +0000 UTCI think the 60s Bonds have a lot of style to them, different to modern films but with a certain X factor - old school cool. Perhaps this one the most, with its espionage and spy games. Somehow it is the 70s ones that look more dated.
Dazman
2023-02-06 23:16:58 +0000 UTCMoore was too old for his last two films but, I have soft spots for both of them - the exoticness of Octopussy and the great villain concept of View to a Kill. Might have a lot to do with my age though as the critical opinion isn't so great.
Dazman
2023-02-06 23:12:20 +0000 UTCWhich scene are you thinking of? (I know the film very well so use spoiler free language)
Dazman
2023-02-06 23:04:20 +0000 UTCI see you ladies have learned from your review of the original 80's Batman not to be so openly critical. Yes, the old movies from the 60's are old school and hard for modern movie goers to watch. They get better as the years go by. Thanks for going along for the ride. I saw them as a kid and loved them. They were something back in the day. But, they don't hold up well against the more modern Bonds.
Rick Williams
2023-02-06 22:36:33 +0000 UTCI was very happy when I learned that you hadn't watched James Bond and you were watching it for the channel. I really miss watching especially the old Bond movies for the first time. I also hope you will get around watching all of them someday.
Earthwalker
2023-02-06 21:41:37 +0000 UTCyou all are spot on. Dalton was bringing the hard hitting Bond long before Craig. Now I have to rewatch those movies...haven't seen them in a while. I thank you for the reminder!
Walter
2023-02-06 21:26:03 +0000 UTCFYEO 🥰🥰
Björn Karlsson
2023-02-06 21:24:50 +0000 UTCI'm really pushing for THE SPY WHO LOVED ME and FOR YOUR EYES ONLY as the Roger Moore picks. They really are the best choices. OCTOPUSSY and A VIEW TO A KILL are Moore's worst performances. THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN and MOONRAKER have way too many dated cultural references, and LIVE AND LET DIE has the worst makeup prosthetics and story of any Bond movie. People think they like it but what they really like is the Paul McCartney/Wings theme song. TSWLM and FYEO for the win.
Jesus F Christ
2023-02-06 21:18:37 +0000 UTCLOVED the old Avengers! I mean who wouldn't like young Patrick Macnee as John Steed and 'CLASSY-HOTNESS-ON-A-BUN' Diana Rigg as Emma Peel?!?😂🤣
'Pappy' Johnston
2023-02-06 21:04:15 +0000 UTCSPY WHO LOVED ME is great, but OCTOPUSSY is very underrated.
Stick Figure Studios
2023-02-06 20:55:34 +0000 UTCNice. I’m thinking I’m going to try and attend more matinees this year. I actually enjoyed it the last time.
James1035
2023-02-06 20:53:23 +0000 UTCI love "The Spy Who Loved Me" and "For Your Eyes Only". "A View to a Kill" was bad, "Octopussy" was another good one
Bill Maurer
2023-02-06 20:25:38 +0000 UTCJames UK; more grounded? Heck, nothing memorable happens within the first 45 minutes of FRWL. Personally, I think that the storyline in FRWL was pretty convoluted, as far as how it appeared on the screen. Goldfinger, Goldfinger, Goldfinger, Goldfinger, Goldfinger!
Gary David Holbrook
2023-02-06 20:16:34 +0000 UTCMy first Bond flick was The Spy Who Loved Me and it remains my personal favorite. I don’t think Roger Moore gets nearly enough credit and that’s only because the films at the tale end of his run were pretty awful such as Octopussy and A View to a Kill
Rosario Cicero
2023-02-06 19:53:56 +0000 UTCFor me, this fight scene and the one in THE NARROW MARGIN work so well partly because they take place on trains, with very little room to maneuver. Everything looks like it hurts. There's no chance for any fancy technique. GHOST PROTOCOL might use some of that intensity, but it still doesn't feel nearly as real.
Ben Livingstone
2023-02-06 19:44:34 +0000 UTCAccording to her Letterboxd list link above, she's seen this one already.
Damon
2023-02-06 19:42:46 +0000 UTCI already bought one ticket to see the new Ant-Man movie for the matinee on opening day. Didn’t even ask anyone else to go😂
Cole Jennett
2023-02-06 19:27:24 +0000 UTCI loved GHOST PROTOCOL but I didn't get that at all.
