Underneath the Mango Tree

In preparation for the opening of Casino Royale, I've taken it upon myself to watch the other five James Bonds in their debut films. The first up, tonight, was Dr. No. The film is an oddity among the Bonds, because so many of the elements that we've come to expect from later 007 pictures weren't in place for this one. There's no pre-title sequence, and Bond's walk in the gun barrell (done by stuntman Bob Simmons, not Sean Connery), is not accompanied by the familiar John Barry fanfare. The adventure itself is also unusual in the canon. There's only one car chase scene, and it's unspectacular by later Bond standards. Also, while other 007 films emphasize the action and explosions, Bond spends a lot of time investigating in this one.

Connery certainly had a bead on the character even in this early picture. Critics like to talk about what a rough customer Connery was in the films (usually to contrast him with Roger Moore and Pierce Brosnan), but what struck me most about him was his grace and relaxation. In all the Bond films, Connery is the only one who ever sings a charming little tune, and he does it in this picture. I don't recall any of the other actors consenting to a chair dance during their tet-a-tets with Miss Moneypenny. And for all the Connery-Bond's roughness, he makes clear early on that he prefers his Baretta .25 to the 7.65mm Walther PPK, even though Q (this time not played by Desmond Llewellan) disparages the Baretta as a lady's gun. Connery's Bond was masculine enough that he didn't have to prove his masculinity to anyone. It's part of what made him so cool.

It looked like Connery had a ball playing James Bond in this one, and it looked like Bond was having a good time dodging death in the islands. Me too.

On to George Lazenby, Diana Rigg, Telly Savalas and the first great Bond ski chase in On Her Majesty's Secret Service.