I been overanalysing some more about how this film is itself almost a collection of overlapping short stories, and this insight that the very plot that ties it all together is not a plot at all but an accident adds to that sense
Melina has a story, she wants vengeance on whoever killed her parents, Bond wanders into her story by accident
Colombo has a story, he's had a bitter rivalry with Kristatos dating back to WWII resistance days (the math there doesn't actually make sense), Bond wanders into his story by accident
Melina's story and Colombo's story overlap, just slightly, but they don't know it and they don't actually meet until the final assault on the mountain
Bond's mission overlaps only slightly with these other two stories, its like a Venn diagram, and this mcGufffin at the bottom of the Agean is the one thing that ties them all together, and as you say, the search for the McGuffin is because of an accident, not some megalomaniac's sinister plot to rule the world ... this is actually some pretty small scale stuff
and who is the "big baddy"? Kristatos is the least megalomaniacal villain we've seen since, ever ... but really he's a paid contractor, just as Gonzales and Locque are ... he's working for Gogol, who wants the McGuffin
but can Gogol be the big baddy? isn't he Bond's friend? at least they're frenemies, rivals in the same line of work who have more in common than what sets them apart? when Bond throws the whatsit over the cliff, Gogol just shrugs, like "c'est la vie" and gets back in his helicopter. it didn't mean all that much to him anyway. After all this bloodshed and major drama and property destruction in the other characters lives, all it was about was a rivalry between two professional frenemies who didn't really care that much about their precious gadget.
also adding to the random, overlapping short story structure of the film is the pre-credits. The final death of Blofeld is the first precredits unrelated to the rest of the film since, when, Thunderball? even Goldfinger and Thunderball's precredits had some causal link to what followed, the death of Blofeld is truly its own independent short feature
What a wonderful post, thank you very much!!
I've never seen FYEO as a summary of different short stories, but it makes sense!
I've always regarded the sinking of the St. Georges as an accident and it seems that I am one of the few, who genuinely admires the soundtrack.
Since I've seen the movie for the first time back in 1981, I regard it as a masterpiece.
Barry tends to repeat himself a lot by just changing tempo and/or instruments. Classical concept of the fugue.
Conti is full of new ideas and passion and the score really shows it.
One character that is often forgotten is Lisl played by the wonderful Cassandra Harris! Her chemistry with Moore is phantastic - the beach walk underlined with the incredible Fluegelhorn solo is one of the nices pieces of Bond that I have!
President of the 'Misty Eyes Club'.
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
It's always surprising how many fans seem to regard FYEO as a huge improvement over MR.
Instead of John Barry, we get Bill Conti.
Instead of a top villain like Drax, we get the bland, nondescript Kristatos.
Instead of a dashing 007 we get a much older, worn out looking 007.
Instead of breathtaking cinematography, we get scenes that look like a low-budget TV show.
Instead of Bernard Lee as M, we get a pair of bumbling morons.
As much as I love MR I disagree with your points.
Conti puts in an unusual, but excellent score which gives the film a better and busier atmosphere. Take the arrival in Cortina for example, the excellent title song, the love theme, the Corfu scene setter etc.
Kristatos is supposed to be bland and non-descript to add to the confusion as to who the villain is. It adds to the film's realism too.
Moore looks fine, if anything he looks in better shape than he did in MR where he's a little podgy and too tan.
The cinematography is outstanding, Corfu in particular, underwater work is great.
The bumbling morons is to make a point that the brilliant Bernard Lee is no longer around
Barry tends to repeat himself a lot by just changing tempo and/or instruments. Classical concept of the fugue.
Conti is full of new ideas and passion and the score really shows it.
One character that is often forgotten is Lisl played by the wonderful Cassandra Harris! Her chemistry with Moore is phantastic - the beach walk underlined with the incredible Fluegelhorn solo is one of the nices pieces of Bond that I have!
It's not often that Higgins is right but this is smack on the nose - FYEO soundtrack is magnificent.
Nothing will better Barry's scores up to and including DAF but TMWTGG score was a disaster and everything else that Barry did for Bond that followed was bang on formula average - I think he had lost interest in Bond to be honest because some of his scores outside of Bond were really good.
Yeah, well, sometimes nothin' can be a real cool hand.
I've been listening to the FYEO soundtrack again recently and I still like it. Completely different to a John Barry score of course, but it just fits the era very well. Classic late seventies/early 80's syntho with one of my favourite gun barrel intros.
I'm a fan of FYEO in general. It has some great scenes and was one of the first Bond films I remember fondly as a child.
