Classic Bond Moments in CR
bigzilcho
Toronto, ONPosts: 245MI6 Agent
I've only seen CR once, but IMO it is already one of the greats. As for Daniel Craig? Sensational. Not to sound too arrogant, but can someone please wipe the egg off the faces of those people who predicted he would be a disaster?
I want to focus on those moments (and there is a multitude) in CR which, in time, will join the pantheon of classic Bond moments.
1- The PTS fight. It has been a long time, fellow Bond fans, where we have met a new Bond that looks like he could break a henchman's neck in two. The fight is ferocious and already a worthy addition to great Bond punch-ups, but it is the moment where Bond is drowning the bad-guy that has stayed with me. Make no mistake, this guy is a killer. Bond the vicious blunt instrument is back and not a moment too soon.
2- There is a cool moment before the big foot-chase where Bond is leaning against the wall. When Sebastian takes off...Bond remains frozen for a long moment...before he takes off! That moment's delay is pure Bond.
3- After an electrifying chase, Bond catches up with Sebastian at the embassy, where he proceeds to trash the place, carrying Sebastian around like a rag doll. That final confrontation between the guards is a classic Bond moment. Craig plays Bond like an ice-cold machine (who else chose to play 007 like that?). When Bond explodes the cannister and disappears in the mist...chalk it up under Cool Bond Moments 101.
4- M enters her apartment and finds Bond there. Only a young, brash 007 would dare to infiltrate M's privacy. (One can imagine, say, a young Roger pulling the same stunt). When M ends the meeting, she coldly tells him to never return again. For a split-second, the world's greatest spy is just a mischevious kid, reprimanded by his mother. (And make no mistake, the original M is the only father-figure in Bond's world). When Bond tries to sneak out his Beretta from under M's nose in DN, the old man sees it a mile away. Check out Bond's reaction when he returns the gun. Compare it to Bond's reaction to M's warning in CR.
M is Bond's boss. And he knows it. Period. End of conversation.
Bond is Bond, and the world's bad-guys tremble at the sound of his name...but the reality is this: the only person in the world who can control 007 is M. Always has been...always will be.
5- The confrontation with Demetrius. Bond squares off in a silent deadly exchange with a knife. Check out how blank Bond is here. Perfectly played by Craig...its as if Bond has an off switch...ice-cold death in his eyes...as he stares Demetrius down. You can search 20 films, and you will not find a similiar chilling expression.
6- When Vesper gives Bond a new tux, there is a wonderful moment where she catches him admiring himself in the mirror. And Bond sees her smiling...but tries to ignore her. Always remember, vanity is an essential part of Bond's make-up. Just ask Fiona Volpe in TB.
7- Bond wakes up from near-death and sees Vesper.
"You all right?"
"Me?!?!"
Only Bond.
8- During the card game, Bond's concentration gets absolutely derailed when he sees a stunning Vesper cross the room. One of the finest examples ever concerning Bond's universally acknowledged Achilles' heel. Bond is a pro who always gets the job done...with no distractions...until a Honey Ryder appears...and then......
9- "Sorry about that. That last hand nearly killed me."
Students of Bondian cool, please take notes.
10- In an already classic scene, Bond is tortured by LeChiffre and still manages to push the bad-guy's buttons. When Bond tells LeChiffre he's got an "itch" the moment is electrifying . When he adds "Do you mind?" the result is absolute Bond perfection
There is no other hero in the history of movies who would say the words "Do you mind?" under similiar conditions.
IMO, this scene could have been pulled off by every previous 007 (including, I know you scoff, Roger) and the results would heve been similiar. I can imagine each Bond saying the words, "Do you mind?" wiith his own particular slant and attitude.
Mark my words, "Do you mind?" will go down as one of the greatest lines in Bond history.
10) The death of Vesper.
A superb job done by Craig in the scene where he fails to revive Vesper. Check out Bond's rush of emotions before the ice-cold mask descends and he regains Bondian composure. You can search high and low in 20 films and you will not find a better example of how Bond has become cold around the heart when it comes to Death.
It is as if Vesper is his last link with vulnerability. When she dies, Bond officially becomes the cold-blooded 007 of the series.
Of course, there are countless other moments to share. Any opinions?
"Yes...considerably."
8-
I want to focus on those moments (and there is a multitude) in CR which, in time, will join the pantheon of classic Bond moments.
1- The PTS fight. It has been a long time, fellow Bond fans, where we have met a new Bond that looks like he could break a henchman's neck in two. The fight is ferocious and already a worthy addition to great Bond punch-ups, but it is the moment where Bond is drowning the bad-guy that has stayed with me. Make no mistake, this guy is a killer. Bond the vicious blunt instrument is back and not a moment too soon.
