**REWATCHING ‘DR. NO’ TO THE MEMORY OF SIR SEAN CONNERY**



WRITING: 7
ATMOSPHERE: 7
CHARACTERS: 7
PRODUCTION: 5
INTRIGUE: 6
NOVELTY: 7
ENJOYMENT: 7


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**The Good:**

The classic opening sequence sets the standard for all the rest of the Bond films, even though it is slightly messier than the subsequent ones. That main theme is just as majestic now as it surely was back in 1962.

Sean Connery isn't my favourite Bond actor, but it's impossible to deny the charm and cultural impact his performance has gained over the decades. He looks good, he is suave and he feels like the handsome and calculative spy he is supposed to be.

Ursula Andress is suitably good-looking and tough as the very first Bond girl. Her acting is okay and her characterization might not completely work by today's standards, but she remains some of the better Connery era Bond girls.

Quarrel remains one of my favourite sidekicks of all time; he's such high-spirited that it's difficult not to like him.

The classic Bond film formula wasn’t established until Goldfinger (1964), but Dr No still contains many elements that are considered iconic nowadays and looking out for them as a Bond fan is just as entertaining as enjoying the film.

Joseph Wiseman sets the standard for a Bond villain performance with his cold and creepy demeanour.

As is usual for Bond movies, Dr No has an immensely quotable script and contains several memorable sequences.


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**The Bad:**

The one-off Q seen here is so dry and forgettable I always forget that it isn't Desmond Llewellyn who is in this one.

The performances, action and editing are very 60s at times, and not as high quality as in some of the later Connery Bonds. Some of the supporting acting is horrendous.

Dr No sets up the main mission, but takes a good while to turn interesting, which happens once Bond arrivers at Crab Key Island.

The main theme heard throughout the film is iconic, but the rest of the score is average at best.

The Crab Key dragon is one of the sillier and more laughable foes Bond has faced.

It's a shame Dr No doesn’t have a bigger presence in the film. One barely realizes he's the big baddie of the film because he only appears in person during the last 25 minutes.

The climax is one of the least exciting in the entire series and doesn’t feel like a climactic sequence at all. It’s over almost as soon as it started.


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**The Ugly:**

RIP Sean Connery. You are sorely missed.


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**WACPINE RATING: 6.57 / 10 = 3.5 stars**

When the news broke to me that Sean Connery passed away at the respectable age of 90, I was sad, I always had the feeling he was one of those guys who would be around forever. I also never realized he was already 90. But I that should not have come to me as a surprise as he starred as James Bond in the early 60's. Sean Connery starred in so many great films, but I think the role that will always be his is that of James Bond, the original. (His other favorite role of mine is that of Indiana Jones's dad!) He is the Bond all the other Bond actors base their performance off. He is the James Bond that kicked off one of my favorite franchises.

Dr. No is a solid film debut film for the character of Bond, James Bond. It isn't overly complicated, it has a fun villain in Dr. No (Joseph Wiseman), it's first Bond girl in Ursula Andress as the scuba-diving shell collecting Honey Ryder and it lets us hear the iconic theme a lot! It introduces us to Felix Leiter, Moneypenny and M! Nothing really spectacular happens but it'll hold your attention.

All in all, even though I have seen this one a lot, I still enjoyed this rewatch and I can't wait to go through every Bond again. Still sad I haven't seen the latest Bond, but I know I will enjoy the heck out of it on the big screen when all this COVID stuff is over.

Sir Sean Connery, rest in piece. You will be missed!

_**Say YES to “Dr. No”**_

After an MI6 chief & his secretary are murdered in Jamaica, agent 007 (Sean Connery) is sent to investigate. He teams-up with a boatman (John Kitzmiller) with focus on a mysterious nearby island owned by a shady German-Chinese mogul (Joseph Wiseman). Jack Lord is on hand as a CIA agent and Ursula Andress as a shell diver

Based on Ian Fleming’s 1958 novel, “Dr. No” (1962) was the beginning of the never-ending James Bond franchise and features the common staples: The catchy James Bond theme, the opening gun barrel sequence, the suave protagonist, gorgeous women, ritzy casino gambling, exotic locales, spy devices, action thrills, shaken-not-stirred drinks and a megalomaniac villain.