Stick Figure Studios
2023-02-06 19:25:23 +0000 UTCI always had the same fears you and Cassie mentioned about going to the movies alone. I mentioned on discord that I haven’t seen Top Gun Maverick and wanted to, but had no one to go with. Everyone was encouraging me to go alone. I was hesitant at first, then I needed up going. I’m glad I listened to them. That’s a movie built for the theater. Now if I want to see a movie I go with no problem.
James1035
2023-02-06 19:25:16 +0000 UTCOh, you're in for a treat.
Stick Figure Studios
2023-02-06 19:22:50 +0000 UTCYou really, REALLY need to react to WARRIOR (2011). Seeing how you loved the Rocky movies, clearly I think you enjoy the fight drama genre. WARRIOR is a criminally underrated fight movie that needs more attention than it gets. You should most certainly react to that movie. I think you would love it.
TheCaptain359
2023-02-06 19:22:21 +0000 UTC@Bill: I've been saying this for years. Dalton was basically the proto-Craig, but he was just too ahead of the curve. That darker, more violent interpretation was not what audiences wanted at the time. Oh, well. He's thankfully getting re-evaluated more positively now.
Stick Figure Studios
2023-02-06 19:16:30 +0000 UTC*Some* of the other Bonds are better, but not that many. DR. NO is great.
Stick Figure Studios
2023-02-06 19:14:04 +0000 UTCThe "Dalton Bond" was actually the "Daniel Craig Bond" before Craig ever became an actor.
Bill Maurer
2023-02-06 18:39:34 +0000 UTCUmm, she's already skipped it David. Unfortunately it did mean she had a lot of stuff to figure out for the second one without key elements being introduced. Also, Dr No is excellent.
Dazman
2023-02-06 18:24:29 +0000 UTCfair enough! :)
Walter
2023-02-06 18:24:24 +0000 UTCYour not wrong,,, so was Ian Fleming who wrote the original novels From Russia is actually my favorite Bond movie With Connery's departure from the role they mostly abandon the novel's storylines 😒
Jon Freezin-Rain
2023-02-06 18:23:16 +0000 UTCSkip Dr No. The other bonds are sooo much better
David
2023-02-06 17:44:14 +0000 UTCConnery later said he got the role because he was cheaper than Grant.
Catherine LW
2023-02-06 17:26:39 +0000 UTCI once heard of an interview where director Brad Bird said he loved the physicality and reality of that fight scene and tried to use some of that for fights in MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: GHOST PROTOCOL.
Alex Villarreal
2023-02-06 16:47:08 +0000 UTCMy grandparents watched that :)
Celeste McAllister
2023-02-06 16:42:01 +0000 UTCIf you think Brosnan is too smug and smarmy, I'll bet you're not a big Moore fan either.
Stick Figure Studios
2023-02-06 16:38:12 +0000 UTC"He brought a brutality to the character not seen again until Daniel Craig." Sounds like somebody really needs to revisit the Dalton films.
Stick Figure Studios
2023-02-06 16:34:56 +0000 UTCYeah, the songs from my high school days are all on the oldies stations now. The fact that I said 'stations' ages me as well.
Scott Macaulay
2023-02-06 16:23:15 +0000 UTCI never felt so old as when my colleague in his early 20s called The Matrix an old movie last year. Had to take some time to process that in 2022 it was a year older, than the first Star Wars movie was in 1999.
Gábor Árki
2023-02-06 16:00:53 +0000 UTCI know I'm old when someone says "Is that Sean Connery?" watching a Bond film.
Odd Thomas
2023-02-06 15:32:34 +0000 UTC“Mother” (equivalent in rank to M) was the chief of the fictional Intelligence agency in the British spy TV show and later movie “the Avengers”. Sean Connery played the villain in that movie.
Greg M
2023-02-06 15:11:11 +0000 UTCYou really need to do three Roger Moore films. We all know what film should easily win the poll but of his remaining 6 films two are must watches. One while being silly is so epic in scope it demands attention and the other is his most grounded film with an emphasis on action. I have no problem with Lazenby but to do his one and done at the expense of a Connery or Moore is not ideal.
Andrew Roach
2023-02-06 13:49:23 +0000 UTCHonestly, the older I get, the more I like all the Bonds.
Alex Villarreal
2023-02-06 13:42:59 +0000 UTCI started getting into Bond in the late 80s, when i was a young kid and Dalton is my favorite as well.