Pros+
Title song
Lots of action
Roger still looks good (In the 2CV he's just fab)
We get serious Roger at times again
Locque's demise
The tied together and dragged through the water scene is classic Bond/Fleming
Bond and Lisl scenes
Bond rock climbing
The stories within the main story keep it interesting
Having two Lotus Esprit's
Bond girl with a crossbow is pretty cool
Bond in the snow
Exotic locations
Cons- (or just little irks)
Tracey's grave looks false
The skull cap
Some of the action scenes drag on a bit too long
The Identigraph (although I do like the idea of Bond and Q working late on the case together)
Carole Bouquet is pretty wooden
The ice hockey klaxons
Bibi gets a little too tiresome at times
Bond/Melina age difference
Kriegler throwing the bike at Bond well after he's gone
Parrot/Maggie ending
Think I'm going to have to watch this again at the weekend :007)
I visited Cortina a couple of years ago and it was great to see the filming locations.
The scene where Bibi is in Bond's bed and he kicks her out is nothing to do with Fleming, but it is a scene out of Raymond Chandler's The Big Sleep (Carmen Sternwood).
In the Big Sleep film, Bogart says, "Then she tried to sit in my lap while I was standing up."
Personally, I would have taken her over Lauren Bacall. Little sister was a total babe.
the scene where Marlowe finds Carmen in his bed isn't in the film, its chapter 24 of the book ( https://gutenberg.ca/ebooks/chandlerr-bigsleep/chandlerr-bigsleep-00-h.html )
this scene got left out of the movie, as well as a lot of other key scenes for her character, to give more screentime to Lauren Bacall, but also especially because of the Hayes Code. The ending of the movie makes no sense because so little of Carmen was left.
I tried to find the very similar scene from The Drowning Pool online, but its not there. I did learn Melanie Griffith has taken her clothes off in a lot of films.
Well…most of my points were pretty much facts, but I guess you just don't see them as cons. Not surprising since FYEO is in your top 3. -{
I want to like FYEO…most of Moore's films are in my top 10, but FYEO isn't even top 20 for me.
Instead of a classic Bond ending i.e attempting re-entry, we get a goofy Margret Thatcher impersonation and a talking parrot. 8-)
Instead of an array of elegant suits, we get Bond in baggy casual clothes and dated ski wear.
Instead of a Bond girl like Lois being 32 we get a much too young girl of 24 with Carole.
(As of 2017, she is only 59 haha barely older than Roger in AVTAK)
My current 10 favorite:
1. GE 2. MR 3. OP 4. TMWTGG 5. TSWLM 6. TND 7. TWINE 8.DN 9. GF 10. AVTAK
The "sex-life" deleted scene isn't great (most deleted scenes aren't because you're not used to it) but Bouquet's acting is really interesting in it - very heavy, morose. It would be interesting if this scene was in the movie and if it would've added anything to the film and interpretation of her character...
More serious tone.
Bloefeld and SPECTE as throwaway elements. Tossers. I don't mind them, but Bond survives fine without them, and I've liked standalone Bond movies more often.
The whole "Delicatessen in stainless steel!" makes me laugh. Because I've had to look that up, and forgotten the meaning, at least twice. So maybe I'm laughing for the wrong reasons, but I still like laughing about a joke that is so obscure and forgettable and incomprehensible that it doesn't work.
The guy who throws a motorcycle in a fit of pique because Bond got away. It's so random and crazy.
The PTS.
The soundtrack is kind of corny and very earlier 80's, but I love it.
The suspense of the mountaintop assault. Especially Bond's climbing sequence. Wow.
Bond's cold kill, kicking that car over.
Melina is so beautiful.
The keelhaul scene, inspired from the novel version of LaLD. Each are great examples of what works in a book and what works in a movie. Glad to have them both.
The final outcome with the ATAC. Bond isn't able to get the best outcome, but he prevents a bad outcome at the last minute. It's different.
Cons:
Q mucking around with his computer and getting exaggerated noses and stuff. It's a small niggle though, as another poster said, it's still a nice scene to see Q and Bond working long hours on an aspect of a case.
The end scene with Thatcher and the parrot. It's a minor niggle, though, I just kind of smile and roll my eyes rather than cringe.
The parrot gives the clue to find the mountaintop rendezvous.
Bibi. And Bibi chasing Bond. Awkward.
There's not a lot else. This is one my favorite Moore Bond movies, but I guess that's a bit of a cliche.
