007 Facts
In 1977, Thunderball script co-author Kevin McClory won a lawsuit involving the use of the SPECTRE name and concept. This is why SPECTRE was never used in a Bond movie after Diamonds are Forever.
Ian Fleming dubbed his literary hero "with the most plain sounding name I could find", James Bond.
Prior to Dr. No's release, the film's distributors were quoted as saying "All we have to lose is $1 million"!
Ursula Andress won the part of Honey Rider after producers Saltzman and Brocoli saw a photo of Ms. Andress in a wet t-shirt.
After appearing in Goldfinger, Harold Sakata took his character's name, Oddjob, as a nickname.
The following lines were written by 17th century Japanese poet Bassho:
You only live twice:
Once when you're born,
And once when you look death in the face.
Fleming, impressed with this simple, yet thought provoking verse, titled his 12th novel You Only Live Twice. The novel would eventually become the fifth Bond epic.
The mechanical hook worn by Julius W. Harris in Live and Let Die was controlled by the actor's breathing.
Never throughout Roger Moore's tenure as Bond is he actually seen ordering a "martini, shaken not stirred".
During the filming of For Your Eyes Only,an unusually warm winter forced Brocoli to import snow to Italy. No less than 45 trips were made to Cortina.
"M" does not appear in For Your Eyes Only as a tribute to Bernard Lee, who had recently died of cancer.
Faye Dunaway was considered for the role of Octopussy.
The only Oscar winner to play a Bond villian is Christopher Walken (best supporting actor, "The Deer Hunter", 1979).
Timothy Dalton did almost all of his own stunts, including the scene in The Living Daylights in which Bond and Kara escape a doomed plane by riding out of the back hatch in a Jeep.
In Spain, the title for Dr. No is "Agent 007 vs. The Satanic Dr. No".
The German title for The Living Daylights is "The Skin of a Corpse".
The fight aboard the Disco Volante in Thunderball, took two weeks to plan and choreograph.
A View to a Kill's original screenplay had Zorin manipulating the course of Halley's comet to cause world wide destruction.
An early script for Diamonds are Forever had 007 facing Goldfinger's brother (Gert Frobe was approached to play the part) until it was agreed that Blofeld would be a better villian considering the events in OHMSS.
Roger Moore was originally considered for the part of 007 for Dr. No in 1962.
The soundstage used for the filming of the interior of the Liparus tanker in The Spy Who Loved Me, is the largest in the world.
THE MOVIES
Dr. No
James Bond: Sean Connery
Released: 1962 (#1)
Main Villian: Dr. No (Joseph Wiseman)
Bond Girls: Honey Rider (Ursula Andress)
Gadgets: None
Travel Destinations: Jamaica
Famous Quote:
"SPECTRE, special executive for counter-intellegence, terrorism, revenge, extortion."- Dr. No
Facts and Bloopers:
A villain uses a megaphone to shout warnings to Bond as he hides in a ditch on Crab Key. At one point his voice remains magnified even when the megaphone is nowhere near his mouth.
Although Bond is assigned a Walther PPK as his new official handgun earlier in the film, he uses a Browning 1910 .32 caliber to kill Dent. This gun may have been substituted because it allows for easy connection to a silencer.
When Miss Taro gives 007 directions to her home, she tells Bond the address is 239 Magenta Drive. Yet, when Bond later phones for a cab he states the address as 2171 Magenta Drive, while Miss Taro nods in affirmation.
From Russia With Love
James Bond: Sean Connery
Released: 1963 (#2)
Main Villian: Ernst Blofeld
Henchman: Red Grant (Robert Shaw), Rosa Klebb
Bond Girls: Tatiana Romanova (Daniela Bianchi)
Gadgets: Q Branch briefcase
Travel Destinations: Istanbul, Venice
Famous Quote:
"My orders are to kill you and deliver the Lektor. How I do it is my business."-Red Grant
Facts and Bloopers:
In both the British and American trailers (or "coming attractions"), the name of every major cast member is mentioned, except for one "minor" exception - Sean Connery!
Bond opens the faucets to take a bath in his hotel suite. He is disturbed by a noise, which turns out to be Tanya entering his bed - a passionate evening ensues. However, he never turns off the faucet, so where did all that water go?
