1964
Directed by Guy Hamilton
I knew the day would come on this blog where I would have to confess to loving the chauvinistic, often sexist James Bond movies. I just didn't think it would come so soon. I have actually seen every one of these movies and have read all the books. I still maintain that George Lazenby was the best Bond but that's a topic for another time.
The plots of these movies are never important. I say that to make myself feel better because I can never follow any of the plots. Basically, Bond sleeps with women, both straight and gay, while saving the world from villains and making bad puns.
Why do I have so much fun with these movies? They are extremely offensive to both women and Asians. I remember one film where Bond had to dress as Japanese guy and the transformation was not..um... PC. I suppose I should just base my review on this one film but it is hard for them not to all blur together.
I am not a huge action movie fan; I find them all to be exactly the same. But this film is the inventor of the cliches and does them better than any movie since. I especially appreciated this movie in the context of the list, since we have so many dull, but "artsy" films. This is just a fun film that will make you laugh and keep you interested. One of my many, many guilty pleasures.
RATING: ****-
Interesting Facts:
Honor Blackman is the oldest woman to have played a Bond girl to date.
Body count of 62.
Trailer:
This was one of my favorite Bond films though I remember being horrified by the gold paint. Wait, I'm still horrified by the gold paint, but it was definitely an entertaining movie. I love Bond.Truly.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite too!
DeleteI utterly get you on most of this one Amanda.
ReplyDeleteBond films are dated, highly offensive in their gender politics. This one throws in being specially offensive to sexual orientation. Pussy Galore is a lesbian.. but, hey, like all lesbians, all she needs is a good seeing to by a real man, and she will realise what she has been missing. Errr right.
As a registered liberal, I am outraged, I should protest. OK, lets do that.
*( have you read many of the books? Fleming certainly had a problem with homosexuality...There is a bit in 'Man with a golden gun' where he states that gay man are unable to whistle, and that is a sure way to spot one!)
Sorry, side track.. move on..
But.. Like yourself, Bond movies are a guilty secret pleasure. I'd never dream of admitting to liking them, and certainly not on any public forum like someones blog.
And of the Bonds, this (and from Russia) are the most fun.
Unlike you however, it is the plotting and scheming I enjoy. The bits where we see what the baddie is trying to do and how, then how Bond will infiltrate and track them down... that's what I watch for. I then pretty much mentally switch off through the action bits.
So let's not even think about the plot holes, such as why bother with that expensive plot explanation, with the room that folds out to a presentation room, complete with model, to show the consortium what is happening.. and then gas them all. And why, when that is the determined end of it.. why go to all that effort of removing the one who backs out? he's going to die with all the others anyway.
Quite right, let's not mention that at all.
Ray
I have read all the books and I hadn't thought about the whistling thing since you said that! I do not even get that stereotype (if I am being stupid here let me know). If it was true, it would have saved me from falling for a quite a few gay men.
DeleteYou are a smarter man than I (well you are more of a man than I am in general) for being able to follow the plots; I think I just get distracted easily (we will go with that).
Well, I will join that club of guilty pleasures.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was looking for this movie I found a box set with the entire series at bargain price, so now I have a little side project watching them all. At this point I have reached Octopussy.
The best part of any James Bond movie is his coolness and the villains inventive schemes. I dislike super hero movies so the gadgets only really work for me when they are used for fun. Bond is best when he is vulnerable and forced to use his wits and this is why Goldfinger is one of the best.
Second best thing is the names of the Bond girls...
Oh yes. Although I was always a fan of Christmas Jones (the name not the actress). Who is your favorite Bond so far?
DeleteI have to go with Sean Connery. He is the right level of cartoon. Not too much and not too little.
DeleteI was hoping to find someone who prefers George Lazenby like me. The cheese stands alone
DeleteI like Bond, although not quite as much as it turns out that you all like him. It's all very silly, but I think it was always meant to be in a way. I've also considered doing what T also calls a side-project and watching them all in order.
ReplyDeleteI had a great uncle who directed a few Bond films. I rarely met him, but Bond became something the family should all be very proud of and associate ourselves with. So my guilty secret isn't loving it, as with the rest of you, but that I only "like" it.
Aside all the other plot holes, I ask myself with this movie what it is that Bond actually achieves in saving the day? He gets both sisters killed and then gets captured. His brief escape from his cell quickly ends in recapture. He is baffled at how the army came to stop the heist until someone tells him that Pussy Galore had turned informant at the last minute. And he stares panicking at the ticking bomb until an expert leans it to flick the switch. I'm not just making a faceacious counter argument here. The best you could say was he made a brief remark to Pussy which may have influenced her thinking before deciding to have a roll in the hay with her instead.