Many people are apparently put off by this Bond film. Sure, Sean Connery is older, you see Blofeld (this time with a head of hair) and the series seemed a tad out of place in 1971, when the anti-war movement was running strong.
This movie is not Goldfinger, despite the presence of Guy Hamilton at the helm and Shirley Bassey as the singer of the title theme. What this movie is is a stylish romp that seems to bear some nod to the Batman TV series in terms of style. In some other respects, this movie plays almost like an Anglicized version of "The FBI," or like "The Persuaders."
And that is not at all bad!
The original femme fatale of the 1966 Batman series, Jill St. John, is the female lead here, and is fun to watch. She shows a lot of spirit in the role. Charles Grey is fun to watch as Blofeld, because he brings a real wit to the role. The dialogue is definitely sophisticated, and it is a very stylish production that I think holds up well. And Lana Wood does a fine job here, too! (Oh, and I met her in Detroit in May 2009; sweet lady!!)
This movie is also more daring in terms of sex than any other Bond: The public display of affection the thugs Wint and Kidd show, as well as the topless scene of Lana Wood's character.
Gadgets don't seem to dominate this outing. It's no 1960s Connery film (the lead actor's older), nor a 1970s Moore outing (more serious). This movie is sandwiched between the two eras, and it rightly should be taken on its own terms. Which means, I think it is one of the most enjoyable Bond films made--a sophisticated, stylish romp. It is, in my view, a most enjoyable Bond (and my personal favourite)!
This movie is not Goldfinger, despite the presence of Guy Hamilton at the helm and Shirley Bassey as the singer of the title theme. What this movie is is a stylish romp that seems to bear some nod to the Batman TV series in terms of style. In some other respects, this movie plays almost like an Anglicized version of "The FBI," or like "The Persuaders."
And that is not at all bad!
The original femme fatale of the 1966 Batman series, Jill St. John, is the female lead here, and is fun to watch. She shows a lot of spirit in the role. Charles Grey is fun to watch as Blofeld, because he brings a real wit to the role. The dialogue is definitely sophisticated, and it is a very stylish production that I think holds up well. And Lana Wood does a fine job here, too! (Oh, and I met her in Detroit in May 2009; sweet lady!!)
This movie is also more daring in terms of sex than any other Bond: The public display of affection the thugs Wint and Kidd show, as well as the topless scene of Lana Wood's character.
Gadgets don't seem to dominate this outing. It's no 1960s Connery film (the lead actor's older), nor a 1970s Moore outing (more serious). This movie is sandwiched between the two eras, and it rightly should be taken on its own terms. Which means, I think it is one of the most enjoyable Bond films made--a sophisticated, stylish romp. It is, in my view, a most enjoyable Bond (and my personal favourite)!