During the gondola ride..., Bond displays the reel of film shot by SPECTRE showing 007 and Tania making love. Bond holds a few frames to the sunlight and says, "He was right, you know." -a meaningless comment in the final print. In fact, he was referring to Red Grant's critique of the juicy footage - "What a performance!" - which was deleted from the film.
Goldfinger
James Bond: Sean Connery
Released: 1964 (#3)
Main Villian: Auric Goldfinger (Gert Frobe)
Henchmen: Oddjob (Harold Sakata)
Bond Girls: Jill Masterson (Shirley Eaton), Pussy Galore (Honor Blackman)
Gadgets: AstonMartin DB-5
Travel Destinations: Geneva, Austria, Fort Knox
Famous Quote:
"Do you expect me to talk?" "No Mr. Bond, I expect you to die."- Bond and Goldfinger.
Facts and Bloopers:
When Bond glances in his car mirror, he notes the initials "T.M." on Tilley's riflecase. However, the initials are not reversed as they would be if he were viewing them in a mirror.
During the Ft. Knox assault, Goldfinger's henchman Kisch is disguised as a U.S. Army Officer. Yet, the stripes on his uniform are from the Air Force.
Bond's introductionto Pussy Galore in Goldfinger went something like this: Pussy: "I'm Pussy Galore." Bond: "I know, but what's your name?" The sequence was amended to Bond's responding "I must be dreaming!" It had been difficult enough to gain approval for use of Galore's first name.
Thunderball
James Bond: Sean Connery
Released: 1965 (#4)
Main Villian: Emilio Largo (Adolfo Celi)
Henchmen: Fiorna Volpe (Luciana Paluzzi), Vargas
Bond Girls: Domino Derval (Claudine Auger)
Gadgets: Aston Martin DB-5, mini rebreather, infra-red underwater camera
Travel Destinations: Nassau
Famous Quote:
"I think he got the point."- Bond
Facts and Bloopers:
Bond is issued a "mini-breather" with an emergency four-minute supply of air. Yet, Bond utilizes the device for a far longer period during the climactic battle sequence.
During the pre-credits sequence, Bond immoblizes pursuers by spraying a pressurized stream of water from a device in his Aston Martin. In reality, the car would have to contain tanks larger than the vehicle itself to make such a device functional!
Bond, Domino, and a professor jump into the ocean moments before the Disco Volante explodes. Bond and Domino are rescued, but the fate of the hapless professor is left unclear.
You Only Live Twice
James Bond: Sean Connery
Released: 1967 (#5)
Main Villian: Ernst Blofeld (Donald Pleasence)
Henchmen: Mr. Osato (Teru Shimada), Miss Brant (Karin Dor)
Bond Girls: Aki, Kissy Suzuki (Mie Hama)
Gadgets: "Little Nellie" (mini gyro-copter)
Travel Destinations: Hong Kong, Japan
Famous Quote:
"I shall look forward to personally exterminating you, Mr. Bond."- Blofeld
Facts and Bloopers:
Bond arrives atop Blofeld's volcano fortress with nothing on but the clothes on his back. Seconds later he changes into a commando uniform, complete with bulky suction cups which he uses to penetrate the volcano. Not even Batman has a utility belt that elaborate!
Bond affirms to a contact that he has never been to Japan before. However, in From Russia With Love Bond recalls trip to Tokyo with "M".
When Tanaka's helicopter implements a giant magnet to hoist up the villian's car and drop it in the ocean, Bond watches the entire affair on a closed-circuit TV in his car. As there is no evidence of a second helicopter, who could have filmed the incident?
On Her Majesty's Secret Service
James Bond: George Lazenby
Released: 1969 (#6)
Main Villian: Ernst Blofeld
Henchmen: Irma Bunt
Bond Girls: Tracy Draco (Diana Rigg), Ruby and other clinic girls
Gadgets: Safe Opener, glove box gun holder
Travel Destinations: Piz Gloria, Switzerland, Austria, Italy
Famous Quote:
"This never happened to the other fellow (Connery)"- Bond
Facts and Bloopers:
Bond meets Blofeld wearing no disguise other than a pair of glasses. This dupes Blofeld despite their knowing each other from the last film. As for Blofeld's powers of observation, one might speculate that he had been a lookout at Pearl Harbor!