The "sex-life" deleted scene isn't great (most deleted scenes aren't because you're not used to it) but Bouquet's acting is really interesting in it - very heavy, morose. It would be interesting if this scene was in the movie and if it would've added anything to the film and interpretation of her character...
The close-up on Melina when Bond left the casino with the Contessa seemed odd in retrospect because it didn't amount to anything. This deleted scene added a little light to that shot.
The close-up on Melania when Bond left the casino with the Contessa seemed odd in retrospect because it didn't amount to anything. This deleted scene added a little light to that shot.
The look in the casino I think demonstrates enough dissatisfaction and based on what happens with Contessa I think enough water goes under the bridge. Plus, Melina and Bond aren't romantically involved at this point anyway?
The "sex-life" deleted scene isn't great (most deleted scenes aren't because you're not used to it) but Bouquet's acting is really interesting in it - very heavy, morose. It would be interesting if this scene was in the movie and if it would've added anything to the film and interpretation of her character...
That scene just feels awkward, and the tension does not fit with the following scenes, though I like the idea of a transition scene. I agree with Glen that it's not right for Melina.
Likewise, trimming the hockey scene was also a good choice, though the cut shots explain why the scene feels choppy.
The look in the casino I think demonstrates enough dissatisfaction and based on what happens with Contessa I think enough water goes under the bridge. Plus, Melina and Bond aren't romantically involved at this point anyway?
It's never been clear to me if Bond and Melina slept together at that motel right after the car chase. Normally, I wouldn't leap to conclusions, but this is a Bond film and nightly lodging implies sex. I kinda think they didn't just because of how somber their conversation was. However, a shot of Bond sleeping in a chair or something would have been nice. (like in AVTAK)
Let me get this straight: Melina is like 10 years younger than Holly Goodhead. Bibi is about the same age as Melina. Bibi likes Bond, but thinks Kristatos is too old for her. Kristatos is younger than Bond. Bond rejects Bibi because she is too young. Bond and Melina end up together.
My current 10 favorite:
1. GE 2. MR 3. OP 4. TMWTGG 5. TSWLM 6. TND 7. TWINE 8.DN 9. GF 10. AVTAK
Regardless of the actress' ages, Bibi was a childish, sixteen/ seventeen year old ice skater and Melina was a mid to late twenties, working and intelligent mature woman.
“The scent and smoke and sweat of a casino are nauseating at three in the morning. "
-Casino Royale, Ian Fleming
It's never been clear to me if Bond and Melina slept together at that motel right after the car chase. Normally, I wouldn't leap to conclusions, but this is a Bond film and nightly lodging implies sex. I kinda think they didn't just because of how somber their conversation was. However, a shot of Bond sleeping in a chair or something would have been nice. (like in AVTAK)
Yeah I don't think they slept together at the motel in light of the situation/conversation.
But unlike AVTAK it doesn't need to be made as obvious. Thing is though, Moore has a bit of a look on his face in AVTAK like "bugger".
Bill Conti’s score is excellent in the movie, I dont think John Barry would have been able to fit his own disco tune for this one in all honesty. For those who don’t like the music, it’s more or less the same as TSWLM
For those who don’t like the music, it’s more or less the same as TSWLM
and I have the exact same problem with The Spy Who Loved Me, except for the title toon (which is iconic)
I don't want John Barry to write a disco score, a non-disco score composed by the proper soundtrack composer would have been preferable in both movies
the other Roger Moore movies are weaker films than these two, yet sound much better than they ought to because Barry's back
(but could Barry have written a disco score if he wanted to? I'm sure, his tonal vocabulary evolved in every film away from the surfguitar sound to incorporate new elements, like moog synthesiser, and there was waka-waka guitar in the title toons for both Diamonds... and ...Golden Gun, just add electric piano, a fat wobbly bass, and some strings ... now I do want to hear a John Barry disco soundtrack!)
I‘ve been discussing that already with Barbel - Barry became very repetitive in OP, basically repeating over and over one theme with different instruments.
I had the feeling back then and still have it, that Barry lost a lot of his drive and inspiration at that time.
If you had the privilege of seeing FYEO in the cinema back in 1981 ( like I did) , you had to love the tune and the action.
President of the 'Misty Eyes Club'.
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
youre probably right Higgins, about Barry losing interest
cuz I have all the soundtracks on vinyl up to Diamonds..., and they each have their own distinct identities and are diverse over 45 minutes, yet I have never felt the need to acquire his 70s or 80s soundtracks ... that must say something
Comments
What a wonderful post, thank you very much!!
