24 replies to this topic

[General Koskov]

Am I the only one who thinks that the parrot telling Bond about St Cyril's is clever? And does anyone else find 'The PM gets the Bird' scene hilarious?

(I know the last scene 'doesn't fit' with Bond, but then neither does the Moneypenny scene in DAD, and people like that so...)

[tofu 007]

actually i love that parrot... it was a hilarious end to a gritty and satisfying film... leaves you with a smile on your face =)

then again... i also liked the double-taking pigeon is MR, so....

[PaulZ108]

I loved the ending to FYEO. It ended the film in a way closer to how it should have started and was much more fitting to Moore's Bond than the rest of the film.

The Thatcher parody was hilarious. The way the impersonator messes with her hair and goes "Oh REALLY Commander..." is just priceless!

[Dortmunder]

I liked the parrot (Max) as well. The way that it revealed St. Cyrils "ATAC to St. Cyrils, ATAC to St. Cyrils" was priceless. Bond is finally getting key information from the animal world. As for the end with the PM. I liked that scene too. It was a different way to end a Bond film, and IMO, it worked perfectly. It shows that Bond is finally getting the recognition that he deserves.

[DLibrasnow]

I went to school with the nephew of Bond villain Julian Glover and he would always tell me that if you look closely you can see that the parraots beak isn't always moving when the parrot supposedly says things.
I remember the reviewers stating at the time (1981) that the final scene would get dated in a couple of years, but since Thatcher was in power until 1990, I don't think it did. I love that scene. I know they had plans to have a Charles and Diana scene at the end of TLD, but after what happened in the intervening years I think that would have aged more. Any comments??

[Xenobia]

I love that parrot! He is too cute! I think it made the Havelocks more human somehow...and it did put the right touch on the end of FYEO. It brought back the "traditional" Moore feel to the movie.

-- Xenobia

[Jim]

I always thought the issue was more that Moonraker and FYEO are generally (very generally) regarded as polar opposites, and yet in Moonraker Bond undoes the villain's scheme using stealth and his own wits (OK, OK, and a damn great space shuttle) whereas in FYEO, he has to rely on a parrot to reveal the necessary plot detail. Think of it; if that parrot had stayed quiet - end of film?

[Simon]

Not sure he was relying on the parrot for the film. I mean, the parrot wasn't duly escorted throughout the rest of the film in a diplomatic pouched birdcage for all the ensuing detective work. He wasn't lovingly fed and watered every night to keep his mind and strength up for the following day's activities. He wasn't given an honourary MI-6 badge for his successes.

It was just a way to move the film forward - fairly sure James would have found another way to progress if the parrot had been inadvertantly shot.

I liked the final scene too - very funny.

[Jim]

Originally posted by Simon

It was just a way to move the film forward - fairly sure James would have found another way to progress if the parrot had been inadvertantly shot.

I liked the final scene too - very funny.

Fair enough; seems from subsequent dialogue that he'd only have needed to ask Columbo anyway.

Come to think of it, that's far more likely and "gritty" and - fundamentally - realistic a move. So instead of that, we have a parrot.

No particular gripe with that scene or the final scene in context- it's merely that folks commonly consider FYEO the anti-Moonraker when they both have elements as cretinous as each other.

[Simon]

Originally posted by Jim

No particular gripe with that scene or the final scene in context- it's merely that folks commonly consider FYEO the anti-Moonraker when they both have elements as cretinous as each other.

No argument there. Reckon the producers stick the cretinous elements into every movie just to test to the limit the critic proof aspects of their series.

A sort of pseudo masocistic side to the producers' nature.

[Xenobia]

I spent some time thinking about this, and agree the far better way to have gone would have been for Bond to have some sort of conversation with Columbo where the key details come out.

That being said, John Glenn was obesessed with birds, and for him that seemed like a natural plot device.

-- Xenobia

[MovieManOO7]

Long live the parrot!!!

[General Koskov]

I guess since Bond is an ornithologist it's fitting to have birds help him once and a while.

And of course the Columbo scene would have made so much more sense, but it wouldn't have been as interesting and clever as the parrot scene and I can imagine why Maibaum put it in.

And I was thinking of the same FYEO vs Moonraker thing as Jim. But aside from the Bondola, Moonraker takes itself as seriously as FYEO, so to me there's no argument.

[4 Ur Eyez Only]

Originally posted by PaulZ108


The Thatcher parody was hilarious.  The way the impersonator messes with her hair and goes "Oh REALLY Commander..." is just priceless! [/B]

I agree

I think the Parrot was a great idea

I like that in the middle they needed the parrot for important info too

very cool.. nice touch:cool:

[BONDFINESSE 007]

i am just glad the parrot did not get killed in the shootout, as the bird was very cute

[DLibrasnow]

I prefer the fact that Bond get the information from the parrot. Bond asking Columbo would have seemed unmemorable. It was an interesting twist to have the parrot give the info.

[homerjbond]

Loved the parrot, even laughed when the parrot responded to MI6 with "Bond! Bond!" and Q thought it was really him and said, "He's there"

I use to think the final scene was REALLY Thatcher and her husband, that somehow they agreed to do a cameo!

[BONDFINESSE 007]

yeah that last scene fooled me as well, it was a very good likeness of thatcher

[DLibrasnow]

I remember in the John Brosnan review of FYEO (that appeared in "Starburst") he said he thought the Thatcher scene would seem very dated in a few of years. He obviously didn't realize Thatcher was going to be Prime Minister for another nine years.

(Yes that is the same John Brosnan that wrote the acclaimed book "James Bond in the Cinema", he was a reviewer for "Starburst" in the early 1980s and would write extensively on 007 and his attendance at Bond conventions).

[4 Ur Eyez Only]

Originally posted by BONDFINESSE 007
yeah that last scene fooled me as well, it was a very good likeness of thatcher

I agree.. but doesn't her husband kinda look like Dana Carvey from SNL doing a old guy character.. (kinda)

[DLibrasnow]

Originally posted by 4 Ur Eyez Only


I agree.. but doesn't her husband kinda look like Dana Carvey from SNL doing a old guy character.. (kinda)

You are too funny.....

If I am not mistaken those two actors made a career out of impersonating Mr and Mrs Thatcher.

I remember a picture from 1981 of them getting Roger Moores autograph.

[Blofeld's Cat]

That bird deserved psychitric attention.

Any living being (except Dennis I guess) wanting to kiss Maggie would need it.

Yuk!

[DLibrasnow]

Originally posted by Blofeld's Cat
That bird deserved psychitric attention.

Any living being (except Dennis I guess) wanting to kiss Maggie would need it.

Yuk!

Maybe Dennis just liked the cookies?

[doublenoughtspy]

I like the parrot. He is kind of a naughty boy, just like Bond.

[Donovan]

I thought "Blofeld" offering to buy Bond a stainless-steel delicatessen, the character of Bibi, and the parrot were unfortunate side-shows of buffoonery in an otherwise decent film.

Yeah, I hate the parrot.

I remember seeing "The Living Daylights" for the first time and when you see the parrot in the Blayden safe-house thinking "oh ****! You've got to be kidding me!" Luckily, that bird didn't have to shoulder any plot-points.

"Squak! ATAK to St. Cyrils! ATAK to St. Cyrils! Squak!"

What a great idea. Would have done wonders for "From Russia With Love".