Briefcase trick in FRWL
SeanIsTheOnlyOne
Posts: 544MI6 Agent
I recently heard a comment about the briefcase trick in FRWL: "If Grant allows Bond to open his case, one can imagine he would also let him repeat the operation a few seconds later with the other one. Then Bond's effort to save his life would have failed. All of this seems too convenient plotwise."
Does anyone here agree with that ? I just don't.
Bond handles Nash's case very quickly on purpose, making Grant suspicious enough to take the case and open it himself. Of course the whole trick is built on bluff, but that's what makes the scene so great. And it works perfectly.
Comments
No, I don't agree either. As you say, Bond deliberately appears eager to open the second case so that Grant will become suspicious and want to open it himself.
I also agree with your comments. In addition, before Bond joins Grant and Tatiana in the restaurant car he opens Nash's case and sees that there is a gun inside. So, even if Grant did allow Bond to open the second case, Bond would have been able to pull out the gun inside.
That's a good point. But would Bond have been fast enough to pull out the gun at the bottom of the case (under a whole pile of clothes) and then shoot Grant? Perhaps, perhaps not.
Anyway, I love this scene. The way it's filmed is very subtle and I can understand why one can be confused, but there's no doubt for me: Bond deliberately moves the case quickly to play with Grant's paranoia and make him suspicious enough to open it himself, leading to the fight we know. It's brilliant writing !