From Russia with Love

I'm beginning to find that the first several James Bond films were a "trilogy" of sorts and they were released very quickly (think Lord of the Rings yearly Holiday releases back in the day).

Dr. No - which I found to be entertaining, but rough around the edges - was made in 1962, its follow-up, From Russia with Love, came out in 1963, and Goldfinger the very next year. Of course, films were made quicker back then but I was uneducated, and thus surprised that these were churned out as fast as they were. 

What I noticed immediately about From Russia with Love is that it's more confident than its predecessor, starting with a startling, semi-goofy, red herring of a scene to indicate that someone is out to kill Bond. You'll also notice that it's just made better than Dr. No in a lot of ways so the confidence isn't just in the story and the characters, but also behind the camera. 

From Russia with Love is the second film we get in the James Bond series and a continuation of sorts from the first film. SPECTRE was revealed during Dr. No and now there's more involvement with a cast of shadowy villains aiming to lure Bond to kill him. We're given a fairly straightforward story about a woman sent to woo Bond who borderline immediately falls in love with him and Bond must retrieve an important decryption device. There are some twists and turns along the way but all in all this is another "low-key" Bond film. 

With the increased confidence behind the camera and with the storytelling - which is interestingly from the same director of Dr. No - the film ages much better. The audio, cinematography, editing, and just overall professionalism is better. There's still goofy moments that 60s stunts can't hide (some whiffed punches, for example) but all in all this is a much more impressive outing for Bond. It's not necessarily an exciting adventure the whole way through - it definitely lags in the middle, almost as if it were a romance film between Bond and Tatiana Romanova, but otherwise remains intriguing and locale-shifting. The approach to women in these early films is both startling and laughable in this post-#MeToo world, but I know that's more a sign of the times vs. the film and character being aggressively demeaning toward women. If anything, Bond idolizes them and can barely concentrate half the damn time if there's a woman in stone's throw, but the speed at which these women toss themselves at Bond induces eye rolls and hearty laughs. It's part of the film's charm, but also a sign of the era from which it was made (that's obviously different than our own)

"Hey, I just met you...and this is crazy...
but here's my number, now have my baby!"

Actually quite thrilling! And well filmed!

We're also given a more involved villain with Robert Shaw as the Russian James-Bond-equivalent, Donald "Red" Grant, who hides in the shadows until the right moment. He's not the "top" baddie, but he's the most involved and the constant cat-and-mouse between him and Bond is exciting and comes to a head in a surprisingly brutal (for the time) train car fight that was reminiscent of Daniel Craig's aura in the modern day films. All of this concludes with the most exciting set piece thus far with an intense hillside helicopter vs. Bond scramble. It's actually filmed impressively and the practical effects still hold up well, particularly with the ample sound effects. I found it was actually getting my blood pumping and to say that nearly 60 years after a film is made is an achievement. 

As I begin this adventure with the old Bond films and watching them in order (as of the time of writing this I'm partway through Goldfinger) I've found myself really enthralled to catch up on this character whom I have enjoyed so much, but am uneducated on many of their past dealings. It's an interesting parallel to the current Retro-Quest I'm on with Christopher Nolan's earlier films, albeit a fictional character vs. a real director. And it's one silver lining of Coronavirus: I'm not sure I ever would have had the time to do a lot of this had I been seeing a new movie every week otherwise. 

CONS

• Still has some pacing issues and felt a little too padded for a nearly 2 hour film. Not as much as its predecessor, but some here and there
• These plots are quite simplistic and lower-key than the Bond's that come later. Some may see that as a Pro, I view it as a minor Con...I very much enjoy the action, gadgets, etc. of the Bond world
• Still some "60s" filmmaking on display. Ages better than Dr. No, but still some scenes where modern day techniques have come very far

PROS

• Sean Connery as Bond still completely owns the role and is an effortless leading man
• A very "sexy" film - it doubles down on the focus of sex and women in the Bond world, from the opening credits onward, it's ever present
• Continues to add to and modify the formula with successful tweaks
• Simple plot, sure, but one that takes our characters to various places and has some good twists and turns
• More involved villain this time around that leads to some well-orchestrated tension and a brutal brawl
• Better action all around this time. The helicopter finale is exciting
• That Bond theme continues to blow my mind!

Retro Rath's Review Score | 8.5/10