I've never seen FYEO as a summary of different short stories, but it makes sense!
I've always regarded the sinking of the St. Georges as an accident and it seems that I am one of the few, who genuinely admires the soundtrack.
Since I've seen the movie for the first time back in 1981, I regard it as a masterpiece.
Barry tends to repeat himself a lot by just changing tempo and/or instruments. Classical concept of the fugue.
Conti is full of new ideas and passion and the score really shows it.
One character that is often forgotten is Lisl played by the wonderful Cassandra Harris! Her chemistry with Moore is phantastic - the beach walk underlined with the incredible Fluegelhorn solo is one of the nices pieces of Bond that I have!
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
As much as I love MR I disagree with your points.
Conti puts in an unusual, but excellent score which gives the film a better and busier atmosphere. Take the arrival in Cortina for example, the excellent title song, the love theme, the Corfu scene setter etc.
Kristatos is supposed to be bland and non-descript to add to the confusion as to who the villain is. It adds to the film's realism too.
Moore looks fine, if anything he looks in better shape than he did in MR where he's a little podgy and too tan.
The cinematography is outstanding, Corfu in particular, underwater work is great.
The bumbling morons is to make a point that the brilliant Bernard Lee is no longer around
Have a re-read, we're not alone: https://www.ajb007.co.uk/topic/46023/love-or-hate-bill-contis-for-your-eyes-only-score/
"Better make that two."
It's not often that Higgins is right
Nothing will better Barry's scores up to and including DAF but TMWTGG score was a disaster and everything else that Barry did for Bond that followed was bang on formula average - I think he had lost interest in Bond to be honest because some of his scores outside of Bond were really good.
I'm a fan of FYEO in general. It has some great scenes and was one of the first Bond films I remember fondly as a child.
Pros+
Title song
Lots of action
Roger still looks good (In the 2CV he's just fab)
We get serious Roger at times again
Locque's demise
The tied together and dragged through the water scene is classic Bond/Fleming
Bond and Lisl scenes
Bond rock climbing
The stories within the main story keep it interesting
Having two Lotus Esprit's
Bond girl with a crossbow is pretty cool
Bond in the snow
Exotic locations
Cons- (or just little irks)
Tracey's grave looks false
The skull cap
Some of the action scenes drag on a bit too long
The Identigraph (although I do like the idea of Bond and Q working late on the case together)
Carole Bouquet is pretty wooden
The ice hockey klaxons
Bibi gets a little too tiresome at times
Bond/Melina age difference
Kriegler throwing the bike at Bond well after he's gone
Parrot/Maggie ending
Think I'm going to have to watch this again at the weekend :007)
I visited Cortina a couple of years ago and it was great to see the filming locations.
One of his best performances in it. -{
this scene got left out of the movie, as well as a lot of other key scenes for her character, to give more screentime to Lauren Bacall, but also especially because of the Hayes Code. The ending of the movie makes no sense because so little of Carmen was left.
I tried to find the very similar scene from The Drowning Pool online, but its not there. I did learn Melanie Griffith has taken her clothes off in a lot of films.
It's in the remake with Robert Mitchum, though.
Well…most of my points were pretty much facts, but I guess you just don't see them as cons. Not surprising since FYEO is in your top 3. -{
I want to like FYEO…most of Moore's films are in my top 10, but FYEO isn't even top 20 for me.
Instead of a classic Bond ending i.e attempting re-entry, we get a goofy Margret Thatcher impersonation and a talking parrot. 8-)
Instead of an array of elegant suits, we get Bond in baggy casual clothes and dated ski wear.
Instead of a Bond girl like Lois being 32 we get a much too young girl of 24 with Carole.
(As of 2017, she is only 59 haha barely older than Roger in AVTAK)
1. GE 2. MR 3. OP 4. TMWTGG 5. TSWLM 6. TND 7. TWINE 8.DN 9. GF 10. AVTAK
The "sex-life" deleted scene isn't great (most deleted scenes aren't because you're not used to it) but Bouquet's acting is really interesting in it - very heavy, morose. It would be interesting if this scene was in the movie and if it would've added anything to the film and interpretation of her character...
"Better make that two."
More serious tone.
Bloefeld and SPECTE as throwaway elements. Tossers. I don't mind them, but Bond survives fine without them, and I've liked standalone Bond movies more often.
The whole "Delicatessen in stainless steel!" makes me laugh. Because I've had to look that up, and forgotten the meaning, at least twice. So maybe I'm laughing for the wrong reasons, but I still like laughing about a joke that is so obscure and forgettable and incomprehensible that it doesn't work.