2- There is a cool moment before the big foot-chase where Bond is leaning against the wall. When Sebastian takes off...Bond remains frozen for a long moment...before he takes off! That moment's delay is pure Bond.
3- After an electrifying chase, Bond catches up with Sebastian at the embassy, where he proceeds to trash the place, carrying Sebastian around like a rag doll. That final confrontation between the guards is a classic Bond moment. Craig plays Bond like an ice-cold machine (who else chose to play 007 like that?). When Bond explodes the cannister and disappears in the mist...chalk it up under Cool Bond Moments 101.
4- M enters her apartment and finds Bond there. Only a young, brash 007 would dare to infiltrate M's privacy. (One can imagine, say, a young Roger pulling the same stunt). When M ends the meeting, she coldly tells him to never return again. For a split-second, the world's greatest spy is just a mischevious kid, reprimanded by his mother. (And make no mistake, the original M is the only father-figure in Bond's world). When Bond tries to sneak out his Beretta from under M's nose in DN, the old man sees it a mile away. Check out Bond's reaction when he returns the gun. Compare it to Bond's reaction to M's warning in CR.
M is Bond's boss. And he knows it. Period. End of conversation.
Bond is Bond, and the world's bad-guys tremble at the sound of his name...but the reality is this: the only person in the world who can control 007 is M. Always has been...always will be.
5- The confrontation with Demetrius. Bond squares off in a silent deadly exchange with a knife. Check out how blank Bond is here. Perfectly played by Craig...its as if Bond has an off switch...ice-cold death in his eyes...as he stares Demetrius down. You can search 20 films, and you will not find a similiar chilling expression.
6- When Vesper gives Bond a new tux, there is a wonderful moment where she catches him admiring himself in the mirror. And Bond sees her smiling...but tries to ignore her. Always remember, vanity is an essential part of Bond's make-up. Just ask Fiona Volpe in TB.
7- Bond wakes up from near-death and sees Vesper.
"You all right?"
"Me?!?!"
Only Bond.
8- During the card game, Bond's concentration gets absolutely derailed when he sees a stunning Vesper cross the room. One of the finest examples ever concerning Bond's universally acknowledged Achilles' heel. Bond is a pro who always gets the job done...with no distractions...until a Honey Ryder appears...and then......
9- "Sorry about that. That last hand nearly killed me."
Students of Bondian cool, please take notes.
10- In an already classic scene, Bond is tortured by LeChiffre and still manages to push the bad-guy's buttons. When Bond tells LeChiffre he's got an "itch" the moment is electrifying . When he adds "Do you mind?" the result is absolute Bond perfection
There is no other hero in the history of movies who would say the words "Do you mind?" under similiar conditions.
IMO, this scene could have been pulled off by every previous 007 (including, I know you scoff, Roger) and the results would heve been similiar. I can imagine each Bond saying the words, "Do you mind?" wiith his own particular slant and attitude.
Mark my words, "Do you mind?" will go down as one of the greatest lines in Bond history.
10) The death of Vesper.
A superb job done by Craig in the scene where he fails to revive Vesper. Check out Bond's rush of emotions before the ice-cold mask descends and he regains Bondian composure. You can search high and low in 20 films and you will not find a better example of how Bond has become cold around the heart when it comes to Death.
It is as if Vesper is his last link with vulnerability. When she dies, Bond officially becomes the cold-blooded 007 of the series.
Of course, there are countless other moments to share. Any opinions?
"Yes...considerably."
8-
Comments
...seconds before that, the look on his face as the fueling truck skids to a halt---scant feet from the shiny new passenger jet...
And I can't resist repeating my praise for the moment, on the crane arm, when Bond catches the gun Mollaka throws at him---only to hurl it back and 'bean' him with it...
You're right to single out the torture scene, BZ, as IMRO that's the moment when Craig assumes complete ownership of the role. I also love the moment when Bond---in agony---laughs at Le Chiffre, who returns the laugh in spite of himself, and says "You're really not going to tell me, are you?" Bond, still laughing, shakes his head: No. Priceless -{
This film is chock-full of great moments :007)
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
I would also argue that there is something in Bond's psyche that simply cannot allow a woman to die like that...even a bad girl like Fiona Volpe or Xenia would not be allowed to suffer.
Come to think of it, has Bond ever killed a woman in cold blood? Outside of Fiona, Xenia and Elektra I can't think of any others at the moment.
The implication has always been that Bond's weakness is women. But check the films and you'll realize that Bond is an equal-opportunity killer. If you're a bad guy (or gal) Bond won't lose any sleep over your demise.
