Shaking the Martini: Dr. No

Before I began watching/rewatching the James Bond films, I knew two things for certain:

1. Roger Moore was my favorite.

2. I didn’t expect that to change.

Quite frankly, I wasn’t anticipating any changes in opinion, or anything particularly transformative, as a result of this "marathon." Just a nice little ride through the countryside in an Aston Martin DB5.

But, as with all journeys, unintentional detours are inevitable. And the first detour was not just a detour: It was a complete and total derailment that came in the form of one Sean Connery.

I know, I know. He’s classic. In many people’s minds, when it comes to Bond, there’s technically no one else. I understood this, and even vaguely acknowledged in the back of my mind that he was the best Bond. And yet, upon viewing Goldfinger on an airplane six months ago, it was like a brick had fallen out of the sky, completely taking me out. I’m writing to you today as a new woman.

Hang on, though. Woahhh, girl. This is only the first review, and we’ve got a long road ahead of us.

So let’s take a deep breath, and get moving.

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It’s extremely satisfying when a franchise starts strong. Sometimes, it takes a few movies before a franchise finds its sea legs. Not so with Dr. No—it zips along like an action movie you’d watch today. No lulls or unnecessary filler scenes.

They do make us wait a bit before meeting Bond—it's not until 8 minutes in that we see his face—but wow, is it worth it.

You only get one shot at introducing a character for the first time. James Bond’s introduction was executed perfectly, from the lead-up to the iconic first line. Sean Connery cemented the character’s (and the franchise’s) legacy the moment he appeared on screen.

It's interesting to see how Bond is portrayed in this film, especially in comparison to some of the other movies. In a lot of the subsequent movies, he’s always on. He’s always charming, and perfectly in control of almost every situation. In general, I think the risk of humanizing certain characters is that when you then need them to shoot someone, it no longer looks believable. It’s hard to portray that perfect balance of someone who’s human, but still has a job to do. The scenes with Honey Ryder offered viewers a perfect opportunity to see that balance. James is respectful and sweet, and shows genuine sympathy in response to the story about her father. He is protective of her, and when they're captured, he reassures her that her fears are justified—even letting her know that he's scared, too. And yet, the viewer doesn't doubt his ability to save the day. Even in his softer moments, he is the hero we need him to be.

The Bond Girls

Speaking of Honey, she’s been my favorite Bond girl so far, which I didn't expect. Because the image most associated with her is the one when she's walking out of the sea in a bikini, I had always assumed she was a femme-fatale. But she isn't: She's just a girl in the wrong place at the wrong time. She has a sweet vulnerability that makes her likeable from the start, but she's also intelligent and resourceful. She helps Bond and Quarrel hide from Dr. No’s men, and when they escape at the end, she jumps into action and unties the boat. She's not the kind of gal who just stands around while James does his thing.

Honey is the girl that shows up on every poster and in every breakdown of the Bond girls, but we must give Sylvia Trench (played by Eunice Gayson) some credit here, too. She is, after all, the lady who sets our hero up for his iconic first line. And she’s one of the only Bond girls to show up in more than one movie as the same character!

Moneypenny

Granted, the only other Moneypenny I’ve seen so far (or at least, can remember well enough) besides Lois Maxwell's is Naomie Harris' interpretation in Skyfall. So at the time of this writing, I don’t have all the data. But so far, Maxwell is my favorite. Her Moneypenny has the most chemistry with James, and she has a wonderful rapport with Connery in particular.

When I was younger, my mom described the relationship between them as strictly one-sided: “She loves James, but he doesn’t love her back.” 

As I watch the movies myself now, I’d say that’s not a completely fair assessment. James flirts with her and gives her the attention he would any other Bond girl. But at the same time, they have a respect for each other that goes deeper than his other relationships. She understands the kind of man he is—it’s made clear on more than one occasion that she’s aware of several of his affairs—yet she still loves him. And James knows that.

Would they ever actually end up together? Roger Ebert once asserted that “poor Moneypenny still won’t get her man,” and when he interviewed Lois Maxwell, she said her character is “too much a lady to go chasing after him.” But I think what makes the older Bond movies brilliant is that there’s some mystery surrounding the characters and their lives. Since nothing is ever explicitly stated one way or the other, it allows one’s imagination to take over.

Felix Leiter

It’s hard to choose a favorite Felix, because each one brings something different to the table. For Jack Lord’s part, he bings a smoothness to the role that gives the impression he could be (if he wasn't already) the American version of James Bond. Even though I like that, it's to the film’s detriment as well: Bond and Leiter work so well together that their scenes have an almost “buddy movie” feel to it. I think the Felix character works better when there seems to be some amount of distance between them; an impression that even though their work is similar, they lead very different lives. (Lord would make a great leading man, though. It's too bad he never got his own television series...)

Speed Rounds!

Gadgets (and Q?)

The main thing keeping Dr. No from being the best Bond film is that Desmond Llewelyn’s Q doesn’t appear yet. The closest we get to a Q-type character here is Major Boothroyd, who gives Bond a Walther PPK to replace his Beretta. Useful, but not exactly interesting, compared to an umbrella that sinks its claws into someone when exposed to rain! Thankfully, we get to meet Q in the next film, From Russia With Love.

Music

With Q being an exception, it's amazing how many classic elements of the franchise have already come together in this first movie. Monty Norman’s theme is here from the start, and is used to great effect throughout the film. Even though there isn't an official song, Norman also supplied a Calypso soundtrack that gives the film a distinct feel. “Underneath the Mango Tree” became an unofficial theme (we get to hear Connery sing!), and I love the arrangement of "Three Blind Mice" at the end of the opening titles.

Sidekicks

Quarrel (played by John Kitzmiller) is a textbook sidekick: Slightly reluctant, but eventually helpful and committed to the task at hand. And funny, too—I’ve been quoting his “little gal, I does!” at home whenever it makes sense to do so (and even when it doesn’t). I wish we could have seen him in more of the movies.

"Shaken, not stirred."

Although mentioned in the movie and referring to Bond's drink of choice, the line is said by Dr. No to Bond.

"Bond. James Bond."

Even though it’s customary at least once every film for the main character to utter the line (similar to “I’m the Doctor” in Doctor Who), Connery's rich first delivery will forever be unbeatable. And to think Ian Fleming wanted Richard Burton for the role instead. (When Fleming met Connery for the first time, he reportedly thought the actor wasn’t elegant enough.)

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Even now, it’s hard to believe that Connery is the best Bond, or that Dr. No is the best movie; because it’s such an obvious choice. It’s as if you’re looking to buy a house, and the first one the realtor shows you turns out to be your dream home. It would be irresponsible to not see what else is on the market, but you can't imagine you're not going with that first one.

Well, I’m a little more open-minded than that—I’ve still got 15 more movies to see, and 27 to review—but Connery and Dr. No are pretty strong contenders in both the best and favorite categories. I can’t definitively declare favorites or bests until I’ve seen them all, and even now, I’m not quite ready to demote Moore. Let’s just say that he’s certainly got some competition.

I've been having a blast watching all the movies, and I’ll be posting a review of From Russia With Love a few weeks from now.

Do you have a favorite Bond movie or actor? Let me know in the comments!

'Til next time,

Becca