Police portayal

nobody

I was watching "A View to a Kill" yesterday, and it struck me that the portrayal of the police officers in the San Francisco fire truck chase scene depicts the Captain and most of his men in a rather unflattering light. I was reminded of the character Dennis Franz played in "Die Hard 2". And then I remembered the cops in "Diamonds are Forever", "Live and Let Die" and "Man With the Golden Gun". They are always played as buffoonish, authority types intent on fouling up Bond's mission. Can anyone remember a police officer in a Bond film being portrayed in a positive light?

hehadlotsofguts

Probably Dr No, with Superintendent Duff. They help with Bond's investigation on the murders of Trueblood and Strangways. Bond contacts him to pick up Miss Taro in his car and arrest her.

They did a check on the the car that picked up Bond at the airport and found out it was stolen.

caractacus potts

It's a pretty common cliche outside of Bond films too.
And that list of films with dumb american cops starts with the Guy Hamilton run of films, where EON was deliberately targeting American audiences. They must have thought that particular cliche would appeal to the target audience.


Within the films internal logic: Bond's missions are top secret, they do not officially exist, and his particular missions are all a whole lotta weird even for top secret spy work. The cops on the other hand are used to dealing with repetitive mundane local level stuff, they could not conceive the problems Bond is trying to deal with even if he were able to explain himself.
And he shouldn't keep announcing "I'm a British agent, you've got to listen to me" like he keeps doing whenever they try to arrest him.

caractacus potts

I wonder if his attempt to persuade the cops in aVtaK, Moore's last film ...
("I'm a British agent, my name is James Bond" "oh yeh? and I'm Dick Tracy!")
... is meant to be a reprise of his similar attempt to reason with Pepper in LaLD, his first film.
("I'm a British agent!" "Sekurt ayjunt? on whose sad?)

Thunderpussy

Most films tend to portray the police as bureaucrats, a hindrance or simply
Not too bright. Either for comedic reasons or to add to the tension of a scene.

PPK 7.65mm

Moonraker was one of the few times along with Dr. No, where the Police were not shown in an unflattering light. Bond got an Italian Police inspector to lock down Drax's laboratory while he contacted M and Freddie Gray. This same man also got gas masks, for when Bond returned the next day.

Number24

The police on the airport in CR are alsoreally competent.

bosoxfan

Pretty non descript in Skyfall, part of the scenery but not a negative statement, but you are correct, there are some where it is pretty pitiful narrative on local police.

hehadlotsofguts

Would Licence To Kill count as well. They're asking questions about Felix's attack and Della's murder, but they are quick to assume that Felix was attacked with a chansaw.

PPK 7.65mm

@Number 24, thanks for reminding me.

@ hehadlotsofguts, yes, I would say Licence To Kill showed the local cops as pretty competent, despite the lead detective making an incorrect assumption about Felix Leiter being mauled with a chainsaw.

Postiebear

Why do cops always crash their cars

In DAF the cops all crashed and it was like any American tv show or film from the 60’s-80’s

Thunderpussy

To be Honest Bond tends to crash most of the cars he's given too