( Even Nick Nack is warned by Bond that his height won't make a difference if he decides to kill him).
And there is a moment in OHMSS which is chilling in its implications:
Bond disarms Tracy and then slaps her, saying "I can be much more persuasive, Contessa."
THAT is one of the scariest moments in the series. For the simple reason that Bond is capable of hurting (and killing) any woman who threatens him.
In FRWL, Bond strikes Tania and tells her "I'll do worse than that." WORSE than that?!? (As if he's speaking from experience!)
So to finish up. No, DEFIANT, I don't think it is contradictary for Bond to try and save Vesper. It is the essence of his character to enjoy women but not to necessarily trust them.
Cruelty plays a big part in Bond's worldview...and 007 is like a cat with a mouse when it comes to kiliing bad guys. (007's glee is all over the series).
If Dr.No or Stromberg was in that sinking elevator, Bond
would be smoking a cigarette as the bubbles rose out of the water.
"Strange as it may seem...I've grown accustomed to your face."
In the book, after he discovered Vesper was a spy (Vesper wrote a letter to Bond before committing suicide), Bond's reaction was as follows - to quote the book:
"Then he threw it (the letter) down on the bed as if it was a scorpion." ... "For a moment he looked out towards the quiet sea, then he cursed aloud, one harsh obscenity."
Most importantly,
"He now saw her only as a spy. Their love and his grief were relegated to the boxroom of his mind. Later, perhaps they would be dragged out, dispassionately examined, and then bitterly thrust back with other sentimental baggage he would rather forget. Now he could only think of her treachery to the Service and to her country .... "
Quoted from Fleming, I, (1953) Casino Royale
This is why I think Bond wouldn't have tried to save Vesper. He would've seen her as a traitor, and just let her die as a traitor.
Love that moment. Wish I met a girl like that.
When fighting with Demetrios, i love the scene because unlike Moore (maybe Brosnan or any other if you get my point) he didn't say anything "clever", he distract him, stab him and there you go, no "i believe this is yours" or "i prefer to keep your wife, not your guns" or "you keep it" nothing, just a job done. no relieve, pure drama(?)
I like the splendid check in scene (remind me LTK)
You know what is the problem Defiant... they (i mean MI6) need her alive. Bond didn't need to save her for love (to marry her or so) he might need her alive to get some answers. Of course he felt shocked in the betrayal, and in the elevator (not so much in the "allow me" line) but that is what i think happend. i might be wrong.
Loved the footchase scene. That was awesome.
And of course the " Do you mind?" "I have an itch" during the torture scene.
I'm gratified that you appreciate that moment, {[] as I think it's the best ending of a Bond film in quite a long time---and it might bode well for the future, when his suaveness and cruelty (aided by more of the theme) will be more the norm, rather than merely the finishing point of Craig-Bond's initial character arc...
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
JB: A little. But I won't consider myself to be in trouble until I start weeping blood.
Absolute class - so deadpan, timing and delivery spot on!!
The line from my sig - loved it the first time and love it now!
The film was full of moments that, to me, are etched to memory in a way that most other films don't even register.
Nice post BZ {[]
Another terrific moment (or scene) was the scene in Le Chiffre's hotel room. His girldfriend is about to get her arm chopped off, and he says nothing. It really shows what kind of guy he is.
1) The shooting of Dryden- This rivals Bond's killing of Dent as the greatest moment in the film franchise of cool, ruthless execution by our hero. And Craig's delivery of "Yes. Considerably" is absolutely classic.
2) The gunbarrel. This was absolutely brilliant. This is the perfect affirmation of Daniel Craig as James Bond, 007, and caps off the perfect introduction to him through the entire PTS. In time, I predict that this will become THE iconic image of Craig's tenure as Bond.
3) The escape from the Liberian Embassy. Bond so coolly executes Mollaka, and proceeds to blow the cannister and escape into the dust. As bigzilcho said, this is an "ice cold" moment, but it's also a calculating Bond moment. He was their prisoner to be and had to get out. He had Mollaka's backpack, so there's no reason to have kept him alive. Great stuff.
4) The first shot of Bond in the tux. Craig fits it like a glove. He's affirmed as the Bond image at this point.
5) The shower scene. This is one of the most important scenes in the entire film franchise, and one of two pivotal scenes in the film. Here, we see Bond as the bleeding heart romantic regarding women from the novels. This is something that has simply never been seen before, and Craig and Eva pull it off stunningly. This is the moment in which you know Bond is in love with Vesper.
