Moments That Define Bond
bigzilcho
Toronto, ONPosts: 245MI6 Agent
Greetings, everyone.
Bond is many things to many people and there are countless moments that could define the character of our favorite spy.
I'll start the ball rolling.
DN- "Sergeant, make sure he doesn't get away."
The first real one-liner in the series, thrown away with a non-chalance that would make Cary Grant proud. Bond's flippant attitude towards death was startling in 1962 and, in some critical circles, downright subversive. How cool is that?
FRWL- Bond and M talk about Lektors. Bond double-takes on the the photo of Tania and one instantly realizes that Bond the wolf is off to Instabul on the first flight out. A gloriously funny moment. Always remember: Bond is addicted to women and danger...at once.
GF- "You know nothing, Mr.Bond!"
"Operation Grand-Slam, for instance."
Our man Bond might be the world's greatest spy but once in a while he gets in a situation that not even Q can get him out of. And when all options have run out...and all looks lost...what does Bond do? He bluffs...DESPERATELY!
Make no mistake about it, this scene is legendary for good reason. Wit, charm, toughness, and cunning mean nothing at this moment. Bond gambles on a long-shot that he has no right to gamble on. THAT is the essence of Bond.
TB- Bond, looking like a million bucks, saunters into the Nassau casino and, without hesitation, challenges Largo at cards. Wishy-washy heroes, who have no initiative bore me to tears. Bond is a phenomenon because every guy in the world wishes he had the guts and confidence to walk into any situation with that type of boldness.
YOLT- "The things I do for England."
Bond has done many things for Queen and Country. Seducing the Fiona Volpes and Helga Brandts of the world is fun times, to be sure, but for Bond its all in a day's work. Even M uses Bond to seduce the opposition. In FRWL, Bond wonders if he can reach Tania's expectations of him. "Just be sure that you do." M glares at him through the pipe-smoke.
OHMSS- Bond sliding down the ice firing a machine gun. That's not cool. That's super-cool! And then some.
DAF- "Who is your floor?"
Before the cracking good fight with Franks, Bond plays a friendly Dutchman...with broken English to boot. A wonderful touch and a reminder of a time that the friendlier Bond got when playing someone, the more chance that mayhem was just around the corner.
LALD- Bond burns the snake and then casually taps some after-shave on his face...without a care in the world. For Bond, killing deadly snakes easily takes second place to all grooming considerations. Anything less is simply unthinkable, old boy.
TMWTGG- "Speak now, or forever hold your piece." When it comes to survival, Bond is beyond cruel. He is a *******. No ifs ands or buts about it. That is what Fleming meant by his "blunt instrument" line.
TSWLM- The ski-jump. The audacity, the sheer craziness, of that jump is what James Bond the character is all about. In one word: bold. As 006 says in GE: "Only Bond."
MR- "As you said, such good sport."
When one is dealing with the world's greatest villians, one must always show impeccable manners and never NEVER NEVER gloat over the victories. Bond kills his assassin, thanks his host and drives off without a glance back. Graceful exits like this make Bond the coolest cat in the universe.
FYEO- Bond visits Tracy's grave.
What is great about the series is the fact that Bond is a widower...who NEVER talks about his wife. I mean...NEVER! Bond is a character that will not share his pain of that incident (or any from the past) and THAT is what makes Bond Bond. We as the audience know that Tracy's death has scarred him by the way he avoids any reference to it. And it is THAT avoidance WHICH defines 007.
When Bond visits the grave...we are reminded of a man who feels pain...but will let no one else in the world see it.
Kudos to Roger, Dalton and Brosnan for playing Bond the widower in a way which said:"My past is the past.Do not go there." with the subtlest of expressions.
Heroes who keep their own counsel are going the way of the dodo bird. There's too many emo characters out there today, all too willing to tell you what they had for breakfast at the drop of a hat.
The fact that Bond makes no mention of Tracy in 14 movies (!!!)is astonishing and, (dare I say it?) great story-telling. Its a respect for a thing called mystery.
Bond gently placing the flowers on the grave says more about Bond than any monologue can ever hope to achieve.
At the end of the day, a man of action is totally defined by his actions. Not his words.
End of Part I
Bond is many things to many people and there are countless moments that could define the character of our favorite spy.
I'll start the ball rolling.
DN- "Sergeant, make sure he doesn't get away."