Variable38
2023-02-06 13:41:52 +0000 UTCPS: Cassie, you are not alone. I also didn't like going to the movies by myself for a long time. Apart from not liking crowds I also had the same "fears" as you. Once I was able to overcome this during my university years, I did prefer matinee screenings myself. I'm still not a fan of an evening crowd. I did have some great experiences with matinees, for example watching Star Trek (2009) the day after its premiere on a large screen in ~400 seat screening room with only 2 other people. Although had some misfortune as well. At one time watching Liza the Fox-Fairy (2015), a quirky Hungarian rom-com, I purchased a ticket 30 minutes prior online and I had the only reservation for the entire ~100 seat room. The by the time I entered to take my seat, I was greeted by a school party of ~90 teenagers.😞 This reminds me of a poll idea I wanted to suggest: May 9 is Europe Day, celebrating peace and unity in the European Union. There hasn't been many foreign movies reacted to, and this could be an opportunity to gather some recommendations for European films (I would rule out ones made in the UK, those would deserve their separate poll one day) and do some polls or bracket for them.
Gábor Árki
2023-02-06 13:29:47 +0000 UTCMany times the intros would be more exciting to watch than the movies themselves.
Ian Cano
2023-02-06 12:49:22 +0000 UTCI think those are the best bond moments, when he shows that brutality behind the charming facade to get the job done. Killing Dent in Dr No is my favorit example. But moore could also, if he needed to.
Harald Mahr
2023-02-06 12:34:28 +0000 UTCThe introduction scene of him might be the thing I'm most sad about they lost by skipping Dr. No. Apart from the red herring pre-title sequence, he just appears a good 15 minutes into this movie. And apparently the SPECTRE introduction could have been useful too.
Gábor Árki
2023-02-06 12:23:15 +0000 UTCHappy to know that my hunch was correct and you indeed enjoy Connery as Bond. This is why I kept suggesting you should just start at the beginning, and decide on how to continue based on experience. For me, a huge appeal of the series is that Bond movies are like time capsules. You do not just get a glimpse into the day and age they take place, but watching them is a journey throughout 60 years of film-making. Seeing how not just the character changed, evolved and continuously reinvented itself over time, but how storytelling, directing, acting, stunts, and effects have evolved too. These early films had a significant impact on the movie industry as well. In Hollywood this was still the end of the Golden Age and Bond was surely one of the trendsetters and influenced Hollywood studios to experiment with new kind of movies. Strangely, Bond later became a trend follower instead and was always very reactionary and heavily influenced by other contemporary movie trends (blaxploitation, sci-fi, thrillers, Bourne, etc). Personally, From Russia with Love is my favorite from Connery. I really like the somewhat more grounded approach of this movie. It actually feels like a true espionage story, which to be honest, is not really a usual Bond trope. This might be the most spy work he is actually doing throughout the series.😃 It does also nicely elaborate on the SPECTRE story-line introduced in Dr. No (it has been explained in more detail in that movie who and what they are) which is a recurring element in the Connery era. And Robert Shaw's Grant is one of the best Bond adversaries ever. Pedro Armendáriz as Kerim Bey is also a great Bond ally. Knowing he had to endure a lot of pain during the shooting of the movie due to his neck cancer makes his acting even more admirable. If rumors are true, they actually shuffled the shooting schedule around and even reduced his role a bit so he can finish recording all of his scenes before his condition worsened, so he could get fully payed to ensure his family's financial stability. He took his own life soon after filming finished. After this, I'm really curious on your take on Goldfinger. It is the archetypal Bond movie that solidified all the usual Bond tropes and the moment when Bond became a movie style of its own. If you do enjoy that too, then I think it is fair to assume you are going to have fun with the rest of the series too. Not so secretly, I'm still hoping watching all is not out of question. You know you can just carry on with the remaining Connery movies after Goldfinger, no objection from me. 😃 I just hope that if you decide so, you will watch them in order. Definitely a better experience IMO.
Gábor Árki
2023-02-06 12:02:04 +0000 UTCAHH, that intro in Dr No. I never tire of watching it and wishing I was even 1% as cool.
Dazman
2023-02-06 11:59:25 +0000 UTCPierce Brosnan is too smug and smarmy! I like Dalton and Connery.
