Seventeen years of bondage

Press, 22 January 1979, Page 10

Seventeen years of bondage

It is 17 years since tall, attractive Ursula Andress walked out of the sea on to a West Indies beach clad only in a skimpy white bikini to meet a pleasantly surprised James Bond.

The film was “Doctor No” and the actor was Sean Connery as the first James Bond in the first of ten (unless I’ve forgotten any) very successful Bond moves. _ ,

Connery so successfully exuded the right blend of suavity (“Martini, shaken, not stirred”) and sex (“he was so much a he-man that he took off his shirt to wash his face”) that he was threatened to be typecast in that role for the rest of his life.

However, since Connery’s appearances, there have been two other contenders for the crown of Bondage. George Lazenby made only one rather disappointing performance and Connery had to come back in his last appearance as Bond (“Diamonds are Forever”) to restore 007’s image. It was then, in 1973, that Roger Moore decided to discard his halo and pick up the golden gun as the new and still-reigning master spy.

All ten films have successfully followed the same basic formula of spy spoof, sex, expensive gimmickry and a crazy' master criminal — although the more recent versions have relied more on gimmicks than a coherent plot or well-defined characters. Some of the films return even today in various combinations to be seen again by old fans and convert a few new ones.

Bearing this in mind, the Odeon is showing three of the old Bonds, “Goldfmger” (one of the best), “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service” and “Live and Let Die,” for the next few weeks. These three are of particular interest as they show the development of Bond over the years (1964, 1969, and 1973) and as he was portrayed by Connery, Lazenby, and Moore. There are so many different and disconcertingly similar Bond films floating about now that it might be a good idea to set the record straight: “Doctor No” (1962): A virtually unknown actor (Connery) appears as a British secret service agent who foils a master criminal with metal hands in his underground hi deout in the West Indies. Ursula Andress makes her memorable debut. This was the first of the

phenomenally successful James Bond movies mixing violence, humour and exotic locales. Toned down from the original novels, they expressed a number of sixties attitudes. “From Russia With Love” (1963): A Russian spy joins an international crime organisation and develops a plan to kill Bond and steal a coding machine. The film featured the late Robert Shaw (“Force 10 from Navarone”) in one of his first major film roles. The second Bond adventure and possibly the best, it featured Istanbul and Venice for backdrops and the climaxes involved a speeding train, a helicopter and a poisoned knife in a shoe. All tongue-in-cheek arrant nonsense produced on a big budget.

“Diamonds are Forever” (1971): Seeking a diamond smuggler Bond has adventures in Amsterdam, a Los Angeles crematorium, various Las Vegas gambling parlours and a secret installation in the desert. A rather vicious addition to the wellworn cycle, this film has an element of nastiness which big budget stunts cannot conceal. Jil St John appears in the romantic lead, while Connery makes his last appearance. “Live and Let Die” (1973): Roger Moore in his first appearance as James Bond chases a black master criminal and becomes involved in West Indian voodoo. The American “Variety” paper had this to say: “The plot lines have descended further to the level of the old Saturday afternoon serial and the treatment is more than ever like a cartoon." “The Man With the Golden Gun” (1974): Bond goes to the Far East to kill a professional assassin named Scaramanga. A thin plot and expensive excitement, with Christopher Lee and Britt Ekland. “The Spy Who Love Me” (1977): Moore in his third and the latest Bond film. This one involves some underwater shenanigans by the master criminal, Curt Jurgens. The performance of the female lead; Barbara Bach, was less than memorable. The list may not be com- ' plete, however, without at least mentioning “Casino Royale.” This woeful 1967 ; effort is not one of the above series and, if ft takes a committee to produce a " camel you can imagine what six directors (John Huston, Ken Hughes, Vai Guest, Robert Parrish, Joe McGrath and Richard Talmadge) mysteriously working together 1 can make of a film. “Casino Royale” managed ' to feature an all-star cast, including David Niven, Deborah Kerr, Orson Welles, Peter Sellers, Ursula Andress, Woody Allen, William Holden, Charles Boyer, . John Huston. Dahlia Lavi, , Jacqueline Bisset, Derek . Nimmo, George Raft, Ronnie Corbett, Peter O’Toole anc Jean-Paul Belmondo. One critic at the time dest cribed the film well as “one ; of those wild, wacky extravaganzas in which the au- ; dience is expected to have a • great time because every- , body making the film did. It : seldom works out that way , and certainly doesn’t here.” I do not know wnat the ' future holds for Bond films • but there is a . rumour that : Sean Connery may make a ■ welcome return, and. of the , lan Fleming books there seems to be only one left to be turned into a movie — “Moonraker. ’’