9 replies to this topic

[FullMetalJacket]

After watching FRWL again this evening (I can never get sick of that movie!) a couple of questions came to mind about Grant. He's a wonderful character and is by far my favorite henchman, but...

First: How does he kill that Bulgarian agent inside the church? I've rewatched the scene over and over, and every time it looks like he's just punching him in the shoulder, and somehow that kills him. I keep wanting to assume he stabbed him with a knife, but every time I watch it I don't see one. Besides, Grant never uses a knife during any other occasion in the film (unless you count when Bond stabs him in the arm with the knife from the attache case).

Second: Why do people always refer to him as "Red Grant"? There is definitely no point in the movie where he's called that. When Morenzy reads the dossier he says "Donald Grant," and for the whole rest of the movie it's either simply "Grant" or "Captain Nash." The only thing I can think of is the line about "red wine with fish," but that's a stretch. He isn't called "Red Grant" just because he's Russian, is he? (Even though, again, no one actually calls him by that name in the movie.) If that's the case, why not refer to Bond as "Union Jack Bond" because he's British?

[HildebrandRarity]

I take karate and my master can kill a human with one blow at the right pressure point to the temple or the throat or the back of the lower part of the head. Grant is a professional killer.

He could also have used his interesting watch to strangle the Bulgar.

The credits list him as Red Grant so that's why he's known as Red Grant in much the same way as the cigar girl in The World Is Not Enough is listed as Cigar Girl in the credits but no one refers to her as 'cigar girl' in the movie.

[Turn]

Second: Why do people always refer to him as "Red Grant"? There is definitely no point in the movie where he's called that. When Morenzy reads the dossier he says "Donald Grant," and for the whole rest of the movie it's either simply "Grant" or "Captain Nash." The only thing I can think of is the line about "red wine with fish," but that's a stretch. He isn't called "Red Grant" just because he's Russian, is he? (Even though, again, no one actually calls him by that name in the movie.) If that's the case, why not refer to Bond as "Union Jack Bond" because he's British?

I think Morzeny does refer to him as Red Grant once. When he's going over his resume with Klebb right after she arrives on SPECTRE Island and just before she meets Grant. Morzeny says something like "This Red Grant's one of the best men we've ever had -- homicidal paranoiac, superb material." I always get a chuckle out of that line.

One curiosity is why they changed Grant's name from Donovan in the book to Donald for the film. I guess it's just a preference, just like changing the Masterton sisters in Fleming's novel to Masterson for the film and Judy Havelock from Fleming into Melina Havelock in the film.

[FullMetalJacket]

I take karate and my master can kill a human with one blow at the right pressure point to the temple or the throat or the back of the lower part of the head. Grant is a professional killer.

Fair enough.

He could also have used his interesting watch to strangle the Bulgar.

Now, I know that couldn't have happened, because the Bulgar seems to die right after Grant punches/stabs him, and then Grant walks away. There's never a moment for him to garotte him (unless Grant garotted him, and then he somehow woke back up, and Grant was like "Screw you!" and punched him to death, haha).

I think Morzeny does refer to him as Red Grant once. When he's going over his resume with Klebb right after she arrives on SPECTRE Island and just before she meets Grant. Morzeny says something like "This Red Grant's one of the best men we've ever had -- homicidal paranoiac, superb material." I always get a chuckle out of that line.

Nope, he simply says, "This Grant's one of the best man we've ever had." I just re-watched that bit.

[Major Tallon]

I think you have to assume that Grant's blow broke the Bulgar's neck. They couldn't be too graphic about this, especially at the time, but that's the explanation that makes sense.

And he's called Red Grant because that was his nickname in the novel. "His real name was Donovan Grant, or 'Red' Grant."

[Scottlee]

I think you have to assume that Grant's blow broke the Bulgar's neck. They couldn't be too graphic about this, especially at the time, but that's the explanation that makes sense.

I've always assumed this. The 'kill' doesn't look that unrealistic to me.

I can't speak for the Red Grant thing, other than to suggest the name is indeed because Grant is Russian.

[Major Tallon]

I should have made this clearer. He's nicknamed Red because he's got "tight red-gold curls." When Bond first meets him, he notices the "golden hair" and "young golden moustache." He's not Russian but was born in Ireland, defecting to the Russians in the late 40's while on a posting with BAOR. By the way, in Fleming's original manuscript, his first name was to have been Donegal.

[BMT-216A]

ye i think the karate chop thing can kill someone if done rite, but even knocking him out for a bit may have had bond thinking he was dead.

not sure about red grant, thats prob the credits thing~

[Geof]

ye i think the karate chop thing can kill someone if done rite, but even knocking him out for a bit may have had bond thinking he was dead.

not sure about red grant, thats prob the credits thing~

I have nothing to add to this thread, but I wanted to say that making an SN from a Bond license plate is GENIUS and I wish I'd thought of it. I SALUTE YOU, BRAVE SIR. Or Ma'am. Or OTHER. Hmmmmmmmmm....

[DaveBond21]

'homicidal paranoiac, superb material." I always get a chuckle out of that line.

LOL, yes, great line!