Dazman
2023-02-06 11:56:12 +0000 UTCI'm just here to hear my last name spoken by Cassie and Carly :P
Allen Bond
2023-02-06 11:40:08 +0000 UTCI grew up in the Roger Moore era of Bond, but I always loved What Connery originated with the character. On top of how suave he is, he brought a brutality to the character not seen again until Daniel Craig. I am looking forward to this series and had a great time revisiting From Russia With Love with your reaction. I also think Goldfinger is one of the top 3 or 4 Bond films in the series. Thanks again!
Walter
2023-02-06 11:30:26 +0000 UTCBond was such a huge influence in pop culture, never more so than in the sixties. In the 1960's nothing was bigger than the Beatles and Bond. As a child in the sixties in my house we had the novels, the soundtrack albums (my favorite being the Goldfinger soundtrack). And I had the toy attache case from the movie From Russia With Love and the toy car from Goldfinger that shot plastic missles. Around the country Bondmania accounted for high sales of movie posters, toys, board games, toy guns, costumes, lunch boxes, trading cards, playing cards, etc, etc, etc. There were other spy novels after the Bond series, such as the John Le Carre novels, but if not for the success of the Bond movie series I don't know if they would have been made into movies such as The Spy Who Came In From The Cold (1965). Surely without the Bond movies we would not have had the Our Man Flint series of movies with James Coburn or the Dean Martin Matt Helm series. Nor the many rip offs or spoofs and comedies such as Carry On Spying (British, 1964), That Man From Rio (French, 1964), Dr. Goldfoot movies, The Last of the Secret Agents (1966), Modesty Blaise (1966), Operation Kid Brother (1967 British spoof starring Sean's brother Neil Connery), many more with the topper Casino Royale a 1967 spoof made by those who had rights to an actual Ian Fleming title. No 1960's Connery Bond movies, no 1990's Austin Powers movies. On TV, the successful Bond movie franchise affected the evolution of both The Avengers, a British TV series that was shown on American network ABC starring Patrick Macnee, and future Bond movie actresses Honor Blackman (Goldfinger) and Dianna Rigg (On Her Majesty's Secret Service). and The Saint (starring future Bond Roger Moore). Also on TV the Bond movies directly inspired The Man From UNCLE (and its spin off The Girl From UNCLE), Mission:Impossible, I Spy, The Wild Wild West (secret agent in the old West) not to mention the comedy Get Smart, all TV series from the 1960's. The younger Bond fans of the Craig series of movies who think the modern Bonds are the best and that Sean Connery's are just the “old” movies might not realize the monumental influence the Sean Connery Bonds had all over the world. Sorry, Daniel Craig fans, but the latest Bond films were merely a blip that barely registered on the pop culture radar.
Mike LL
2023-02-06 11:22:36 +0000 UTCWhat "could have been" is suggested, at least, by North by Northwest (1959), sometimes referred to as "the first James Bond movie" (it isn't, of course), starring Cary Grant, and well worth a reaction.
Mingo Wayama
2023-02-06 11:06:35 +0000 UTCI love the irony of Cassie wearing a Jaws t shirt and not recognising Robert Shaw. "Doctor Number" cracked me up
John Drake
2023-02-06 10:52:26 +0000 UTCThe young blond killer that worked for Spectre, Red Grant, was portrayed by none other that Robert Shaw. Of course you remember him as the Captain in JAWS and as Doyle Lonnegan in THE STING.
Mike McLaughlin
2023-02-06 10:49:43 +0000 UTCYou mean Dracula himself 😁 I somewhere red that Lee actually was a spy in ww2. Could be wrong but i would certainly believe it.
Harald Mahr
2023-02-06 09:33:07 +0000 UTCI don't know about that fight scene. I mean, in movies back then. Sorry, I expressed myself badly.
Ben Livingstone
2023-02-06 09:28:23 +0000 UTCIn the train fight scene? Didnt notice that. Need to take a closer look 😉
Harald Mahr
2023-02-06 09:26:46 +0000 UTCWhaaaaat? You don't recognize Sean Connery? Come on.....He hasn't changed THAT much. 😉
Matt B.
2023-02-06 09:26:13 +0000 UTCI don't know. I think THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS gives it a run for its money in the "cold War espionage thriller" department. That's the closest I think Bond ever gets to a John LeCarre story.
Stick Figure Studios
2023-02-06 09:04:49 +0000 UTCNot entirely true for me as I grew up with Moore, but my favorite Bond is actually Dalton.
