Sean Connery's Face Mask in From Russia With Love!

michael_metal

I have always wondered about the artist who designed the very well made mask in the opening sequence of From Russia With Love. That's supposed to be Grant's training session. Any ideas as to who designed that real-life mask? {:)

highhopes

I'm pretty sure that most of that sequence was filmed with Connery. I don't think we get a look at the actual mask, so I'm not sure how well-made it really was.

Moore Not Less

Indeed, most of the sequence is filmed with Sean Connery as Bond's double until Grant kills him. Morzeny then approaches, compliments Grant and then bends down to remove the mask from Bond's double. There's a pretty good side-on view (for a couple of seconds) of the mask as Morzeny removes it. It does look well made and is quite realistic. Alas, I have no idea as to who designed it.

Osato

I agree, the mask looks pretty convincing in the brief look we get of it.

On a similar theme, anybody have any info on Roger's "waxwork" in TMWTGG?

I know that Guy Hamilton says it is a waxwork ("and a good one") in his director's commentary on the DVD, but I still believe it's poor old Roger holding still for a few seconds! If he is, he does it better than the wobbly, blinking Al Capone "waxwork"!

The opportunity to have Bond look himself in the face as it were, would surely have been taken - but we never see Roger and the "dummy" in the same shot, which leads me to suspect that Mr Hamilton is "mis-remembering".

And I doubt if even Cubby would have shelled out for such a good likeness for just a few seconds - these dummies don't come cheap, certainly not if they are any good. (On that basis, the entire Great Yarmouth Wax Museum must have cost about eleven quid.)

taity

I'm near certain that the Roger's fingers wooble when he is first revealed in the light.

Mark Hazard

Osato wrote:

I agree, the mask looks pretty convincing in the brief look we get of it.

On a similar theme, anybody have any info on Roger's "waxwork" in TMWTGG?

I know that Guy Hamilton says it is a waxwork ("and a good one") in his director's commentary on the DVD, but I still believe it's poor old Roger holding still for a few seconds! If he is, he does it better than the wobbly, blinking Al Capone "waxwork"!

The opportunity to have Bond look himself in the face as it were, would surely have been taken - but we never see Roger and the "dummy" in the same shot, which leads me to suspect that Mr Hamilton is "mis-remembering".

Ever given a thought that Mr Hamilton may be being rude about Roger's acting?? )

steelenick

I stumbled across this thread - the mask was created by my Grandfather - Bob Lawrance who was a make-up artist working at Pinewood, did a lot of credited and uncredited work on the Bond Films along with his brother-in-law Bas Newell. The mask was actually modeled / built on my dads face / head :)

Barbel

Thank you very much for that, @steelenick.

That was very interesting information. Above I've put a shot from the film- I wonder if by any chance you have any photos?

Number24

https://www.ajb007.co.uk/discussion/comment/1058843#Comment_1058843

Amazing! What a connection to the Bond movies.

Quentin Quigley

Great bit of trivia there, thanks for sharing.

Uncanny seeing this thread just now, as someone I know just picked up a latex Connery mask to tribute this scene.

heartbroken_mr_drax

Just on the bit about Moore's wax work in TMWTGG...

It's Moore with heavy makeup on to make it look like a wax model. He's moving and wobbling at times - the Blu-ray makes this more obvious (just like the strings in MR's models).

I think when Scaramanga shoots-off the fingers that Moore is just holding a fake hand that has its fingers blow off?