Blofeld claims proof of his ancestry is tied to a genetic trait: lack of earlobes. However it is quite obvious that Telly Savalas, who portrays the villian, is endowed with earlobes. Had they said that all the previous Blofeld's lacked hair, Savalas's claims would have been indisputable.
When George Lazenby assumed the role in OHMSS, aconcept was briefly entertained that Bond's new look was the result of plastic surgery, designed to alter 007's all too recognizable features. The idea was shelved as being patronizing to audiences.
Diamonds Are Forever
James Bond: Sean Connery
Released: 1971 (#7)
Main Villian: Ernst Blofeld
Henchmen: Mr. Wint and Mr. Kidd
Bond Girls: Plenty O'Toole, Tiffany Case
Gadgets: Cumberbun with rappeling equipment
Travel Destinations: Amsterdam, Las Vegas
Famous Quote:
Plenty: "Hi, I'm Plenty."
Bond: "But of course you are."
Plenty: "Plenty O'Toole."
Bond: "Named after your father perhaps?"
Facts and Bloopers:
Blofeld states that science was never his strong suit. Yet, in OHMSS, he is presented as a scientist/chemist.
The car Bond rents iin Las Vegas has California licence plates, instead of those issued by Nevada.
The death of Plenty O'Toole is Diamonds Are Forever is never satisfactorily explained due to a key sequence that was excised. Plenty returns to Bond's room after her unceremonious dump into the pool, courtesy of the invading gangsters. She secretly observes Bond making love to Tiffany Case, and rummages through Tiffany's purse to obtain her address (presumably to exact some sort of revenge). Arriving at Tiffany's house, Wint and Kidd mistake her for Case, their next target. Plenty is murdered and again discarded into a pool, but this time with her feet encased in a block of cement.
Live and Let Die
James Bond: Roger Moore
Released: 1973 (#8)
Main Villian: Dr. Kananga aka Mr. Big (Yaphet Kotto)
Henchmen: Tee Hee (Julius W. Harris), Baron Samedi
Bond Girls: Solitaire (Jane Seymore)
Gadgets: Bond's supermagnetic watch
Travel Destinations: New York, San Monique, New Orleans
Famous Quote:
"Butterhook." -Bond
Facts and Bloopers:
Bond's Arrival via hang glider to Kananga's mansion in Live and Let Die was considered as 007's method of transportation to Marie's residence in the pre-credits of Diamonds are Forever.
For Roger Moore, the Live and Let Die script was altered considerably to tone down its violent aspects. The fight between Bond and Kananga was originally a moreprotracted and brutal affair. Keeping with Roger's lighter touch, the scene omitted the gore.
The back of the Tarot cards featured in the film contain the numerals "007". When Baron Samedi uncovers two of the Tarot cards, foretelling Solitaire's impending death, they are not from the deck used previously.
The Man With The Golden Gun
James Bond: Roger Moore
Released: 1974 (#9)
Main Villian: Francisco Scaramanga (Christopher Lee)
Henchmen: Nick Nack (Herve Villechaize)
Bond Girls: Andrea Anders (Maud Adams), Mary Goodnight (Britt Ekland)
Gadgets: Scaramanga's Car/Plane, Solex powered laser canon, Scaramanga's Gun
Travel Destinations: Beruit, Hong Kong, Macau, Bangkok, Scaramanga's Island
Famous Quote:
"Speak now or forever hold your piece." -Bond
Facts and Bloopers:
Bond and Goodnight are enjoying a romantic interlude aboard Scaramanga's junk when their encounter is interrupted by a phone call from "M". How did "M" know of their whereabouts, and how did he acquire the phone number for Scaramanga's vessel?
For The Man with the Golden Gun, Bond was to posess a rocket firing camera that also emitted stun gas and a self-destruct device linked to the shutter speed selector. To 007's chagin, the onlu thing it couldn't do was take pictures! Complementing the 35mm arsenal, was an exploding thermos exploited in the climactic battle against Scaramanga.
Bond's somersaulting car in The Man with the Golden Gun was to have been pursued by police cars, only they ended up "in the drink" trying to emulate the 007 stunt. This scene was cut due to time restraints.
