110 replies to this topic

[Golden Claw]

From Russia With Love is probably the only Bond film which seems to be unanimously & universally loved by Bond fans. At least on CBn, I've not come across a single person who seems to dislike anything about it. Is it really the most perfect Bond film of all time? At least I've not encountered any FRWL-bashing anywhere on this forum (I think all other films except this one have been bashed at some point or the other, even Goldfinger).

[David_M]

I've seen a couple things about FRWL "bashed" over the years; the helicopter chase at the end for being a blatant steal from "North By Northwest" (which is a fair criticism, IMHO) and Grant's killing of the psuedo-Bond in the PTS for being a ridiculous way to practice for the real thing. Overall, however, I think the film is indeed pretty much "bash-proof," with far and away the best casting of any entry, a genuine sense of tension and one of the screen's greatest hand-to-hand battles near the end. Plus it exploits the "Cold War" angle more effectively than any other Bond, which makes it more a "spy" film than any of them. It's also (with Goldfinger) one of the very few entries to actually improve on the novel, notably in this case with the way that Bond-Grant battle plays out.

On the other hand, it's really atypical of the series in many ways, so when asked to pick a single film to introduce a newbie to Bond, I never pick FRWL, even though I think it's the best. Also, as a post-Connery-yet-pre-home-video kid who grew up watching the earliest Bonds on network television, FRWL was my least favorite because of the pacing and comparatively low-key approach. The other Bonds, with their "action scene at regular intervals whether it makes sense or not" pacing held up much better to commercial interruption than FRWL, which does a slow boil and builds tension over time, a process completely torpedoed when you have to stop every 15 minutes to sell toilet paper and oven cleaners. It wasn't until I got to see the whole thing all the way through without interruption (albeit on humble pan-and-scan VHS) that I fell in love with it.

[Chief of SIS]

Well Claw, the question is do YOU want to bash FRWL?

[Trevelyan 006]

I'll be the first to admit: I have to be in a FRWL mood.

It is not a Bond movie I immediately run to, yet with that said, Red Grant is one of the best characters within the entire series and it is sometimes that reason alone that I decide to pop in the Disc.

No hate for it here, though I'd most likely choose another Bond title over it.

[Peckinpah1976]

But as a Goldeneye fan you would be immune to it's charms.

[Golden Claw]

Chief of SIS: Nope, not at all. Its just an observation. I have no intention of hating it. As David_M said, it is pretty much bash-proof. Its a near-flawless movie apart from the homage to Hitchcock's NBNW. I'm sure it must be in everybody's top 10. I myself rank it at No. 6. But I agree with David_M that youngsters may be put off by the slow pacing, and its not the best movie to give a newbie to watch (in order to get him/her interested in Bond).

I read somewhere that Ayn Rand and some film critics criticized it.

[Trevelyan 006]

But as a Goldeneye fan you would be immune to it's charms.

No so much a GoldenEye fan as an Alec Trevelyan fan, yet your claims may still hold up.

To each their own I suppose.

[Dustin]

Astonishing is FRWL's relative lack of action in the first half and the slow and deliberate build-up to the train fight. It's true, the helicopter and the boat chase seem one-goodie-too-much in the last act. But even that doesn't interfere with the overall package, you can easily enjoy these parts despite their redundancy.

[jaguar007]

Its hard to bash something so close to perfection.

[plankattack]

Isn't there a Michael Wilson quote somewhere along the lines of "We always start off trying to make FRWL and too often end up somewhere else."?

It's as close to bash-proof as there is, but it's not without its faults (is there such a thing as the perfect film anyway?) I tend to agree with everyone here, including David_M of course. The ending seems a little out-of-sorts because of the train fight being the climax of the film rather than the end of the film, and I too would not chose as the first film to show a newbie.

It's pacing is a deliberate build, rather than the infamous "bumps" formula has plagued too many of the films, and that contributes to the ending not quite fitting (CR has the same problem where the action climax doesn't quite work).

Until the series comes up with a better FRWL-style film (rather than an "epic" Bond), than it remains bash-proof. For many (not me) OHMSS is forever saddled with Laz-not-Sean, and FYEO is a worthy attempt at a spy-thriller, but like TLD and CR, the films now come with the expectations of the action-flick which will always work against the slow-burn, one cathartic moment, that is FRWL.

