Review of Dr. No (1962) by David C — 24 Jul 2010

Born on film in 1962 with this dynamic debut, our smooth-talking, hell-raising hero was an instant success that brought copycats in their truckloads and several sequels to date. As the first chapter in the long running saga of British Secret Agent James Bond, you would expect to see it all. Car chases, oodles of gadgetry, firm character development and more puns than in a million Christmas crackers. Instead director Terence Young's' low-budget 'Dr. No' comes across as a slow and often deliberate film, lifted by the occasional intelligent and rugged flair that dominated those that followed.

Beginning with the infamous Monty Norman title theme, the opening sequence is still, after all these years, an absolute show-stopper for its simplistic, yet original premise that pushes Bond away from the mainstream movies of the time. After the callous and brutal murder of British Intelligence, Commander Bond is sent to Jamaica to investigate the rudimentary disappearance of a case file concerning the ominous Dr No. As the story slowly unfolds its subplots become that little more involved with its close-knit relationship with the original source novel written by Ian Fleming.

Ursula Andress emerging from the sea is still one of the greatest scenes ever to be produced from any Bond, while the Brosnan offering 'Die another Day' chooses to ham it up with Hollywood hot-property Halle Berry imitating it down to the almost very same bikini. Although not everybody's ideal James Bond, Connery presents a strong character in 007 serving the lovable rogues persona well.

The only downside, if there is one, is Bonds' shooting of an unarmed man. 'Dr. No' opened in Britain on the 5th of October, 1962 to great critical acclaim. Sequels & spoofs followed, with a further five actors so far filling Bonds' shoes.