From Russia With Love

release year: 1963
genre: James Bond
viewing setting: home Bluray, 1/7/19 and 12/6/12 and home DVD 11/20/99

synopsis: In order to get the best Russian decoding machine, SPECTRE hatches an elaborate plot involving Bond being seduced by a beautiful defector.

impressions: Entertaining. This was the first one with "Q" (they called him Boothroyd) and the first one with SPECTRE's #1 guy, his cat, his tendency to have lower #s killed, etc. This was also the one with: the gypsy belly dancer, two gypsy women in a catfight, the ever-cool ally Kerim Bay, Bond's taped exploits being played back in front of "M" and all the high-ranking old guys, a really good train-car fight with Robert Shaw, and some explosions that ended chases.

acting: Sean Connery did another good job here as Bond. Robert Shaw, as the assassin Grant, made a dangerous villain until he started chatting with Bond when he should have just shot him. Danielle Bianchi made an innocent-looking and somewhat naive pawn and female lead.

car chases: 0

helicopter chases: 0

boat chases: 0

neat gadgets: briefcase with tear gas, throwing knife, gold coins, spare bullets; also a portable bug-o-meter to detect bugs in hotel room

confirmed Bond kills: 8

confirmed Grant kills: 6

confirmed Bond seductions: 4 (2 of them at the same time!)

obnoxious female name: Sylvia Trench (not the main girl)

defining Bond moments:

delays his ETA to see "M" so he can have more time with the woman
during gypsy camp fight, he cuts a tent rope, cuts a wagon loose, and pushes two combatants into the lake - apparently he'd rather just be obnoxious during the fight than take sides
unites two fighting gypsy women so he can score with both at the same time
casually strolls around amidst chaos of bombed building
cracks on Russian agent's bad clothes
takes Grant's money-roll after killing him

quotable:

"Mr. Bond here. I'm afraid the room won't do. The bed's too small."

Tania: "My mouth is too big."

James Bond: "No, it's the right size...for me."

final word: Another of the best Bond movies - worth seeing.

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