The guy who throws a motorcycle in a fit of pique because Bond got away. It's so random and crazy.
The PTS.
The soundtrack is kind of corny and very earlier 80's, but I love it.
The suspense of the mountaintop assault. Especially Bond's climbing sequence. Wow.
Bond's cold kill, kicking that car over.
Melina is so beautiful.
The keelhaul scene, inspired from the novel version of LaLD. Each are great examples of what works in a book and what works in a movie. Glad to have them both.
The final outcome with the ATAC. Bond isn't able to get the best outcome, but he prevents a bad outcome at the last minute. It's different.
Cons:
Q mucking around with his computer and getting exaggerated noses and stuff. It's a small niggle though, as another poster said, it's still a nice scene to see Q and Bond working long hours on an aspect of a case.
The end scene with Thatcher and the parrot. It's a minor niggle, though, I just kind of smile and roll my eyes rather than cringe.
The parrot gives the clue to find the mountaintop rendezvous.
Bibi. And Bibi chasing Bond. Awkward.
There's not a lot else. This is one my favorite Moore Bond movies, but I guess that's a bit of a cliche.
The close-up on Melina when Bond left the casino with the Contessa seemed odd in retrospect because it didn't amount to anything. This deleted scene added a little light to that shot.
The look in the casino I think demonstrates enough dissatisfaction and based on what happens with Contessa I think enough water goes under the bridge. Plus, Melina and Bond aren't romantically involved at this point anyway?
"Better make that two."
That scene just feels awkward, and the tension does not fit with the following scenes, though I like the idea of a transition scene. I agree with Glen that it's not right for Melina.
Likewise, trimming the hockey scene was also a good choice, though the cut shots explain why the scene feels choppy.
I watched a fair bit of it last night, a John Barry score might have bogged it down a bit. And the title track is a classic.
Still, it also crashes the atmosphere, such as when it kicks in during the pts. It's so naff.
Roger Moore 1927-2017
It's never been clear to me if Bond and Melina slept together at that motel right after the car chase. Normally, I wouldn't leap to conclusions, but this is a Bond film and nightly lodging implies sex. I kinda think they didn't just because of how somber their conversation was. However, a shot of Bond sleeping in a chair or something would have been nice. (like in AVTAK)
Let me get this straight: Melina is like 10 years younger than Holly Goodhead. Bibi is about the same age as Melina. Bibi likes Bond, but thinks Kristatos is too old for her. Kristatos is younger than Bond. Bond rejects Bibi because she is too young. Bond and Melina end up together.
1. GE 2. MR 3. OP 4. TMWTGG 5. TSWLM 6. TND 7. TWINE 8.DN 9. GF 10. AVTAK
-Casino Royale, Ian Fleming
Yeah I don't think they slept together at the motel in light of the situation/conversation.
But unlike AVTAK it doesn't need to be made as obvious. Thing is though, Moore has a bit of a look on his face in AVTAK like "bugger".
"Better make that two."
1. Dalton 2. Moore 3. Connery 4. Lazenby 5. Craig 6. Brosnan
-{
Bill Conti‘s score is a masterpiece imo and the ski chase score is the best of the entire CD - apart from that wonderful Fluegelhorn Solo later.
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
Yes, completely agree here.
One of the worst scores in the series (the flugelhorn solo is ok).
Love a bit of Disco
Have you been wearing too much skirt recently and earmuffs? 8-)
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
1. Dalton 2. Moore 3. Connery 4. Lazenby 5. Craig 6. Brosnan
I don't want John Barry to write a disco score, a non-disco score composed by the proper soundtrack composer would have been preferable in both movies
the other Roger Moore movies are weaker films than these two, yet sound much better than they ought to because Barry's back
(but could Barry have written a disco score if he wanted to? I'm sure, his tonal vocabulary evolved in every film away from the surfguitar sound to incorporate new elements, like moog synthesiser, and there was waka-waka guitar in the title toons for both Diamonds... and ...Golden Gun, just add electric piano, a fat wobbly bass, and some strings ... now I do want to hear a John Barry disco soundtrack!)
I had the feeling back then and still have it, that Barry lost a lot of his drive and inspiration at that time.
If you had the privilege of seeing FYEO in the cinema back in 1981 ( like I did) , you had to love the tune and the action.
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
cuz I have all the soundtracks on vinyl up to Diamonds..., and they each have their own distinct identities and are diverse over 45 minutes, yet I have never felt the need to acquire his 70s or 80s soundtracks ... that must say something