7 replies to this topic

[Binyamin]

I recently re-watched TLD on a home theater projector, and enjoyed it immensely. The Dalton films hold up well after all these years.

One exchange of dialog, however, somewhat ruined the movie for me -- because it makes no sense.
It is when Bond first talks to Kara, in her apartment.
Here's the actual dialog:

Bond to Kara:
That was clever of Georgi, using blanks. Made the British believe his defection was real.

... a few seconds later ...

Kara: Where are we going? To London?
Bond: No, not yet. The British think he'll be safer if he keeps moving around.

What? Those lines make no sense. Kara obviously knew that Georgi's defection was faked, because Bond mentioned the blanks, and that was the entire reason Kara pretended to be the sniper.

Why does Kara then ask if they're going to London? Why would they go to the place where he FAKED defecting to? Why does Bond say "the British think he'll be safer if he keeps moving?" The same British who Georgi deceived with Kara's help?

If both Kara and Bond know the defection to the British was fake, why in the world would the British be "keeping Georgi safe?"

Am I missing something, or did the writers get confused about the plot and nobody caught it?

[Dustin]

I suppose Kara thought the plan - Koskov's plan - was to spread misinformation and get paid handsomely for it, new identity and all. She probably wasn't aware he would not be able to hold his position for any extended period and already had left them. And of course a faked defection only holds water as long Koskov doesn't show up again behind the iron curtain.

[marktmurphy]

 

 

Why does Kara then ask if they're going to London? Why would they go to the place where he FAKED defecting to? Why does Bond say "the British think he'll be safer if he keeps moving?" The same British who Georgi deceived with Kara's help?

If both Kara and Bond know the defection to the British was fake, why in the world would the British be "keeping Georgi safe?"

 

 

Because the concept that Bond is selling to Kara is that Koskov knows his defection is fake, but the British don't. They are trying to keep him safe because they think he's a real defector.

 

Kara wants to go to London possibly because she's a) not very bright, and b ) thinks Koskov would take her back with him when he defects back to Russia.

[MajorB]

Yes, I guess she was thinking that she and Koskov might rendezvous in London while he was fooling the British, then when the time came, they would both sneak back to Russia. Bond's line is reinforcing the idea that so far the British are buying it. The fact that she accepts Bond's story pretty much without question makes her even more credulous than Tania in FRWL. One of the things I like about D'Abo's performance in the film is that she pulls this off without making Kara seem actually stupid. Though arguably she actually, you know, is.

[Professor Pi]

While Kara may seem to know Koskov's defection was faked to the British, she didn't say that to Pushkin when the KGB hold her for questioning and doesn't know where exactly he is.  So it could be that Koskov has no intention of returning to Russia, and she did say Koskov would send for her.  She thinks Bond, who's posing as Koskov's friend is the one sent.  I think it's perfectly reasonable to ask if they're going to London as Bond is British and that's where Koskov was.  She also knows of Whitaker so maybe she thinks that's where they will ultimately be reunited, in Tangiers or the U.S.  Of course, Koskov assumed she'd be killed by Bond during the 'defection'.  And Kara does hint that she's feeling a little betrayed and bewildered before Bond admits to seeing him alive.

 

I don't think Kara's stupid, but rather a naive girl who's out of her element.  I had a girlfriend in college from an Eastern Block country in the 80s and she said all those scenes, what the Russian agents looked like, the fear Kara has as they take her from the tram, and not knowing what was going on, were all very realistic. 

[Binyamin]

Well, if Kara knew all along that Koshkov's plan was to deceive the British, then she really is rather stupid to simply trust the first British agent who mysteriously appears at her apartment.
But I suppose this is more a criticism of her character than the movie or the actress.

[Dustin]

But Bond doesn't pose as British agent, she probably thinks he's one of Koskov's men in England.

The real cliff with Kara and Koskov's faked defection is that she was there with that rifle to make it seem 'real' while the plan was obviously she'd be killed in the process to make it seem 'even more real'. She should have been aware at least from that point onwards that Koskov had sold her. The subsequent KGB questioning - hardly extensive, judging by how quickly they let her go, implying they were fumbling in the dark - should have extinguished all remaining doubts, Koskov had defected for real, using her as a ploy and having no intention of ever seeing her again.

[Professor Pi]

True, which you can tell from the look on Georgi's face when Kara calls him at Whitaker's place in Tangier.