The first real one-liner in the series, thrown away with a non-chalance that would make Cary Grant proud. Bond's flippant attitude towards death was startling in 1962 and, in some critical circles, downright subversive. How cool is that?
FRWL- Bond and M talk about Lektors. Bond double-takes on the the photo of Tania and one instantly realizes that Bond the wolf is off to Instabul on the first flight out. A gloriously funny moment. Always remember: Bond is addicted to women and danger...at once.
GF- "You know nothing, Mr.Bond!"
"Operation Grand-Slam, for instance."
Our man Bond might be the world's greatest spy but once in a while he gets in a situation that not even Q can get him out of. And when all options have run out...and all looks lost...what does Bond do? He bluffs...DESPERATELY!
Make no mistake about it, this scene is legendary for good reason. Wit, charm, toughness, and cunning mean nothing at this moment. Bond gambles on a long-shot that he has no right to gamble on. THAT is the essence of Bond.
TB- Bond, looking like a million bucks, saunters into the Nassau casino and, without hesitation, challenges Largo at cards. Wishy-washy heroes, who have no initiative bore me to tears. Bond is a phenomenon because every guy in the world wishes he had the guts and confidence to walk into any situation with that type of boldness.
YOLT- "The things I do for England."
Bond has done many things for Queen and Country. Seducing the Fiona Volpes and Helga Brandts of the world is fun times, to be sure, but for Bond its all in a day's work. Even M uses Bond to seduce the opposition. In FRWL, Bond wonders if he can reach Tania's expectations of him. "Just be sure that you do." M glares at him through the pipe-smoke.
OHMSS- Bond sliding down the ice firing a machine gun. That's not cool. That's super-cool! And then some.
DAF- "Who is your floor?"
Before the cracking good fight with Franks, Bond plays a friendly Dutchman...with broken English to boot. A wonderful touch and a reminder of a time that the friendlier Bond got when playing someone, the more chance that mayhem was just around the corner.
LALD- Bond burns the snake and then casually taps some after-shave on his face...without a care in the world. For Bond, killing deadly snakes easily takes second place to all grooming considerations. Anything less is simply unthinkable, old boy.
TMWTGG- "Speak now, or forever hold your piece." When it comes to survival, Bond is beyond cruel. He is a *******. No ifs ands or buts about it. That is what Fleming meant by his "blunt instrument" line.
TSWLM- The ski-jump. The audacity, the sheer craziness, of that jump is what James Bond the character is all about. In one word: bold. As 006 says in GE: "Only Bond."
MR- "As you said, such good sport."
When one is dealing with the world's greatest villians, one must always show impeccable manners and never NEVER NEVER gloat over the victories. Bond kills his assassin, thanks his host and drives off without a glance back. Graceful exits like this make Bond the coolest cat in the universe.
FYEO- Bond visits Tracy's grave.
What is great about the series is the fact that Bond is a widower...who NEVER talks about his wife. I mean...NEVER! Bond is a character that will not share his pain of that incident (or any from the past) and THAT is what makes Bond Bond. We as the audience know that Tracy's death has scarred him by the way he avoids any reference to it. And it is THAT avoidance WHICH defines 007.
When Bond visits the grave...we are reminded of a man who feels pain...but will let no one else in the world see it.
Kudos to Roger, Dalton and Brosnan for playing Bond the widower in a way which said:"My past is the past.Do not go there." with the subtlest of expressions.
Heroes who keep their own counsel are going the way of the dodo bird. There's too many emo characters out there today, all too willing to tell you what they had for breakfast at the drop of a hat.
The fact that Bond makes no mention of Tracy in 14 movies (!!!)is astonishing and, (dare I say it?) great story-telling. Its a respect for a thing called mystery.
Bond gently placing the flowers on the grave says more about Bond than any monologue can ever hope to achieve.
At the end of the day, a man of action is totally defined by his actions. Not his words.
End of Part I
Comments
The list is endless. But in TB i love the part where Bond is seen at the health clinic at the beginning, seducing a nurse into the steam room/sauna. You see their bare skin press up against the glass and then it cuts to Bond leaving the room where he shouts ...
"See Ya Later... Alligator"
That bit makes me laugh out loud everytime i see it. Maybe not THE "Moment that defines Bond" that everyone was looking for, but to me, that little cut scene holds a special place in my heart
The line is "See Ya Later, Irrigator."