Stick Figure Studios
2023-02-06 09:02:55 +0000 UTCAh, yes. The Fountainbleau. It's also the setting of Jerry Lewis's THE BELLBOY
Stick Figure Studios
2023-02-06 09:01:51 +0000 UTCThe James Brolin and Sam Neill screen tests are particularly interesting.
Stick Figure Studios
2023-02-06 08:58:27 +0000 UTCJust to recognize Connery. :-)
Stick Figure Studios
2023-02-06 08:57:11 +0000 UTCWithout fail.
Stick Figure Studios
2023-02-06 08:56:04 +0000 UTCCongratulations, ladies on your first Sean Connery Bond (and Cassie, on your first Bond ever; as Obi-Wan says, you've taken your first step into a larger world). All spy movies essentially go back to Bond. He wasn't the first fictional spy ever created but he was the first to capture the imagination of the public in such a phenomenal way (and that goes back to the original novels written by Ian Fleming, upon which the first handful of movies are based). We wouldn't have Jason Bourne or MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE without him. This was a good Bond movie to start with, but you are right about missing a couple things having skipped DR. NO (not the least of which is recognizing Connery; his first introduction as Bond in the preceding film is iconic). SPECTRE is a terrorist organization and the "cat man" is named Ernst Stavro Blofeld (good job placing him as the inspiration for Dr. Claw in INSPECTOR GADGET; he also inspired Dr. Evil in the AUSTIN POWRS movies). Remember him. He will essentially be Bond's nemesis in many future films. "M" is the code name of Bond's boss at MI6. He was played by the actor Bernard Lee (Johnny Lee Miller's grandfather) until his death. Other actors will take over the position, but only one woman has played M so far: Judi Dench (and you'll see her when you get to the Brosnan films). Moneypenny (played here by Lois Maxwell) is M's secretary who loves to flirt with James and the "gadget man" is called Q (short for "Quartermaster"). He was played by the actor Desmond Llewellyn until his death. You'll see a lot of him again too and he'll consistently be one of the best things about each Bond film. Yes, old movies have long "intros" (by which I assume you mean credits) and Bond movies are well known for their stylized main title sequences. Every Bond movie will also begin with an exciting action scene right after that trademark gunbarrel image and before the opening credits (this was once considered a new and fresh thing to do) and they will only get better and better as time goes on. I'll tell you my favorite one when we get to it (which we almost certainly will). All actors who have played Bond have brought something unique and worthwhile to the role, but you can see here why Connery is generally considered the best Bond. He's handsome, classy, sexy and endlessly charismatic (with a wonderfully dry delivery of that trademark ironic humor), but he also had the dangerous edge that makes him a good spy and (sometimes) a ruthless killer. James Bond is not Ethan Hunt. Yes, he is one of the good guys (he fights evil and you root for him) but he's not always a "good guy." Sometimes he's just a bastard and Connery captured that complexity beautifully. As a huge Bond fan myself, I'm so glad you enjoyed this and I am looking forward to you seeing more... especially the next one GOLDFINGER. In my opinion (and the opinion of many), it is the best Connery Bond movie and quite possibly the best Bond movie period. It is when everything just came together and the Bond formula hit critical mass. It was when the Bond movies transcended being just excellent spy stories and became a genre all their own... meaning we were grateful, as each film's ending promised (long before the MCU copied the idea), that "James Bond will return."
Stick Figure Studios
2023-02-06 08:52:41 +0000 UTCJust so you know, Cassie, the next movie contains a scene which audiences back then found risqué, but which you’ll probably find horrible. Goes to show how times have changed, I guess.
Tej Shah
2023-02-06 08:43:53 +0000 UTCDoing some are better than none but doing all of them is better than some.
Andrew Roach
2023-02-06 08:39:36 +0000 UTCFinallyyyyyyyyyyyyy 😊😊😊😊😊
Matt B.
2023-02-06 08:24:06 +0000 UTCOr Lonnegan in The Sting
Harald Mahr
2023-02-06 08:05:12 +0000 UTCThe first bedroom meeting between Bond and Tatiana has been routinely used as the audition scene for potential Bond actors for many years now.
Brad P
2023-02-06 07:53:29 +0000 UTCYes, they meant "the first James Bond movie on the channel". C&C are aware that Dr. No is the first movie in terms of release date.
Gabriel L.
