11 replies to this topic

[Tedley King]

A friend who I lent OHMSS to the other week watched it again last night and asked me a question I had no definate answer to, that question being ... "Why does she walk out into the water in the beginning?" At first I thought ... she wanted to kill herself. That is the obvious answer, but when I thought about it ... when we see her from Bond's car, for all we know she could be walking out to swim ina deeper part of the sea ... how does Bond know she may be attempting suicide (okay, so maybe the fast, dangerous driving)? Also, she doesn't go out too far when Bond reaches her, yet when he picks her up, she almost passes out and then Bond revives her back on shore ... who are those guys? Are they protecting Tracy? Why ... why protect her and why not stop her from suicide? This is a confusing part of the film, despite having seen it a good few times and quite enjoy it. Any other theories or 'correct' answers so I can give a more accurate one back to my friend?

[Jriv71]

It's all explained in the novel. Too much (for me) to go into right here, I haven't read it in a couple of years, but if you read it, it tells you why, and who those guys are. I'm sure someone else can elaborate further...

[sausagebrigade]

The events in the novel are slightly different in the movie. I would guess that the thugs that attack Bond in the movie are protecting Tracy, as in the novel they are working for Draco. If not that, then I would perhaps venture a guess that they are SPECTRE agents, but there is no real indication given. Also, I think she is trying to commit suicide, because, well, she's got clothes on! If she was swimming, she would probably have bathing clothes on. Anyway, in the novel, we know she's trying to kill herself. I'm sorry if this has added to the confusion, but I'm reading OHMSS at the moment and thought I'd try and help.

[Peter]

Those are Draco's men, you can recognize them later in the film.

In the novel, the chapter "Seascape with Figures" is the teaser, but the next few chapters are a flashback. SO, in the novel, Bond meets Tracey at the casino, sleeps with her, learns she's suicidal, then follows her to the beach the next day at dusk, where he saves her. They are both picked up by Draco's men where Bond meets Draco.

In the film, the "flash forward" happens first, because it's more exciting to have a fight in the teasers. The only problem is that it's hard to know that Tracy is commiting suicide, because we don't already know her background. I guess we have to assume from the listless way she walks into the water, her reckless behavior with her car, and her determination to continue into the water that Bond is rescuing her.

[Tedley King]

Thanks all, I think I should get a few more Fleming books. I guess the only reason I don't is because the films don't follow the books a great deal, so I might get confused and think ... "hang on, this didn't happen in the film" ... I know it sounds stupid and all, but I do that quite a bit!

[Turn]

Originally posted by Tedley King
Thanks all, I think I should get a few more Fleming books.  I guess the only reason I don't is because the films don't follow the books a great deal, so I might get confused and think ... "hang on, this didn't happen in the film" ... I know it sounds stupid and all, but I do that quite a bit!

No need to apologize for not having read a lot of the novels. I still haven't read a couple Fleming books myself. But you won't be sorry if you do read them.

If anything, it's interesting to note what little things that are in the films, the little bits and pieces, you can recognize. Or possible things that maybe could have made it to screen. It really gives a different perspective when reading them rather than just saying you read them.

[Daltonitus]

Yeah, like the LALD novel, ideas from that in 3/4 of the films.

And then you get films like YOLT that are nothing short of totaly different from the novel.

[Tedley King]

I know, I read the short story of Octopussy, confusing thing it was, and it had very little to do with the film that I can remember only that it had James Bond and an octopus! No Kamil Kahn that I could see!

[Jriv71]

Originally posted by Daltonitus
Yeah, like the LALD novel, ideas from that in 3/4 of the films.

And then you get films like YOLT that are nothing short of totaly different from the novel.

I thought that LALD was one of the worst adaptations. They really butchered the novel.

[Daltonitus]

Yeah, the put loads of new stuff in the LALD film and then stole from the novel for stuff like LTK and FYEO.

Even OHMSS isn't shot for shot, as has been said.

[ChandlerBing]

I shocked people the other day when

[Jriv71]

Originally posted by ChandlerBing
I shocked people the other day when

What does this mean?