Bond Is Forever: "Dr. No"

Welcome to the first installment of our new Café feature, Bond Is Forever, where the martinis are always shaken, not stirred. I decided to begin with the very first cinematic adaptation of Ian Fleming's superspy, Dr. No (1962).

When a British agent stationed in Jamaica disappears, MI6 agent James Bond (Sean Connery), codename 007, is sent to investigate. Bond learns that the missing agent was collecting mineral samples from Crab Key, a mysterious island from where most people don't seem to return. The spy sneaks onto the island under the cover of darkness to put a stop to Crab Key's inhabitant, the secretive and nefarious Dr. No (Joseph Wiseman).

Dr. No was actually not the first Bond adaptation. For the 1950s TV anthology series, Climax!, Fleming's first 007 novel, Casino Royale, was brought to the little screen. It starred Barry Nelson as American agent, Jimmy Bond. In 1961, Harry Saltzman bought the rights to the James Bond character, with the exception, of course, of Casino Royale, since the rights to the novel had already been sold. The initial concept for Bond's first movie was an original screenplay, not an adaptation. Fleming collaborated with screenwriters, Kevin McClory and Jack Whittingham, but the project was eventually abandoned. The novelist took the story and turned it into a book, Thunderball, which subsequently became the fourth Bond film. This all led to a prolonged legal dispute between the film's producers and the two screenwriters involved. But we can discuss that when we get to Thunderball (1965).

Dr. No is an interesting movie to view retrospectively and compare to later films, especially in light of what would become standard elements of the series. In Bond's first scene, he is gambling, one of his favorite hobbies in the book which carried over to the movies (although he utilized this "hobby" in his work, too). He also introduces himself as, "Bond. James Bond." (Ask any Bond fan to say this line, and they will more than likely speak it with a Connery accent.) When 007 is given his assignment, M has Bond turn over his much-loved Beretta for a Walther PPK (pictured), a gun that would make an appearance in nearly every Bond film. By Tomorrow Never Dies (1997), Bond would stick with a Walther but switch to a newer model, the P99. However, in Quantum of Solace (2008), he reverted back to the classic PPK. While Bond does not specifically order a shaken-not-stirred vodka martini, it is clear that he prefers the drink mixed this way.

Dr. No has neither a pre-credit sequence nor a theme song performed by a notable singer. On the other hand, the music which plays over the majority of the opening credits becomes the Bond theme for the series, and the infamous gun barrel sequence opens the film. Audiences were not treated to the Aston Martin, which will not be inaugurated until Goldfinger two years later. But there are two more things which would become recognizable in the Bond series: the Bond girl, Honey Ryder (Ursula Andress); and the Bond villain, the titular baddie. In this particular film, neither character does very much. Honey spends most of the movie cowering behind Bond, but Dr. No displayed characteristics which would become all too familiar: he was independently wealthy, concocted diabolical plots to take over the world, and had a God complex to boot. Dr. No was also the introduction to SPECTRE, an organization for which Dr. No says he works. SPECTRE would play a prominent role in most of the Connery films, as well as the Bond movie with that one guy.

While many recurring Bond characters would generally be portrayed by the same actors (Bernard Lee was M for quite some time, and Lois Maxwell was Moneypenny for even longer), CIA agent and Bond pal, Felix Leiter, was a revolving door of performers. In Dr. No, Felix is played by Jack Lord, perhaps better known from the TV series, Hawaii Five-O. Lord, like most Felix Leiters, would not reprise the role.

Sean Connery is, simply put, an outstanding 007. He's suave, sophisticated, and, best of all, completely believable as a spy. I think the Bond series has been blessed with great actors to portray the British secret agent, but Connery originated the cinematic character and is consequently the most discernible. Watch a parody of James Bond, and you won't see a comedian poking fun at Bond, per se; you'll see someone imitating Sean Connery. I mean no offense to the men who would take over the role in future films. It's just that, when people think of 007, they typically think of Connery, much like Bela Lugosi being most often associated with Dracula (and fans speaking with that well known Hungarian accent).

Dr. No has never been one of my favorite Bond films. I think it's enjoyable, with exciting action sequences and a fun plot. But I am not a fan of Andress, who was dubbed for the movie (one lady for her speaking voice, another for singing). Her performance is a bit boring, although she admittedly has little to do, other than be the damsel in distress. Likewise, Dr. No doesn't appear in the film until it is very nearly over. He has only one significant scene, in which he dines with 007 at his lair. It would have been preferable to have seen more of Wiseman (who died in October last year; click here to read more about the actor, courtesy of sazball). Additionally, the ending seems rushed. By the time Bond discovers Dr. No's plan and goes about saving the day, there is only about ten minutes remaining. The inevitable showdown between superspy and villain is somewhat anti-climatic.

I would love to hear what everyone else thinks of Dr. No, Connery, and Bond... James Bond.

Bond Is Forever will return next month with Live and Let Die (1973).