Most filmgoers are in agreement, that Sean Connery is the best James Bond. The movie, From Russia With Love, firmly establishes that fact. He is the calm and cool British spy, with a license to kill. There is always a female costar in the films. This one has Daniela Bianchi as Tatiana Romanova, a Russian agent. It also has the standard supporting cast of Bernard Lee as M and Lois Maxwell, as Miss Moneypenny.
The beginning of Bond films usually tease the plot. This one does. It starts with a Russian assassin, Donald (Red) Grant, ( (Robert Shaw) surprising James Bond and garroting him. It turns out its a practice exercise, with an unfortunate victim, wearing a mask. The exercise is supervised by Colonel Rosa Klebb, (Lotte Lenya), of the KGB. Klebb has recruited Tatiana Romanova to seduce Bond. This is part of an elaborate plot, involving an international criminal group, known as SPECTRE. It intends to steal a Russian encrypting device: called a Lektor and put the blame on the western powers.Tatiana Romanova, who is in Turkey, has contacted British intelligence; saying she wants to defect, and knows the location of the device. The catch is she wants to defect to Bond. He goes, but meets with the intelligence officer in Istanbul, Ali Kerim, (Pedro Armandariz). Armandariz in this role, is very good opposite Connery. Bond gets along well with Bey, even helping him to kill the man who attempted to kill him in his office the day before.
Bond goes to his hotel room, and sees someone running away. He goes into a room, where Tatiana is on the bed. She seduces Bond, with no resistance from everyone’s favorite British spy. Unknown to Bond, Olga Klebb, with assistance, has filmed the couple’s lovemaking. This is for blackmailing purposes. Bond later gets the information from Tatiana about the location of the lector. Once he has the location, he steals it, with the help of Ali Karim. With Ali Karim’s help, Bond and Tatiana make their escape, on board The Orient Express. Bond goes to secure the lektor, and Karim is guarding a prisoner.
While on the train, Bond runs into Red Grant, posing as an English gentleman. Grant has drugged Tatiana’s drink, and she has left, leaving Bond, who is distracted, reading a map. Grant takes advantage of this, and hits 007 over the head, with a pistol, knocking him unconscious. After recovering, the assassin tells Bond, that he will torture him before killing him. Grant lights a cigarette, and Bond asks for one, as a last request. It is denied. Our quick thinking spy, tells Grant that he will pay him 50 gold sovereigns. These are located in Bond’s case. Grant says okay, but insists on opening the case. He opens it incorrectly, and tear gas comes out. Bond attacks Grant, but is overpowered. Bond has a garrote, around his neck, but secures a knife hidden in the case. He stabs Grant and kills him with the garrote. Bond then goes back to get Karim. He finds Karim and his prisoner dead, victims of Grant.
After getting off the train, Bond steals a truck, that Grant’s associate had waiting. He takes the associate hostage, and drives to a marina, and gets a boat. He takes it out to sea, and throws Grant’s associate overboard. Bond encounters members of SPECTRE, who are about to surround his boat. The quick thinking agent, dumps barrels of fuel, from the boat, and fires a flare gun, igniting them. Bond’s action causes chaos and death, for most of the evil agents. Bond and Tatiana make it safely to a hotel in Venice. After settling in, Olga Klebb, dressed as a maid comes in. She attacks Bond, by attempting to kick him with a poisoned knife, that was concealed in her shoe. She is held at bay, with a chair by Bond. Tatiana grabs 007’s gun, and shoots her. Tatiana says Kleb was a bad person. Bond responds by saying she had her kicks. What would a James Bond film be without a pun? After this, the couple is shown on a boat, and Bond tosses the couples filmed encounter, in the river. He then waves goodbye, and the screen goes to credits, with the title song playing.
From Russia With Love, is one of the most entertaining of the Bond films. It also has intelligent dialogue. It doesn’t become a fast paced thriller until its two thirds of the way through. Lottie Lenya makes a great villain. She’s very good in the scene, where she recruits the killer, Red Grant. She hits him in the stomach; with brass knuckles, and he doesn’t flinch. Robert Shaw was a good actor, well before he went shark hunting in Jaws.
James Bond films with Connery were always smart and witty. After he stopped making them, they relied on gadgets and far out stories. This had a tendency to overwhelm the actors who played Ian Fleming’s creation. A person needs to watch From Russia With Love, to get a full appreciation of a James Bond movie.