[Hockey Mask]

When I first got the Bond series on VHS years ago I remember falling asleep to FRWL 3-4 times before making it through it the whole way. It is a really great movie but it takes its time getting there.

[AMC Hornet]

If FRWL has a flaw, it's in the idea of Bond going to Istanbul to receive a Lector promised by a defecting Russian cypher clerk (for which the British cannot be blamed), then breaking into the Russian embassy and stealing it himself (for which the British can be blamed). I understand that the idea was to avoid a trap by making the grab a day early, but it's still too overt a move for a foriegn intelligence agent to expect to get away with.

I enjoy FRWL when I'm in the mood for a genuine 60s-era spy movie (eg The Third Man or The Spy Who Came In From the Cold, etc.) rather than a fantasy romp (YOLT). It has all the right elements, including the absence of hovercraft gondolas.

Wilson may say that they always set out to make another FRWL, but it's no wonder they can never manage it - the style of the films and the expectations of the audience have evolved over the years, and there is probably only a small number of hardcore fans who would even want to see another film just like it.

Bring on Skyfall, so we can all sit around and complain about how "it's no FRWL."

[archer1949]

I read somewhere that Ayn Rand and some film critics criticized it.

That would be the highest of compliments for me. I am not a fan of that sour old bat.

I thought the Opening sequence was a bit silly, and the shoehorned-in presence of SPECTRE was a head scratcher (why didn't they keep in SMERSH, like the novel?) but other than that, the perfect Bond movie.

[Joey Bond]

I'm just gonna copy and paste some parts of my FRWL Review:

When I first got into the Bond films, I did my research and many sources said that “From Russia with Love”, the second Bond film, was the best one of the lot. However, for whatever reason, I never saw it until quite late on, I think I was about 16 or 17 when I finally got around to seeing it for the first time. It was one of the last Bond films that I saw, and I was quite disappointed then. I found it very slow, boring and dark (not in terms of the mood, but many scenes took place either at night or in dark places so it was really hard to see what was going on). Still I appreciated the film and acknowledge it that it was a classic, it was just that I grew up with the explosion and special effects-filled films of the late 90s/ early 2000s.

Watching it this time, as a 22 year old with more experience in seeing older films, I enjoyed it a lot more than the first time round. The pace hardly bothered me anymore. In fact, it was quite entertaining to see the slower scenes as they build up the tension so that when the film finally explodes into action, it was much more satisfying than the constant fights and explosions that occur every five minutes in today’s films.

Now that I’ve gotten over the pace of the film and the aforementioned “darkness” (which I feel has been fixed the blu-ray released, I haven’t done a direct comparison but I felt the darkness bothered me much less this time round), there is virtually no way to fault this film. Sure, there are still signs of age like the screen on driving scenes, but they are less obvious and occur much less often than in Dr. No.
As mentioned before, I grew up with Brosnan’s and Craig’s Bond, where explosions seem to go off at the end of every scene, allies show up to give information then get killed and villains confront Bond right from the start. I think I actually fell asleep at some point when I watched From Russia with Love for the first time. This time though, after watching some older non-Bond films in the last few years and appreciating the lack of explosions and the building up of the confrontation between the hero and the villain, I thoroughly enjoyed From Russia with Love. I’ve still got to see some of the other Bond films considered the best one, but I can see why many people said this one is up there.

[glidrose]

Ayn Rand and Robin Wood hated it. I posted about it.

[elizabeth]

Well Claw, the question is do YOU want to bash FRWL?

My thoughts exactly.

[Iceskater101]

Yeah you make it seem like you hate this Bond film. It isn't my favorite, but it isn't the worst either. There are so many classics though in this film, Red Grant and those shoes. This is one of the first bonds anyone should watch, but it isn't my favorite.

[Matt_13]

Tried watching it a few days ago and got a bit bored. Doesn't change the fact that I still think its one of the best in the franchise.

[glidrose]

Ben Child in the Guardian yesterday called it "hokey in the extreme".

[DR76]

I love FRWL. It's my fifth favorite Bond movie of all time. But . . . it's not perfect. I had a few problems with it.