2023-02-06 07:06:33 +0000 UTC"Is she Sean Connery?" You ladies crack me up! You also might have been thinking of the Austin Powers movies when it came to the guy holding the cat
Shawn Kildal
2023-02-06 06:56:21 +0000 UTCThat was a really big deal back then. I loved those ABC movie intros too. The Jaws one in particular
Shawn Kildal
2023-02-06 06:53:06 +0000 UTCThinking that Connery became Bond only because Cary Grant declined the role ...... but in the end a younger connery was the better choice, but interessting to think about what could have been
Harald Mahr
2023-02-06 06:52:31 +0000 UTCThere was also a really good Bond game that came out way after Goldeneye and it was From Russia With Love with Connery voicing the game. I did love all the Brosnan games though. I wore those out.
Shawn Kildal
2023-02-06 06:51:26 +0000 UTCWas I frightened by Oddjob as a boy.
Harald Mahr
2023-02-06 06:46:42 +0000 UTCHAHAHA! YOU GUYS BEAT ME TO IT!!!! I also thought it was hilarious in the beginning when they kept thinking EVERYONE was Sean Connery, considering she saw him in The Hunt for Red October, The Untouchables and probably a couple more! I think it's adorable, and adds to the fun of the channel that she has the memory of a Goldfish! LOL :-)
'Pappy' Johnston
2023-02-06 06:15:01 +0000 UTC'Parental discretion is advised'
Matt Rose
2023-02-06 05:51:59 +0000 UTCBoy are you going to love GOLDFINGER. In terms of 'best straightforward spy movie', FRWL is the best. With GF, a real panache comes into the proceedings and things get a lot more fun. You'll have a blast.
Matt Rose
2023-02-06 05:51:14 +0000 UTCThat train fight scene holds up even today. I've rarely seen one more brutal--they took some cues from "The Narrow Margin," I suspect. Miles ahead of the fight in the Gypsy camp. And yes, they used stunt doubles (in movies back then).
Ben Livingstone
2023-02-06 05:25:45 +0000 UTCi am so happy you are here! What a nice comment to read tonight, thank you!!!
Cassie
2023-02-06 05:23:47 +0000 UTCI am glad that we finally have "From Russia With Love" out of the way; we can now move on to "Goldfinger"; the best of the best of the early James Bond films. Bring on Oddjob!!!
Gary David Holbrook
2023-02-06 05:19:56 +0000 UTCNo playing as Oddjob!
My_Cousin_Mose
2023-02-06 05:16:33 +0000 UTCFrom Russia With Love is the most “espionage thriller” of the Bond movies, especially in the Cold War era. Later it really becomes more of a spy fantasy genre. Gold sovereigns hidden in a briefcase? Wait until you see what Q is handing out by Die Another Day.
Wes Stewart
2023-02-06 05:15:43 +0000 UTCNice reaction guys! Especially, once you figured out who Sean Connery actually was! 😉 Sean Connery as Bond was a little before my time. But I enjoyed the film. I also see why many people today still say he “is” James Bond. Looking forward to watching along as you guys go through the films!
Robert da Spruce
2023-02-06 05:12:20 +0000 UTCThis is still my favorite of the "pre-Craig" Bond movies, I love that it was very much a spy story, not some crazy plot to destroy the world or anything like that(In some of the movies the villain's plan is kinda bonkers). In that way it's kind of like the first Mission Impossible movie. And yes, SPECTRE is a terrorist organization whose classic move is playing the Soviets and the US/UK against each other. The guy with the cat is the inspiration of the Dr. Evil character from the Austin Powers movies. The character of M has been played by multiple actors over the years. M is the codename for Bond's boss. It was played by a man up until PIerce Brosnan became Bond, that's when Judi Dench took over. When they did the full reboot with Daniel Craig, Dench was the only one who stayed on and reprised their role.
Patrick Egan
2023-02-06 04:49:02 +0000 UTCThey say your favorite Bond is the one you grew up watching. My favorite is Pierce Brosnan, followed very closely by Craig. But I have a soft spot for Sean Connery, since he was my Dad's childhood hero.
Alex Villarreal
2023-02-06 04:28:39 +0000 UTCI watched Dr. No in preparation for this. I think it's a better film, too. I would have picked that one over this. But I did like this one. I think Connery is a better Bond than Craig for sure. And no one recognized Quint from Jaws? Even while wearing an Amity t shirt? Inconceivable!
thansen
2023-02-06 04:17:03 +0000 UTCSpectre really isn’t a driving force in the films other than that the villains in these early films are usually agents of spectre. They are kind of that looming threat but they gradually move away from spectre over the years after they ran out of book material. Also speaking of that final stunt. They didn’t have much time so that scene is Robert Shaw and Sean Connery actually going at it.
