Would From Russia With Love have worked in Berlin?
Dutchfinger
Holland With LovePosts: 1,240MI6 Agent
Much like Instanbul, if not more, Berlin was a city that was both occupied by the British and the Russians during the cold war. There was of course the Berlin wall seperating West Germany with the GDR. Basicly all the plot elements of FRWL could have worked just as well in Berlin as they did in Instanbul in FRWL. There could have easily been a Russian consulate building on the east part of the city and an underground path that leaded the British underneath the building to spy on them using a periscope. SPECTRE could have still be the one setting up the British and Russians against eachother. And there are even gypsy settlements and mosks in Berlin that I know for a fact.
Berlin was one of the cities in the world were the cold war was most noteable and lively. Which was one of the reasons Fleming came up with Vesper Lynd (pronunciation being so similar to West Berlin, as most fans would know) Being the city that directly formed the border between the western capitalism and eastern communism. I think it would have worked absolutely perfectly for a cold war spy thriller like FRWL. The ONLY problem would have been making the trip back to London as exciting. As there would not really be an orient express traveling through the slavic countries like in the movie. Which might be the reason Fleming chose Istanbul instead, since the trip back would have been longer.
It's all just fantasy, but do you guys think it could have worked?
Berlin was one of the cities in the world were the cold war was most noteable and lively. Which was one of the reasons Fleming came up with Vesper Lynd (pronunciation being so similar to West Berlin, as most fans would know) Being the city that directly formed the border between the western capitalism and eastern communism. I think it would have worked absolutely perfectly for a cold war spy thriller like FRWL. The ONLY problem would have been making the trip back to London as exciting. As there would not really be an orient express traveling through the slavic countries like in the movie. Which might be the reason Fleming chose Istanbul instead, since the trip back would have been longer.
It's all just fantasy, but do you guys think it could have worked?
Better known as DutchBondFan on YouTube. My 007 movie reviews: Recapping 007
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Comments
Why did they take the train instead of flying? I assume Istanbul had a functioning airport at the time.
How would YOU get back to London with the girl and the Spektor ?
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The train journey could have changed quite easily though. The East German Reichsbahn had some express trains to the West; the most famous one the Berlin - Prague - Vienna express "Vindobona" (the Latin name of Vienna). But also trains to Stockholm or Copenhagen via train ferry. If they wanted to change the film to play in Berlin they could easily have Bond take one of those trains. But the Orient Express is a well-known name and works better in a thriller with its connotation of Agatha Christie's book.
I also think that for the 1960's audiences Istanbul was far more interesting - a really exotic, colourful location that most people couldn't even think of ever being able to afford visiting. While East- or West-Berlin looked just like many other (Western) European towns in the early 1960's - grey, dull, dirty, some ruins of the bombardements still standing even 20 years after the war.
I mainly think this...
There was a short Period after the War when you could just stroll over into each Sector of Berlin rather easily.
Well, that's the one thing I always mention when talking about the movie FRWL, they don't adress WHY they took the orient express and in the novell it DOES get adressed.
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"They would have people watching the planes" is spoken about.
Plus a little accident could be arranged.
I love Istanbul. Berlin is gone into detail for tld