Police in Bond Films

Felix Rodriguez · June 2009

Has anyone else noticed that in most James Bond films that the police are either completely stupid and inept (J.W. Pepper, AVTAK police) or working for the villain (LALD, QOS)?

Danjaq · June 2009

The Miami-Dade Police in the airport chase in CR didn't seem too inept. Although that one officer should've broken off the pursuit before flying through the jet's exhaust, the other officers successfully shot out the tanker's tires while driving (not an easy task in real life, even when using an automatic weapon) and took 007 into custody. Although they arrested the wrong man, that was not so much ineptitude as a mistake of fact.

And of course, let's not forget the Jamaican police Superintendent in Dr. No who helps Bond out with his investigation and arrests Ms. Taro.

Felix Rodriguez · June 2009

Ah, but I said MOST.

Danjaq · June 2009

Felix Rodriguez wrote:

Ah, but I said MOST.

That you did:)

I figure that in many of the Bond films, the cops that appear are just extras to the plot line so-to-speak. They don't really have any active roll in taking on the villains in the Bond films, but occasionally they will cross paths with Bond as he chases or battles the villain through their jurisdictions.

The writers want to show that they have a duty to protect and serve, but the writers wouldn't want them interfering with the storyline too much. So in the end the cops jump into the fray with the best intentions but are unable (in most cases) to stop Bond in his pursuit of the villain.

Shady Tree · June 2009

Danjaq wrote:

And of course, let's not forget the Jamaican police Superintendent in Dr. No who helps Bond out with his investigation and arrests Ms. Taro.

Dr. No's contention that Bond is "just another stupid policeman" is a serious underestimation, yet Bond, when he hands over Miss Taro, sounds more like a policeman than at any other point in his cinema history: "Book her, Superindentendent..." This is much like the catchphrase of Jack Lord (Felix Leiter) in his later well-known part as the cop Steve McGarrett in TV's 'Hawaii Five-O': "Book um, Dano... Murder One!"

Tom Mankiewicz / Guy Hamilton seemed to like poking fun at American police officers (as well as officials generally) in their DAF / LALD / TMWTGG cycle - and I see the later, lightweight sideswipe at San Francisco's PD in AVTAK as a kind of homage to that element in the early seventies formula.

As I've noted elsewhere, I feel sorry for the two Italian officers who plummet over a cliff, (almost certainly) to their deaths, when they become embroiled in the car chase in the PTS of QOS. If this is the first time that we have seen police fatalities as a result of incidental police involvement in a Bond film action sequence, it adds to the new, higher-stakes sense of brutality which QOS brings to the series.

ycpchief · June 2009

Felix Rodriguez wrote:

Has anyone else noticed that in most James Bond films that the police are either completely stupid and inept (J.W. Pepper, AVTAK police) or working for the villain (LALD, QOS)?

Unfortunately this is true in many movies. But I guess if the police officers were competent, there would be less for the "heroes" to do and they would seem a bit less special. Fleming did not portray the police negatively in his novels that I can remember. Think of the respect M and Bond had for the RCMP in FYEO and the portrayal of Special Branch in Moonraker.

walther p99 · June 2009

Shady Tree wrote:

Danjaq wrote:

And of course, let's not forget the Jamaican police Superintendent in Dr. No who helps Bond out with his investigation and arrests Ms. Taro.

Dr. No's contention that Bond is "just another stupid policeman" is a serious underestimation, yet Bond, when he hands over Miss Taro, sounds more like a policeman than at any other point in his cinema history: "Book her, Superindentendent..." This is much like the catchphrase of Jack Lord (Felix Leiter) in his later well-known part as the cop Steve McGarrett in TV's 'Hawaii Five-O': "Book um, Dano... Murder One!"

Tom Mankiewicz / Guy Hamilton seemed to like poking fun at American police officers (as well as officials generally) in their DAF / LALD / TMWTGG cycle - and I see the later, lightweight sideswipe at San Francisco's PD in AVTAK as a kind of homage to that element in the early seventies formula.

As I've noted elsewhere, I feel sorry for the two Italian officers who plummet over a cliff, (almost certainly) to their deaths, when they become embroiled in the car chase in the PTS of QOS. If this is the first time that we have seen police fatalities as a result of incidental police involvement in a Bond film action sequence, it adds to the new, higher-stakes sense of brutality which QOS brings to the series.

I remember feeling sorry for the two police officers during QOS's PTS as well, as they were only doing their job but just happen to be caught up in the chase. same goes for the innocent girl who Mitchell shot.

