CR = Neo OHMSS?

Prince Kamal Khan

The topic on TLD being the neo-FRWL made me think of this. CR is the neo-OHMSS:

Similarities-

1)Both films are the debut Bond film for a new actor who's more muscular than the other Bonds and is very convincing in the fight scenes.
2)Both films follow a sci-fi/fantasy Asian location Bond film staring a popular Bond actor and are more down-to-earth and serious films than their immediate predecessors.
3)Both films feature a love story where Bond considers giving up his job for love.
4)Both main Bond girls end up dead.
5)Both films feature less gadgetry than usual.
6)They are the 2 Bond films with the longest running times.
7)In both films, Bond resigns the secret service only to be prevented by the intervention of a female MI6 employee.
8)In both films, Bond meets with M at M's home.
9)Both films have different style main title sequences than what was done before.
10) Both films end with the James Bond theme blaring over the closing credits.
11) Both films feature a more vulnerable and human Bond than usual.
12) In OHMSS, the first half is slower and more drama oriented while the second half is action packed.
In CR, the first half is more action packed while the second half is slower and more drama oriented.
13) Bond drives an Aston Martin in both
14) Bond goes to Casino Royale in both(I know OHMSS the film never says the casino is CR as they obviously couldn't both for legal reasons at the time and also not to confuse viewers thinking they were referring to the 1967 Peter Sellers spoof but those of us who've read the novel know it's CR where Bond meets both Tracy and Vesper, the 2 most important women in his life)
15) Bond battles thug in casino's hotel in both
16) Bond has a serious scene with the leading lady in a hotel room where they bond and their relationship deepens

Anyone else notice the OHMSS/CR connections before?

Loeffelholz

Absolutely. I've long thought that OHMSS and CR are two sides of a Fleming coin; they're the two novels in which Bond's heart is utterly broken by tragic loss...and if you think about it, these two particular Bond films are the only two in which we observe Bond as one half of a functional, happy romantic couple...however briefly

Your points are all good ones, especially inasmuch as I think these two films will be viewed as classics in the rear-view mirror of history.

Dan Same

Another similarity between the two films is that they both end with a significant and memorable line; the line in CR and "We have all the time in the world" in OHMSS. These two lines ensure that the audience departs the film quite emotional; either heartbroken in the case of OHMSS or on a stunned high in the case of CR.

Seahawk

Both films feature actresses born in Yorkshire who have starred in critically acclaimed productions of "Antony & Cleopatra". (Diana Rigg & Judi Dench)
In both films Bond uses an SMG during an iconic scene.

chrisno1

Good call P.K.K.
I never saw that many similarities, but your spot on. Got any ideas for how neo- QOS is going to turn out to be?

Prince Kamal Khan

Loeffelholz wrote:

Absolutely. I've long thought that OHMSS and CR are two sides of a Fleming coin; they're the two novels in which Bond's heart is utterly broken by tragic loss...and if you think about it, these two particular Bond films are the only two in which we observe Bond as one half of a functional, happy romantic couple...however briefly

Your points are all good ones, especially inasmuch as I think these two films will be viewed as classics in the rear-view mirror of history.

Thanks, Loeffelholz. Although I would say Bond/Kara in TLD was as equally effective as a Bond/Bond girl romantic couple as Bond/Tracy in OHMSS and Bond/Vesper in CR if not more.

chrisno1 wrote:

Good call P.K.K.
I never saw that many similarities, but your spot on. Got any ideas for how neo- QOS is going to turn out to be?

Thanks, chrisno1. From what I've learned so far, I think QOS is going to be the neo-LTK but I'm waiting until after I see it to make a final decision on that.

Loeffelholz

Prince Kamal Khan wrote:

I would say Bond/Kara in TLD was as equally effective as a Bond/Bond girl romantic couple as Bond/Tracy in OHMSS and Bond/Vesper in CR, if not more.

Ostensibly so, but IMO it's greatly mitigated by the fact that Bond is deliberately 'playing' Kara in order to get to Koskov. Although it's true that they look like quite the happy couple.

Then again, Vesper is 'playing' Bond in CR...so perhaps OHMSS stands alone as the only undiluted example...

yodboy007

I never thought of those two films having so many similarities until now. That is quite a long list. Although I must be a pain in the neck again and say that due to certain elements OHMSS felt more like Bond film and I, therefore, like it more than CR.

I agree that QoS might be a neo-LTK because Bond is on a revenge mission that takes place in Central or South America with Felix Leiter's involvement. It is this very prospect of being similar to LTK that I am confident that QoS will blow CR out of the water. But then again LTK will probably have had Q, Moneypenny, a proper gunbarrel and more of the James Bond Theme, but I won't judge until I see the film.