I found the pre-title sequence featuring Grant's killing of the faux Bond a little ridiculous. Yes, the helicopter chase sequence is a blatant rip off of "NORTH BY NORTHWEST". Worse, the producers included two action sequences - back-to-back - as a filler . . . namely the helicopter chase and the boat chase on the Adriatic Sea. Bond and Tania's journey on the Orient Express was the fastest train journey for that route I have ever seen on film. For a more realistic pacing, see the two "MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS" movies. There is no way Bond's train should have journeyed from Istanbul to Belgrade within several hours.

The biggest problem I have with FRWL is Grant's revelation of SPECTRE's plans. One, he was ridiculously slow in putting on his gloves after knocking Bond unconscious. It seemed as if he did it deliberately in order to wait for Bond to regain consciousness. I found it stupid and amateurish. He should have shot Bond in the head while the latter was still out cold. All he had to do was put a bullet in Bond's head. Use the same gun to kill Tania. Clean the gun and place it back in Bond's hand. That's all. Instead, he took his damn time in putting on gloves, so that Bond will have the opportunity to regain consciousness for the big revelation scene. I usually find myself screaming "Kill him dammit!" every time I watch that scene.

[AMC Hornet]

"I don't mind talking - I get a kick out of watching the great James Bond find out what a bloody fool he's been."

Hubris, and not yet a convention; it's not like a pantheon of villains had already done the same - just Dr. No.

[Golden Claw]

elizabeth & Iceskater101: nope, I do not dislike FRWL. Its ranked at #6 on my list. Read my comment above yours. Its just an observation.

[Double-0-Seven]

I think the only major criticism I've ever come across for From Russia With Love is that the pacing is slow. I think that's fair. If someone prefers the more "upbeat" Bond films I can see why From Russia With Love isn't exactly flying off the DVD shelf every day. The pacing is why I love it though. I didn't appreciate it when I was a kid watching the films but now it's probably my favorite of the Connery films. It's a true spy thriller in every sense of the word and is the only Bond film that I think really falls into that category. Dr. No too, perhaps, but From Russia With Love is the most down to earth. The plot is brilliantly written and the way the story unfolds is terrific. Great villains, great locations, and the action scenes are classic (namely the train fight, of course).

[Miles Miservy]

Well Claw, the question is do YOU want to bash FRWL?

My thoughts exactly.

"If you can't say anything nice, at least try to make it funny as hell!!"

I read somewhere that the Bond/helicopter scene was DELIBERATELY made to appear like NORTH by NORTHWEST as an homage to Hitchcock & Cary Grant (...whom, in addition to James Mason, was originally approached to play OO7 in Dr. No.)

Edited by Miles Miservy, 04 October 2012 - 01:31 PM.

[AMC Hornet]

Look what you've started, G.C. - all the clostet FRWL critics are coming out of the woodwork now!

Just goes to show that the silent minority may be greater in number than they thought - it just takes one person with enough nerve to challenge the status quo, and we're all emboldened to join in and speak our minds.

[winstoninabox]

FRWL is a close second for me after TB. Grew up with Roger Moore as my Bond, and when I first saw the Connery ones I was bored (and a little confused at who this 'other guy' was). But over time began to appreciate the Connery Bonds so much more. One thing that I really love about them is that they all pick a location and stay there. That style has disappeared now with Bond globetrotting at a frenetic pace.

[elizabeth]

Cary Grant is hot and NORTH BY NORTHWEST is great, so I don't mind the helicopter scene.

[Golden Claw]

Thank you for the compliment, AMC Hornet. Although I'm a big fan of FRWL myself, it disturbed me to find not a single criticism of the film anywhere on CBn. I do not know whether it is herd mentality, or whether "purists" are supposed to adore it. No doubt, it is a near-perfect piece of film-making, I admit, but there has to be a word in edgewise.

Edited by Golden Claw, 05 October 2012 - 07:02 AM.

[glidrose]

Didn't ex-member Gravitys Silhouette say it was the second or third worst Bond film alongside TMWTGG and LTK?

[AMC Hornet]

Everyone has their own opinion of what films rank lowest - for them.

GG is in my top ten, and AVTAK second-last only to CR '67.

I rank DAD higher than most others - higher than MR, which some people who hate DAD still defend as a 'classic' Bond.

Go figure.