The Spy Who Loved Me
James Bond: Roger Moore
Released: 1977 (#10)
Main Villian: Karl Stromberg (Curt Jurgens)
Henchmen: Chandor, Jaws (Richard Kiel)
Bond Girls: Anya Amasova (Barbara Bach)
Gadgets: Bond's microfilm viewer, Amasova's cigarettes, Stromberg's rocket gun, Lotus Espirit
Travel Destinations: Egypt, Sardenia, "Atlantis"
Famous Quote:
"He just droppd in for a quick bite." -Bond
Facts and Bloopers:
The pre-credits ski jump had once been considered as a mode of escape for Blofeld in OHMSS.
The initial plot of The Spy Who Loved Me centered on an international terrorist organization which attempts to overthrow SPECTRE and replace its goals of larceny and blackmail with an all-out plot to decimate the world's population. The idea was scrapped as being "too political" for a Bond film.
The song heard in Anya's music box transmitter is "Lara's Theme" from Dr. Zhivago, a work banned at the time in the Soviet Union.
Moonraker
James Bond: Roger Moore
Released: 1979 (#11)
Main Villian: Hugo Drax (Micheal Lonsdale)
Henchmen: Cha (Toshira Suga), Jaws (Richard Kiel)
Bond Girls: Corrine DuFour (Corrine Cleary), Holly Goodhead (Lois Chiles)
Gadgets: Laser pistols, wrist dart gun, poison pen, 007 camera, watch w/ explosives
Travel Destinations: California, Venice, Brazil, Drax's space station
Famous Quote:
"Heartbroken, Mr. Drax." -Bond
Facts and Bloopers:
Drax's space station cannot be observed from Earth because of its radar-blocking device. How could he build such a city in space oblivious to intelligence sources, when the device was not yet in use?
Moonraker's battle inside a Venetian glass factory was originally written for The Spy Who Loved Me, set in an Egyptian antique museam.
This scene was discarded due to time restrictions. In Moonraker Drax conducted a board meeting with his industrial cohorts in the blast chamber of the shuttle.
For Your Eyes Only
James Bond: Roger Moore
Released: 1981 (#12)
Main Villian: Aris Kristatos (Julian Glover)
Henchmen: Emile Locque, Eric Kriegler, Hector Gonzalez
Bond Girls: Melina Havelock (Carole Bouqette)
Gadgets: ATAC system, climbing equipment, Identigraph, Lotus Turbo
Travel Destinations: Spain, Italy, Albania, Greece, St. Cyril's
Famous Quote:
"Get dressed, and I'll buy you an ice cream." -Bond
Facts and Bloopers:
The "keel-hauling" scene from For Your Eyes Only was originally slated for Live and Let Die, as the sequence actually occurs in that novel.
While playing chemin de fer, Bond is dealt a five and an ace. Yet, the croupier announces that Bond has won by accumulating a count of nine.
In a preliminary script of For Your Eyes Only, Kriegler threatens Bond with a huge block of marble, and then steps on a loose floorboard which springs up, hitting him in the crotch. This causes Kriegler to fall through the window to his death.
Octopussy
James Bond: Roger Moore
Released: 1983 (#13)
Main Villian: Kamal Khan (Louis Jourdan)
Henchmen: Gobinda, Misha and Grisha (Knife throwing twins)
Bond Girls: Octopussy (Maud Adams), Miss Magda (Kristina Wayborn)
Gadgets: Acrostar Jet, Faberge egg w/ listening device, Bond's LCD watch, alligator submarine
Travel Destinations: Karl Marx Stadt, East Germany, U.S.S.R., India
Famous Quote:
"It's all in the wrist." -Bond
Facts and Bloopers:
The Acrostar pre-credits scene from Octopussy was envisioned initially for Moonraker, as Bond and Holly would pilot Acrostars above a South American river. However, before filming, the river bed dried up.
As Bond, attired in a white tuxedo, enters the casino a boom microphone erroneously appears at the top of the frame.
The Faberge egg smashed to expose a listening device is explained as being a replica. In actuality, Bond had planted the device in the real Faberge egg, which they have now destroyed.