6) The poisoning sequence. This is arguably the closest Bond has ever come to death in the entire film franchise. If the shower scene didn't totally disarm him as a human being, this scene did. He fell for the trap in his favorite drink, and he messes up the wiring on the defibrillator. It is only by the grace of fate that he is allowed to live. And then, how can we forget perhaps the most classic line from the entire movie, expertly delivered by Craig, to cap it off:
"I'm sorry. That last hand... nearly killed me."
7) The torture scene. This is the second pivotal scene in the film. It's nasty (although it could have been nastier) and brutal. But through it all, Craig takes complete ownership of the role as a patriotic, defiant, determined agent of Her Majesty's government with: "I've got a little itch... down there. Would you mind?" Great stuff.
8) The love sequences. I think the love story could have been developed better, but the sequences stretching from the rain scene to the sailing into Venice are brilliantly done, if for no other reason than the soundtrack. The music is so perfect in these scenes and fits them so well: so romantic and beautiful.
9) Bond frantically trying to resuscitate Vesper, and failing. Craig just plays this scene so well, displaying the mix of emotions rolling through his head and heart, from grief of losing her to the anger of her betrayal. He just loses it in this scene.
10) The final scene. This is the culmination of James Bond developing into that which is familiar to filmgoers, and of Craig's formation of his interpretation. So cool. So arrogant. And the delivery of that final line to cap the film:
"The name's Bond. James Bond." Terrific stuff.
Two scenes I really love are when Bond meets Vesper on the train, and then when they are in the car to the casino.
The train scene is excellent and we can sense the chemistry between Bond and Vesper immediately! Their conversation is very entertaining and DC's expression when Vesper leaves is brilliant.
As for the car scene, "you're Ms Stephanie Broadchest"
"Don't worry you're not my type"
"Smart?"
"Single"
Enough said!
1-Not only is this the best moment in the film, it is also the first (and only) time that Craig delivers that line;
"the name is Bond, James Bond". All the other Bonds get to deliver this line twice in a film.
That was cool, that was classic.
2-Another classic moment is the accident scene, after Le Chiffre kidnaps Vesper and drops her in the middle of the road. Everyone in the cinema jumped out of their seats at that scene. "Shocking... definately shocking". And I don't mean GF, only borrowed a line!
-
Yeah love can drive men to do strange things lol Bond loved Vesper and no matter what she had done, the depth of feeling he had experianced with her could nt be taken away. I love the moment when Bond makes his first kill, 'You no my name' Kicks in as bond stands there staring down the gun barrel, felt the opening title sequence was inspired. The black and white siluette of bond fighting off villians is absolute class and is bond through and through.
The moments that most "homaged" the earlier Bonds, ironically, are the ones that reminded me visually of the Connery ones -- watching Craig do Connery's walk, for instance, when he meets M at Demetrious' house, or his sitting down in a relaxed but serious way to play cards in the Bahamas. The scene where he picks up Solange reminded me of elements of "Thunderball," and I could easily imagine Connery having exactly the same scene in one of his films, right down to the dialogue. Most of the other scenes felt more like the literary Bond, which was good, mixed with a bit more of contemporary action hero behavior and attitude, such as Bond's snapping at Villiers, doing the Indiana Jones thing with the tanker truck (watch the sequence in "Raiders of the Lost Ark" with the troop truck, and you'll see what I mean), or, probably my favorite single moment outside of the gun-thing that Loeff brought up, grabbing the steak knife at the casino to finish the job once and for all. I will say that his dive into the water after Vesper looked a lot like Bond diving into the water in one of Brosnan's films. All that said, these might seem criticisms, but they're not. Part of what makes "Casino Royale" work so well for me is that it didn't simply go through the motions of repackaging what we've seen before. It has enough of the Bond flavor to assure us we're seeing Bond, but the rest seems fresh enough that it's like discovering the series all over again. That's sense of freshness needs to be maintained in the next film; one key philosophy that I've seen expressed is that this is a movie about James Bond rather than a James Bond movie. I agree and think that's why it works exquisitely.
EDIT: Some gibberish got pasted somehow to the end of the rest of the gibberish.
Glad to see I was the only one that couldn't contain my glee with the classic phrase and suavness. I just love the whole scene. he uses Vespers phone to track him down, call him to get him to stop and POW!, then walks up puts the phone back in his coat (I love that part, kind of like....yea thats how I did it) looks down and says the line. Even though I had him pinned as Bond from the GB sequence, this just reinterated the point.
I also love the scene where he stops the truck and leans over to look at how close of a shave it really was. The expression is priceless.
Tux scene, classic Bond.
The torture scene seemed in perfect relation to the book Bond. Always trying to instigate the villian to anger to make a mistake he can play off of.
I can go on forever and I just might, on second thought I won't.