Night King01
2023-02-06 04:03:59 +0000 UTCWhen I was a kid in the early 70s my parents stayed at the Miami hotel in Florida shown in Goldfinger, and it was totally the hot thing at the time. It really was impressive.
Richard Bourne
2023-02-06 04:01:02 +0000 UTCThe first Bond reaction was a rousing success, it was two modern gals encountering the quirky sixties sensibilities of the early espionage adventures of our favorite British agent. Both of you did an excellent job of keeping up with the plot, but most of the first half of the movie you kept thinking it was false information that was important, but it was just SPECTRE wanting to get their hands on the Lektor coding device, and I think they just wanted to sell it back to the Russians for profit. Grant did everything he could in Istanbul to keep Bond on the track of getting hold of the Lektor. Very proud of Cassie for recognizing the James Bond theme song, and it is kind of funny just hearing the soundtrack play the theme while he is just investigating his hotel room. Later films will just have the theme play during the action scenes. The head of MI6 in the movie was just “M” which did not stand for “Mother” or Mum, but we will see in the later films why you might think that. I got a big kick out of your reaction to the gypsy camp scenes, including the extended belly dance sequence and the “original cat fight” 😂🤣 Ha Ha! And it was the “kicky boot guy” who got burned up in one of the boats at the end. Cassie said in the outro that the “cat guy” villain reminded her of . . . , and she didn't finish her thought, but I expected her to say Dr. Evil. The parody of Austin Powers was definitely based on these early Bond films of the sixties, with their numbered henchmen and deadly consequences for failure. Well you won't have to worry about number 3 and 5 again! What a hoot of a reaction. I hope the other commenters here won't tell you too much about what is coming up, I can't wait for you to see all the surprises in store for you!
Mike LL
2023-02-06 04:00:05 +0000 UTCIt’s weird seeing Robert Shaw so young as the henchman in this. If you remember he was quint in jaws
Night King01
2023-02-06 03:59:26 +0000 UTC1963 was a different World. I think you should see Dr. No. first, but Godlinger is the first TRUE Bond. I created the formula.
Richard Bourne
2023-02-06 03:58:02 +0000 UTCHello Cassie! New sub/patreon here and I cannot convey enough how much I enjoy your content. The genuineness of your reactions and the way you become emotionally invested in the films you view is truly wonderful. It shows why movies are one of the most incredible forms of storytelling. It's very exciting that you and Carly are starting to explore the Bond films. Bond is such a huge part of cinematic history. While it is unfortunate (though understandable) that you wont be watching every film, "From Russia With Love" is a great movie from the Connery era. I look forward to seeing your (and Carly's) reactions to the other films in the franchise. Each Bond actor put their own spin on the character and the films themselves have clearly evolved to remain relevant. It will be fun to see which Bond and which Bond film resonates most with you. I am so happy to be part of the PiB community and I wish you and your channel the utmost success as you continue to explore more movies!
Justin (CaptainProton)
2023-02-06 03:47:11 +0000 UTCOh yes, the Dr. Number reference by Cassie is destined to be another famous Casseism!
Mike LL
2023-02-06 03:42:48 +0000 UTCWhat is unique about the Bond series is that you can watch them in almost any order and still enjoy them. All of the Connery movies are stand alone adventures, although there is some small matter of continuity among them, such as the mention of Dr. No in this movie. But you see that they did not need to see Dr. No to fully enjoy this movie.
Mike LL
2023-02-06 03:41:09 +0000 UTCAnd a great movie as well
James1035
2023-02-06 03:27:24 +0000 UTCSo while I would’ve enjoyed you guys being introduced to Sean Connery as Bond in Dr No (not number ;) ) From Russia With Love is a top tier Bond film. As to SPECTRE they are a villainous organization in the Connery/Lazenby movies. They disappear from the later movies due to legal issues and are not seen again until the Daniel Craig movie of that name.
James1035
2023-02-06 03:23:44 +0000 UTCIt’s 100 percent Goldeneye the game.
James1035
2023-02-06 03:21:18 +0000 UTCJust started watching your reaction. Had to pop in and say it’s Dr. No. As in yes/no. Not number! 😂 Anyways, back to the movie!
