AJB live commentary on FRWL

Barbel

Higgins wrote:

Did Bianchi have a double in that scene?

She says so

Barbel

Thanks, but not that one!

Number24

Gymkata wrote:

Kronstein. I seem to remember reading somewhere that the actor was good friends with Connery and got the gig because of that friendship.

I think he got cast because he has a very memorable face. He appears jsut a few minutes, and only in the start and at the ending.
But your story could also be true.

Higgins

Holy......

That masseuse and her balcony!

Shady Tree

Barbel wrote:

John Barry's Spectre motif. It'll return later.

I think this perfectly encapsulates Fleming's sense of "the death-watch beetle of the soul". Barry's suspense cues in this film, ahead of his response to the more comedic fantasy of GF, are in tune with Fleming's sensibility... though '007' adds some lightness to the action later on.

Barbel

Lotter Lenya, of "Mack The Knife" fame

Barbel

:x I am eternally grateful.

Higgins

Gymkata, I thought that you where on 4 k!

Number24

The guide in the SPECTRE faciity has a "KGB leather jacket".

Barbel

Music- “Tania Meets Klebb” of course

Shady Tree

Well, he WAS fit enough... until she just ruptured his stomach.

Higgins

That yellow dress hasn‘t aged well.

Compare with Aki‘s green dress a bit later

Shady Tree

Brilliant set-up with Grant stalking Tania

Higgins

I wonder if Lenya could see anything thru these beerbottle bottoms

Barbel

Tania dubbed by Barbara Jefford



Don't know why it wasn't Nikki van der Zyl

Barbel

Music- “From Russia With Love” the Matt Monro vocal version- not conducted by John Barry, as was the title music, but by his friend Johnnie Spence

Number24

I wonder if the audience back then picked up on the lesbian undertones?

Shady Tree

Lotte Lenya shares the goggle-eyed bi-focals of the Rosa Klebb of the novel, but physically she's otherwise quite different.

Tania's "I will obey your orders!" is a funny line after Klebb's threat...

Higgins

Connery wearing some underwear under his boxers....
You brits are so uptight.....

Barbel

They're more blatant in Fleming's book.

Edit- the lesbian undertones, not Bond's underwear

Shady Tree

I'm glad Bond dumped Sylvia after this film... unless she dumped him first.

At least part of her dialogue sounds like dubbed by Nikki van der Zyl?

Number24

Gymkata wrote:

Number24 wrote:

I wonder if the audience back then picked up on the lesbian undertones?

No. If they did, then they WOULD BE SHOT.

But of course )

Higgins

Padded office door

Barbel

Bernard Lee note-perfect as M, as usual

Barbel

Shady Tree wrote:

I'm glad Bond dumped Sylvia after this film... unless she dumped him first.

At least part of her dialogue sounds like dubbed by Nikki van der Zyl?

Yup.

Shady Tree

"Unless she's mental". Sounds dated now... "mental" having become an offensive term for mental illness?

Higgins

Connery‘s accent almost sounded like italian here when he‘s speaking about the dekoter

Barbel

Hello, Desmond!

Barbel

Higgins wrote:

Connery‘s accent almost sounded like italian here when he‘s speaking about the dekoter

You must give me the name of your audiologist.

Number24

Fact: Desmond Llewelyn was born a grey-haired old man.