A View to a Kill
James Bond: Roger Moore
Released: 1985 (#14)
Main Villian: Max Zorin (Christopher Walken)
Henchmen: May Day (Grace Jones), Dr. Mortner
Bond Girls: May Day, Stacey Sutton (Tanya Roberts), Girl in the iceberg submarine
Gadgets: Motorized Iceberg, Bond's Watch
Travel Destinations: Siberia, Paris, San Fransisco
Famous Quote:
Bond: "I'm James Bond."
Police Officer: "Yeah, and I'm Dick Tracy."
Facts and Bloopers:
During the villian's attack on Stacey's house, Bond innexplicably fails to use his handgun. Instead, he grabs a rifle which he learns contains only salt. Yet, he continues to shoot at the villian's getaway car even though the gun is useless.
An omitted scene shot from A View to a Kill finds Bond in police custody in Paris, due to his reckless pursuit of May Day. As the desk sergeant documents Bond's possessions, he announces "one watch!" only to find it contains a garrotting wire; "one pen!" emitting a deadly acidic ink; and "one lighter!" discharging a flame-throwing device, almost scorching the sergeant's forehead.
During the Eiffel Tower chase, Bond becomes entangled in May Day's fishing line. Although he is holding a gun in his right hand, an insert shot depicts him as having his hand free.
The Living Daylights
James Bond: Timothy Dalton
Released: 1987 (#15)
Main Villian: Georgi Koskov (Jeroen Krabbe) and Brad Whitaker (Joe Don Baker)
Henchmen: Necros
Gadgets: Universal keyring, explosive keychain, Aston Martin DB-5
Travel Destinations: East Germany, England, Afganistan, Tangiers
Famous Quote:
"You know Bond, you could have been a live, rich man instead of a poor, dead one." -Whittaker
Facts and Bloopers:
As Bond drives up to the Hotel Isle de France to confront Puskin, his car bumps into a pedestrian. Bond apparently thinks his licence to kill extends to his driver's licence!
Before it occured to the writers to indroduce a new Aston Martin in The Living Daylights, Bond and Kara were to escape from behind the Iron Curtain via a pilfered KGB automobile and an ice yacht.
This scene was cut from the film: "Q" gives Bond a pen capable of duplicating writings made by any other pen.
Licence to Kill
James Bond: Timothy Dalton
Released: 1989 (#16)
Main Villian: Franz Sanchez (Robert Davi)
Henchmen: Dario
Bond Girls: Pam Bouvier (Carey Lowell), Lupe (Talisa Soto)
Gadgets: Camera Signature Gun, Dentonite explosive tooth paste and cigarette detonator
Travel Destinations: Florida Keys, Isthmus, Mexico
Famous Quote:
"Effective Immediatly, your licence to kill is revoked." -"M"
Facts and Bloopers:
As recently as 1989, censors still incurred the wrath of Bond fans. In Great Britain, several seconds were snipped off scenes in Licence to Kill due to alleged excessive violence; notably, Sanchez's fiery death.
In Licence to Kill Sanchez's grisly revenge against Lupe's lover Alvarez is hinted at offscreen. The actual depiction of the removal of the man's heart was more graphically illustrated, but trimmed due to excessive gore.
Bond drives up to the Key West airport, simply leaves his rental car in front of the terminal gate, and walks immiediatly to the ticket counter to check in for his flight. How was the car to be returned to its original location?
GoldenEye
James Bond: Pierce Brosnan
Released: 1995 (#17)
Main Villian: Alec Trevelyan a.k.a. Agent 006 (Sean Bean)
Henchmen: General Ouromov, Xenia Onatopp (Famke Janssen), Boris Grishenko
Bond Girls: Natalya Simonova (Isabella Scorupco), girl sent to evaluate Bond
Gadgets: BMW Z3 roadster, belt with rappeling cable, explosive pen
Travel Destinations: Monte Carlo, Russia, Cuba
Famous Quote:
"I should ask you if all those martinis have silenced the screams of all the men you've killed, or if you find forgiveness in the arms of all those willing women for the ones you failed to protect." -Alec Trevelyan
Facts and Bloopers:
In the pre-credits sequence,006 is presumably shot in the head by General Ouromov. If he was shot at that close range, Trevelyan would have most certainly died. The most likely answer is that he and Ouromov's conspiracy stemmed back to this event, but this is not revealed in the movie.