Robert da Spruce
2023-02-06 03:10:18 +0000 UTCAnd Away... We Go.
Larry Darrell
2023-02-06 02:42:40 +0000 UTCI think the Nintendo 64 game you were playing was Goldeneye. Which was based on the Pierce Brosnan bond movie. Goldeneye was a really fun 64 game.
Mark Sylvester
2023-02-06 02:40:44 +0000 UTCThis should be fun, Ive never watched anything from the Sean Connery era.
David RedEagle
2023-02-06 02:23:19 +0000 UTCSPECTRE is an evil global organization that uses criminal means to try and accrue power and wealth. The organization appears fairly late in the Ian Fleming books. For most of the Fleming books, Russia is the antagonist. Fleming apparently based parts of his first Bond novel, Casino Royale, on an actual operation in which he took some peripheral part which was carried out during WWII. He said in interviews that the Bond character was his conceptualization of most people’s impression of the work carried out by spies, acknowledging that the real world was much different than that depicted in his books.
Just Plain Bob
2023-02-06 02:03:50 +0000 UTCSuper funny that they actually had no idea what Sean Connery looked like pre-bald and bearded Sean Connery.
Jason Dolan
2023-02-06 01:58:07 +0000 UTCI think she meant the first bond she was going to watch. Dr No wasn't 1 or 2 in the poll
Variable38
2023-02-06 01:55:29 +0000 UTCShould have watched Dr. No first, better film IMO. However, polls are polls. This is the second film.
Kyle Brandon Sanger
2023-02-06 01:51:18 +0000 UTCum dr no is 1st bond
christopher b swanson
2023-02-06 01:51:06 +0000 UTCShe also saw him in The Sting.
Tim Raths
2023-02-06 01:49:37 +0000 UTCOk,the blonde guy Grant,he was Quint in Jaws..Sean was suave what swagger he has..I see why Men wanted to be like James Bond,Women just wanted him.next up "Goldfinger" and start of the 007 tradition of tongue in cheek names for the Bond girls. Good job Cassie & Carly lots more to come!♡♡
Celeste McAllister
2023-02-06 01:49:24 +0000 UTCSPECTRE (Special Executive for Counter-intelligence, Terrorism, Revenge and Extortion). The organisation is a common thread in many, though not all, of the early movies. This is one of the more grounded Bond movies. The next one, Goldfinger (I think you were confusing it with the Goldeneye game you used to play), is perhaps the most iconic Bond movie. The first with all the ingredients that we’ve come to now associate with Bond movies. Perhaps not as good a story, but more fun. As an aside did you know the character of Bond was created by the author Ian Fleming. The early movies are adapted from his books. Fleming himself worked for British naval intelligence during WWII which is were much of the inspiration for the character came from. I look forward to the rest of your Bond adventure.
James UK
2023-02-06 01:49:05 +0000 UTCWatched FRWL and Goldfinger this evening. 007, M, Q, Moneypenny! Let's go!!
Robin Craft
2023-02-06 01:48:37 +0000 UTC"Tonight on the Popcorn In Bed Sunday Night Movie it's From Russia with Love!" Who else here used to watch 007 movies on the ABC Sunday Night Movie?
Ian Cano
2023-02-06 01:43:01 +0000 UTCCoincidence how she was wearing a Jaws themed shirt as well.
Brian McGovern
2023-02-06 01:41:50 +0000 UTCDr. No was the 1st James Bond movie, From Russia With Love was the 2nd.
Judge Brehon
2023-02-06 01:40:21 +0000 UTCReally looking forward to this series!
Glenn Gilman
2023-02-06 01:39:40 +0000 UTCThere are a few “ Golden” James Bond movies. Gold finger, the man with the golden gun with Roger Moore and Saruman himself. and Goldeneye which I think is the game you are referring to with pierce brosnan.
Brian McGovern
2023-02-06 01:37:29 +0000 UTCNice! I love Bond movies. Daniel Craig and Roger Moore are my favorites.
Victor Trujillo
2023-02-06 01:31:45 +0000 UTCI'm sure people have already told you this but Red Grant was played by Robert Shaw who played Quint in Jaws just 12 years later.
Brad P
2023-02-06 01:24:31 +0000 UTCYou are pleasing many people...
Jon Johns
2023-02-06 01:23:26 +0000 UTC