While this one’s not as ridiculous with the gadgets or action as later installments, somehow Bond’s relatively mundane but increasingly dangerous investigation on Jamaica is compelling as it progresses to the lair of the titular antagonist. It’s no wonder that it was a hit and sparked the espionage hysteria of the ’60s.

Andress stands out on the feminine front, but there’s also Eunice Gayson as Sylvia Trench and Zena Marshall as Miss Taro, both just as beautiful in their own way.

The film runs 1 hour, 49 minutes, and was shot in Jamaica and Pinewood Studios & London, England.

GRADE: A-

Dr. No finds Sean Connery as a heroic spy named Bond.
James Bond
007 to his comrades.
While this is in the stage of Bond movies being spy movies, there is a hint of the extravagant classic films that follow.
We don't quite get too many exotic locales, but we get a hint of them, and a hint of the beautiful women and of Bond's morality in a world of hate.
Bond kills to stop killers. There's actual morality in his violence.
Ursula Andress is quite striking. She isn't the hottest of the babes who appeared in Bond movies, but she is the hottest blonde woman. It helps that they sprayed a deep tan over her body, because in those days, lighting was the enemy of the fair complexion people.
Unlike most Bond villains, we rarely see Dr. No. He's more of an enigma, but an evil one who must be disposed of for the good of humanity.
Can Bond eliminate him? Hmm?

The Americans are fools. I offered my services, they refused. So did the East. Now they can both pay for their mistake.

Dr. No is directed by Terence Young and co-adapted to screenplay by Richard Maibaum, Johanna Harwood & Berkely Mather from the novel of the same name written by Ian Fleming. It stars Sean Connery, Joseph Wiseman, Ursula Andress, Jack Lord & John Kitzmiller. Music is by Monty Norman and cinematography by Ted Moore.

And so it all began here, what was until Harry Potter arrived on the scene, the most successful film franchise in history. James Bond, a name that would become synonymous with suave spies, deranged villains, beautiful women, exotic locations, gadgets, cars and sex. Ian Fleming's James Bond novels were big come the end of 1961, yet producers Cubby Broccoli and Harry Saltzman met some resistance from studios. It was never plain sailing, even after release the film garnered mixed reviews, but word of mouth and condemnation by the Vatican and the Kremlin propelled it to being one of the surprise hits of 62/63. At the box office it made £60 million Worldwide, this after being made on a budget of only £1 million.

Plot basically sees Connery's Bond flying out to Jamaica to investigate the disappearance of agent Strangways (Timothy Moxon). Once there he finds a case of murder is to be investigated and evidence points to the mysterious Dr. No (Wiseman), who resides on Crab Quay island, a place feared by the superstitious locals. Bond must keep his wits about him as he gets closer to the truth, for there are many obstacles in his way and not everyone can be trusted. Cue the suave and athletic Mr. Bond getting involved with lovely ladies, dicing with death, making friends, making enemies and just generally being an all round awesome anti-hero.

SPECTRE: Special Executive for Counter-intelligence, Terrorism, Revenge and Extortion.

There are a number of changes from the book and some censor appeasement was required to get the film a certificate enabling youngsters to see the film with an adult. What Dr. No rounds out as is a jolly good spy/action movie yarn. Some of the hints are there for what would make Bond such a profitable and well loved franchise, but there's no sign of the gadgetry, tricks and japes that would fill out so many of the titles that followed Dr. No. Here Bond is just armed with his Walter PPK 7.65MM pistol, Sunbeam Alpine car and his bravado and nouse.

Some future stalwart characters are given modest introductions (M, Felix Leiter, Moneypenny) and Ursula Andress sets the marker for all future Bond girls to follow. Ted Moore's capturing of the Jamaica location is sumptuous, something that really comes to the fore on the re-mastered DVD edition of the film. Connery is supremely cool and fearless, the theme tune and gun barrel opening are already in place, and Terence Young, who directs three of the first four Bond movies, keeps it zippy and suspenseful when story gathers up a flame throwing tank, car chases, fights and a quite brilliant tarantula sequence.

Quite a debut, uneven at times as it begins to find its feet, but even if it wasn't the first James Bond movie it would hold up as an entertaining bit of secret agent shenanigans regardless. 7.5/10