007 Journals: From Russia With Love

Well after watching Dr. No I expected all of the Connery movies to be relics of their era, lost to the modern senses, but From Russia With Love quickly changed my mind. This film holds up way more than I ever expected and is already made a new place in my top five Bond films. Already this film is much darker than the last (and a lot of other Bond films I've seen) and that's what appeals to me the most. This film is essentially everything I look for in a spy film. Subtlety, deception, and a good story. I was surprised that it only took until the second film to blow me away. I thought the series wouldn't find its footing until after a few movies but I can see why this particular film was so successful.

After Bond's success in defeating Dr. No SPECTRE is now looking for revenge. Their plot is to deceive Bond by tricking him into thinking a Russian wants to defect by having a female agent deliver a cryptographic device to Mi6, allowing SPECTRE to steal it for themselves. Enter Tatiana, who is (even by today's standards) strikingly beautiful, and now my second favorite Bond girl (behind Vesper). Bond is dispatched to Turkey where he is partnered with Kerim Bey who is just a great character. Bond also has an assassin on his tail who goes by the name Red, and is Russia's version of Bond. I love the simplicity of the plot (everyone wants to get this machine from the Russians) but there's plenty of twists. The allegiance of Tatiana is in question, and Red tricks Bond into thinking he's Bond's contact in order to get the upper hand. Even the gadgetry in this film is fairly simplistic and realistic. They hadn't yet reached a level of silliness with the gadgets and it made the story feel more like something that could actually happen. In a way this film was ahead of it's time but the realism was left behind immediately in the next film, but we'll get to that next time.

Now there isn't as much action in this film compared to other Bond films but I really appreciate that. It makes the action scenes that do occur that much better and the close quarters fight in the train (and that whole scene in general)  is a highlight of the film. There is also a serviceable boat chase for the finale even though it seems to come out of nowhere with enemies that seem to transport from one part of the world into this chase. It has a real "We need an action scene to end this movie on, what can we do?" but it actually works. These films hadn't reached blockbuster status yet (again, next time) but they were still some of the most compelling pieces of cinema for their time and while I couldn't see it with the first film, this one definitely sold me on the Connery years. Connery was finding his role in the first film and from here on out he just nails it. This is also our first encounter with Desmond Llewelyn as Q. Everyone is just firing on all cylinders (even though some of them are dubbed) and everyone is believable in their role. However, I have a problem with Tatiana. She meets Bond for the first time, already naked in a bed and ready to go. This is probably literally the fastest a Bond girl has ever wanted to bed Bond which is before she even met him. Not only that, but when it comes down to business time she just wants to swoon over Bond. I guess after the first film and the novels and it was established that Bond is a ladies man this director just wanted to push that a little harder but it just came off awkward.

UPDATE: I was reminded that Tatiana was TOLD to make Bond fall in love with her and that the twist is that she actually does. My bad everyone.

From Russia With Love is easily one of the best Bond films and has changed my forward thinking on these early films. I'm more excited to watch Goldfinger which is said to be the quintessential Bond film and was the first blockbuster. This film however has easily slipped into my top five and is something I could easily watch again. I would rate From Russia With Love four stars out of five and I highly recommend it.