Loeffelholz · June 2009

Shady Tree wrote:

Tom Mankiewicz / Guy Hamilton seemed to like poking fun at American police officers (as well as officials generally) in their DAF / LALD / TMWTGG cycle - and I see the later, lightweight sideswipe at San Francisco's PD in AVTAK as a kind of homage to that element in the early seventies formula.

To me it's just the filmmakers taking the easy way out with AVTAK. I don't think they were considering the element of homage---rather, it was just easier and more expedient to throw a couple of 'yucks' in. If the fire ladder schtick was an homage to Mack Sennett's classic 'Keystone Cops' series of the 1920s, for example, one has to question how appropriate such a thing was for a Bond film

I suppose we should be glad that they didn't decide to pay tribute to Laurel & Hardy, and throw a pie fight in

Grindelwald · June 2009

Cannot imagine a serious movie like OHMSS with a nitwit cop.....that'd be a sore thumb , thankfully it never happened

:))

Felix Rodriguez · June 2009

Yes that is a good thing! AVTAK I believe could have done without the whole stupid firetruck chase. The stupid police captain should have at least not made assumptions before saying "And I'm Dick Tracy and you're still under arrest" at least take the handgun to have fingerprints taken first!

Napoleon Plural · June 2009

Yeah, that was one foul-mouthed police officer!

Could be Hitchcock's influence, he always had the police interferring with the hero in a negative way. Of course once Bond's car chases become more outlandish then they're gonna show up too.

PPK 7.65mm · July 2009

I agree with Napoleon, it seems to me that the writers and producers were influenced by Hitchcock's films when it came to showing police officers. Thought for the most part unlike other action films every now and again the police in the James Bond series do show that are capable of doing their jobs right.

Colonel Shatner · July 2009

walther p99 wrote:

I remember feeling sorry for the two police officers during QOS's PTS as well, as they were only doing their job but just happen to be caught up in the chase. same goes for the innocent girl who Mitchell shot.

In The Living Daylights you had many British military/spy personnel get killed by the renegade Soviet agent in the pre-title sequence and two more MI6 agents (in addition to the milk man) get wasted by Necros later on in the movie. I agree that QoS either showed cops as either helpless mugs or thugs on the bad guys' payroll.

dr. evan-gelist · July 2009

i cringe when i watch the police try to arrest moores bond in avtak. they are pretty weak and portray the type of coppers that were in slapstick u.s. films of the mid- late 80's.

Danjaq · July 2009

dr. evan-gelist wrote:

i cringe when i watch the police try to arrest moores bond in avtak. they are pretty weak and portray the type of coppers that were in slapstick u.s. films of the mid- late 80's.

Same here, even more so since I live in the Bay Area and am proud of the fine officers of the SFPD.

blofeld#1 · July 2009

I think the cops are pretty stupid in the scene of DAF

dr. evan-gelist · July 2009

i agree with u all. the bond movies in general portray an image that the police are dumb and get in his way. could be right and wrong.

Danjaq · December 2012

After watching Skyfall a few times I have a new question about law enforcement in the latest Bond film, specifically the armed police at M's hearing in London.

Presumably the armed constables in the Tube when Silva makes his escape are from CO19 or are AFO's with the Metropolitan Police. But the security police in the hearing room who engage in the shootout with Silva and his cohorts (the ones wearing the bulky ballistic vests marked "POLICE" that ironically fail to protect them from the gunfire), are they Ministry of Defence Police, part of the Metropolitan Police Diplomatic Protection Group, etc.?

The ending credits listed several "Whitehall Policemen" roles so I figured the hearing itself was at Whitehall. Or was it at Westminster? Who would those armed constables at the inquiry be employed with?

Colonel Shatner · December 2012

The cops shot in the courthouse were not necessarily killed outright (their vests could stop the bullet but they're still pushed over by the force of the fire and knocked unconcious). More worrying, even though the tube bombing would draw many cops away, why there were just a few underpaid security guards in the lobby of building occupied by a concentration of government VIPs in the wake of an explosion at MI6?

Shady Tree · January 2013

Colonel Shatner wrote:

The cops shot in the courthouse were not necessarily killed outright (their vests could stop the bullet but they're still pushed over by the force of the fire and knocked unconcious). More worrying, even though the tube bombing would draw many cops away, why there were just a few underpaid security guards in the lobby of building occupied by a concentration of government VIPs in the wake of an explosion at MI6?

It's actually the case, surprisingly, that under normal circumstances the front line defence of Whitehall buildings accommodating ministerial offices is made up of 'underpaid security guards'.

Jarvio · January 2013

I like the AVTAK cop. And it's hilarious when he cries when the car is crushed

Police in Bond Films

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