Tomorrow Never Dies
James Bond: Pierce Brosnan
Released: 1997 (#18)
Main Villian: Elliot Carver (Jonathan Pryce)
Henchmen: Mr. Stamper (Goetz Otto), Dr. Kaufman, Gupta
Bond Girls: Paris Carver (Teri Hatcher), Wai Lin (Michelle Yeoh)
Gadgets: BMW, Cellular Phone with car remote control, tazer, and infra-red scanner
Travel Destinations: Russia, Hong Kong, Chinese Sea
Famous Quote: "There's no news like bad news." -Carver
The James Bond series is now in it's 36th year, an achievement unique in the movie industry. Nothing even comes close despite an almost complete change of actors, directors, and producers. Though five different people have played James Bond, public enthusiasm for the character continues undiminished. Whatever one thinks of these movies, and their quality is certainly not uniform, their phenomenal success deserves further analysis.
If identification with a super hero is an important element in holding audience attention, then commander Bond, a mythic hero if ever there was one, is the prototype. He is omniscient. There is no gem he can't name(Diamonds Are Forever), no language he can't speak, "You forget Moneypenny, I took a first in oriental languages at Cambridge."(You Only Live Twice), no wine he can't identify( virtually every movie). He is an expert at all sports- Skiing, swimming, sky diving, equestrian. He drives a car better then any race driver, flies any plane, and of course, shoots a gun is incomparably. Women find him irresistible and he always wins at the casino.
Audiences identify not only with Bond but also with a plethora of characters such as M, Bonds boss, M's secretary, Moneypenny, Q, the genius with gadgets, Liter, Bond's CIA contact, and a host of others. Their continuity from film to film that gives the series instant recognition and a feeling of involvement. However, there is situational continuity as well. Bond's Vodka Martini is "Shaken but not stirred," Q's gadgets are expected and anticipated by the audience. And of course, the Bond music, when judiciously used, enhances the dramatic moments and is instantly recognizable.
The use of subtle humor within the serious setting of an espionage drama has never been done better then in these films. This may take the form of an off hand quip or a double entendre(Pussy Galore). In the best of the films, the humor is subordinated to the action and the remainder of the dialogue so as not to interfere with the involvement of the viewer. These films are also enjoyable as travel logs. There are lush images of Istanbul and Venice in From Russia with Love or the Swiss Alps in Goldfinger or France in Diamonds are Forever.
Finally, most impressive is the pacing of the action. Unlike so many so called "Action films" today, the Bond films do not rush ahead from scene to scene without regard for a developing story line. Rather, they tend to linger over an exiting confrontation, an interesting character, or a humorous moment. And they are not above laughing at themselves. Rarely do they take themselves seriously.
One of the all time great James Bond movies, From Russia with Love, epitomizes all of the above characteristics at their very best. The opening to the movie is a classic, clever, James Bond opening scene. The villain is introduced by his ability to kill a James Bond look-a-like followed by the sensuous title song which sets the mood for the drama to follow. The film is shot on location in Turkey and Italy from the underground sewer system of Emperor Constantine in Istanbul to Saint Marks Square in Venice. The characters are indeed memorable. There is the lesbian female defector from the KGB, now working for Spectre, and her associate who is a chess champion able to anticipate Bonds "every move and counter move." There is a blonde, powerfully built, psychotic killer who remains silent during the first half of the film thereby making him appear even more menacing. We he finally makes the mistake of drinking red wine with fish, Bond of course is alerted and finally dispatches him in a memorable fight on a train made more intense by its location in a small compartment. Q's gadgets are simple and imaginative, including a brief case that explodes unless opened with the catches reversed, as well as a knife and gold sovereigns that Bond manages to remove from the case just in time. The story line is uncluttered and presented with just the right pacing. The humor is restrained and never interferes with audience involvement. Sean Connery, as Bond, is superb. He is intelligent, engaging, powerful, yet almost balletic in his movements. He plays the part seriously thus increasing the overall dramatic intensity of the film. Surely, this is James Bond at its best.
If these films continue to be produced with imagination an restraint, I see no reason why the James Bond formula can not continue indefinitely.
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