Review of From Russia with Love (1963) by Deb S — 10 Apr 2011

Sean Connery is my favourite Bond, he is cool, elegant, sophisticated and slightly arrogant. In this adventure, 007 is sent to recover Lektor, a Russsian decoding device from defecting Tatiana Romanova, a beautiful young woman who works at the Soviet Consulate in Istanbul.

Bond knows that it is a trap, but does not realize S.P.E.C.T.R.E. (Special Executive for Counterintelligence, Terrorism, Revenge and Extortion), rather than SMERSH is behind it. For the first time, we are introduced to the leader of S.

P.E.C.T.R.E, Ernst Stavros Blofeld known as Number One, who is glimpsed rather than seen in this movie. Blofeld's agent Kronsteen (a brilliant chess player) devised the plan and a former KGB Col. Rosa Klebb (hard as nails who can cleverly kill unsuspecting people with the poisoned tip of her shoe) runs the operation.

She selected the psychopathic Red Grant ( Robert Shaw ) who is seething at the loss of their agent to kill 007 and retrieve the Lektor. The organization wants both to kill Bond and discredit the British Secret Service in the bargain.

Along the way, Bond is assisted by Kerim Bey (a Turk working for the British). Despite the excellent speed boat and helicopter chases towards the climax, it's Bond and Grant's fight to the death on the Train carriage that I will always remember.