FRWL Deleted dialogue

Lazenby

I found the following in an amazon review of FRWL (2 disc ultimate edition):

"My more important note of curiosity however is the content of the film itself. I still have not seen any version on VHS, Laser or DVD as the ones I have seen in the theater for FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE.

It appears that on video two scenes contain cuts.

Cut # 1: When Red Grant has Bond on his knees at gunpoint aboard the Orient Express, he editorializes in a most graphic manner about the roll of film that was shot of Bond and Tatiana in the boudoir. For its time, this was a rather risqué piece of dialogue. By today's standards it is somewhat timid. Bond's comeback is still intact on the video, responding to Grant how it took a collection of pretty sick minds to dream up such a scheme. That was a direct response to Grant's cut line and gives us an insight into Bond's moral standards that there is a line that even he would not cross given his flare for the more amorous pursuits.

Cut # 2: This cut line is more obvious and comes at the end of the film when Bond and Tatiana are floating down the canals of Venice. Bond holds up the reel of film seized from Grant. Again, Bond makes a direct reference to Grant's cut line from the train in a droll throwaway remark to a puzzled looking Tatiana. You can actually see this cut because the music jumps. Once more, this cut line of dialogue gives us another glimpse into the James Bond mystique as it was still being formed and honed for the screen. I am sure Bond is probably saying to himself, 'Take all the dirty pictures you want. I'm the one with the girl and Grant, 'old boy,' you're the one six feet under.'"

Can anyone here comment on this?

taity

The line was "what a performance." It was cut late in the editing process, and after the music track had been set to the gondola ride.

Barbel

The cut's handled a bit better on the UE than earlier editions.

emtiem

'He was right you know' is missing from the UE's? That's dreadful.

Barbel

emtiem wrote:

'He was right you know' is missing from the UE's? That's dreadful.

No no, it's there; the join is straight after that line, just as Tania speaks.

Stephen

I am almost 100% certain that these lines were in all "FRWL" release prints made between 1963 and 1970. The reason they were removed is because of the ratings update in the UK. The Bonds were 'A's, which meant that children under 16 had to be accompanied by an adult. The Briish Board of Film Censors introduced the 'AA' certificate, which meant that children under 14 had to be accompanied by an adult. Children could now be admitted into cinemas showing 'A' films, without adults, as this now just indicated a warning to parents that there might be content unsuitable for children. For the Bonds to retain the 'A' certificate, small changes had to be made. "FRWL" had more changes than the others. Besides the already mentioned lines, Bond's yell, when Grant hits him with the butt of a gun, is dipped very low. You can just barely hear it now. For some reason the US prints were changed also.
No one seems to be able to find a 35mm IB Technicolor print from the original release so that these cuts can be restored.

Napoleon Plural

This seems very bizarre, because you really would think if there were so many of these early prints made and presumably still knocking around, they could just reinstate the missing dialogue, which is glaringly obvious in the final scene.

There's no call to omit that dialogue in this day and age.