Dr. No
I’ve seen about half of the James Bond films, at this point, but I’m still a relative novice, I feel like. Most of those 007 movies have been from 1995 on- the Connery, Moore and Dalton years are foreign, for the most part. I still felt compelled to buy the 50 Years of Bond box set, though, because honestly, what I have seen merits the purchase, and it makes it easier to just slide one in and catch up. There’s going to be more of that on the way, and I might as well start with the first film, “Dr. No.”
Watching the early 007 films makes for an interesting study in how the franchise has shifted over the years. While the Pierce Brosnan entries were known for big set pieces befitting the blockbusters of the time, and the Daniel Craig films have focused a bit more on the character himself, the few films of Sean Connery’s I’ve seen have more of an emphasis on the spy craft than set pieces or getting into the psychology of the character. “Dr. No” feels like a spy procedural, with 007 brought in to investigate the disappearance of agents in Jamaica, rather than to go in and just cause a ruckus. I actually enjoy that about this film especially, because it’s the franchise, adapting one of Ian Fleming’s novels, trying to figure itself out. A lot of the pieces are in place, but the filmmakers are just seeing how to employ them moving forward. They have a pretty entertaining playground in this film to try things out with.
Right away, the classic 007 staring down a gun barrel begins the opening credits, but instead of a song associated with the film, it’s the iconic Bond theme by composer Monty Norman. It’s a few minutes before we see Bond, though, at a card table, beating the pants off a woman at blackjack. It starts with events in Jamaica that set up the existence of Dr. No during a raid of a British Intelligence office in the country. Bond is sent to investigate, and he will quickly find out the plot afoot with the help of a local CIA agent, a boatman, and a woman he finds collecting seashells on the coast whom catches his eye as he deduces what Dr. No (Joseph Wiseman) is up to, and needs rock samples with radioactivity on them. Oh yeah, an expositional monologue is happening, whether you like it or not.
Terrence Young keeps this movie moving briskly even when the plot plays out more like a mystery than an adventure. The set pieces in this film are not very interesting, although the climactic battle at Dr. No’s reactor is fun in its absurdity. Connery establishes the tone of his Bond at the outset and it’s an engaging take on the character that is suave, intelligent and capable. His flirtation with Moneypenny at the outset is on point, and the way he interacts with Honey Ryder (Ursula Andress) sets the template for Bond girl performances, and character dynamics, to come. This is ultimately very silly in a lot of ways, but it’s easy to see why it started one of the most durable franchises is movie history.
