The Bond/M Tokyo Mystery
bigzilcho
Toronto, ONPosts: 245MI6 Agent
I have always wondered about a moment in that gloriously funny scene in M's office in FRWL where Bond tweaks the old man in his conversation with Tania.
Tania asks Bond if she is as exciting as Western women to which Bond replies, rather cryptically, "Well, once when I was in Tokyo wth M..."
With lightning quick speed that would make Bruce Lee envious, good ol' Bernard Lee springs up, shuts the recorder and dismisses Moneypenny.
M's sphinx-like smile as he considers his pipe in silence is priceless.
Bond and M on a early mission, perhaps? Now THAT would be a cool "what-if idea.
Any speculations?
Oh, by the way, in YOLT, Bond tells Henderson he's never been in Japan before.
The mystery deepens.
Hmmm...a simple mistake?..or....?
(CUE John Barry music)
"No, it must be a trap."
"Of course its a trap, and the bait's a Lektor."
"A Lektor, no less."
Tania asks Bond if she is as exciting as Western women to which Bond replies, rather cryptically, "Well, once when I was in Tokyo wth M..."
With lightning quick speed that would make Bruce Lee envious, good ol' Bernard Lee springs up, shuts the recorder and dismisses Moneypenny.
M's sphinx-like smile as he considers his pipe in silence is priceless.
Bond and M on a early mission, perhaps? Now THAT would be a cool "what-if idea.
Any speculations?
Oh, by the way, in YOLT, Bond tells Henderson he's never been in Japan before.
The mystery deepens.
Hmmm...a simple mistake?..or....?
(CUE John Barry music)
"No, it must be a trap."
"Of course its a trap, and the bait's a Lektor."
"A Lektor, no less."
Comments
Thanks, BZ.
Done.
1)How certain are we that Bond is always telling the truth? Perhaps when he told Henderson that he had never been in Japan before he did so as to put Henderon off his guard. I would imagine that he was telling Tatiana the truth as it seemed to me that she caught him at a weak moment, although I could be wrong of course.
2)What I love about the Bond films, particularly the early Connery ones, is that there are always these small moments which can lead to wonderful speculation.
3)I've never read the books, but maybe there's an answer in one of the novels.
Also...M's staff...who are they? One scene...and gone.
And...perhaps...something happened in the past (a woman?)that Bond knows enough about which would cause M to jump at the mere mention of Tokyo.
The essence of the Bond/M relationship is a very subtle display of one-upmanship at the highest level.
Please note the wonderful touch of disdain M shows Bond every time they meet in his office. M loved to keep 007 standing at attention before he bothered to look up from his papers.
That nuance, established in DN, is a M signature.
Indeed, M taking that extra moment to make the world's greatest agent squirm a bit...and letting Bond know who's-who and what's
-what in this particular office...sums up M to a tee.
"When do you sleep, 007?"
"Never on the firm's time, sir."
Perhaps, however I would say that it's more than that. That is that M and Bond actualy care about each other. Yes, M would have no problem sending Bond off to his death if the situation called for it, but I think that M secretly views Bond as a kind of son. Remember in OHMSS when Moneypenny had to intervene after Bond resigned? I think that M was extremelty relieved, not just because Bond is his best agent but because he cares about him. However like many disapproving fathers, he likes to keep Bond on hs toes, while Bond himself enjoys nothing more having some fun at the Old Man's expense.
I think this encapsulates their relationship perfectly and is an example of their father/son bond. {[]
Enter Red Grant.
"We're pros, Mr. Bond. We sweated your recogntion code from one of your men in Tokyo."
Tokyo?!?
Now thats a strange bit of coincidence...or... is it? (CUE John Barry music).
Henderson...perhaps...?
Shocking, you say?
Ah
humble Bond-fans...who are we...compared with Kronsteen?
"My reading of the British mentality is that they always treat a trap as a challenge."
Kronsteen, the grand chess-master, had a plan for SPECTRE beyond his death...only to be silenced by an angry Blofeld.
Believe me, its a doozy of a plan...which encapsulates the secret history of the 21 films into one seemingly precise and unified package. The Kronsteen Counter-Moves (as the plan is called) is unknown to even the finest Bond scholars in the world.
(Some of whom happen to be members here)
At the moment, I am not at liberty to discuss in detail either THE TOKYO SECRETS nor its counterpart document THE KRONSTEEN COUNTER-MOVES.
Need to know, old boy. You understand, of course.
Rest assured, this clue in FRWL is not unique.
There is a secret underground counter-reality in this series...which ties up all questions and discrepancies. The Summation of Bond History by Bigzilcho, if you will.
One of the key clues to this history is Bond and M in Tokyo. Always Remember that.
"Can you swim? This way, please. Mind your step. Just not your day... is it?"