The most beautiful thing about this movie is the song, From Russia With Love. When it comes to his womanizing behavior, James Bond picks up a bit of steam compared to the first movie, Dr. No. Here are some of my thoughts on this movie, From Russia With Love. It’s not a movie review, but there will be spoilers.
James Bond’s Character in From Russian With Love
Sean Connery as Bond continues to be the smooth, handsome, well-dressed man who makes women drool. At least that’s the impression the producers are going for, and they’ve done an excellent job. Also, I think James Bond represents some sort of fantasy role for men…every man wants to be James Bond.
He still has the onscreen flair.
He doesn’t show up until about 18 minutes into the movie, which is a statement on its own. (Although there is a fake version of him in the beginning scenes. I won’t go into it though…you have to watch the movie to understand.)
When Bond shows up on screen, he’s kissing his girlfriend in an outdoor picnic setting. I didn’t know he had a girlfriend, but she makes references to them being a couple so I guess they see each other on a regular basis. I wonder if she knows about his other liaisons.
Later, though, when meeting another woman (Tatiana Romanova) for the first time, he immediately sleeps with her. But in this case, it’s not just him doing the using…she’s a spy too, and her intent is to use him as well. I guess that’s supposed to be the role of the spy–sleep with the enemy to get the information you want. Although later she declares she loves him because of course if you sleep with James Bond you can’t help but fall in love with him.
I think everyone knows that one of the primary characteristics of James Bond is that he’s into beautiful women. But it’s more than that. He’s a womanizer. In this movie his womanizing picks up up a bit of steam compared to the first movie, Dr. No.
Womanizer: a man who often has temporary sexual relationships with women or tries to get women to have sex with him.
Cambridge Dictionary
There’s one scene that encapsulates who he is when it comes to women: Bond and another man are in an underground cave, peering through some type of scope, spying on a group of men in a meeting. When he sees the secretary walk around the table handing out papers, he says, “I’d like to see her in the flesh…yessss.” As though he’s already planning to devour her. (Creep!)
It Took Two Actresses to Play The Role of Tatiana Romanova
I was surprised to find that two actresses played the role of Tatiana Romanova. Daniela Bianchi is the actress you see in the movie, but Barbara Jefford voiced the role. So, they actually paid two people for one role?!
It turns out Daniela Bianchi, the onscreen actress, had too heavy of an Italian accent, but Sean Connery didn’t want another actress to play the role because of their chemistry. Instead of going with another actress, they used Barbara Jefford to record over Bianchi’s voice.
It turns out dubbing was a regular practice for early Bond movies because Barbara Jefford was used in future Bond movies for dubbing other actresses as well.
From Russia With Love, The Song
The beautiful song, From Russia With Love, sang at the end of the movie was written by Lionel Bart and sang by Matt Monro. Matt Monro’s voice is beautiful and fits the ending scene perfectly. Here he is singing that song: Matt Monro, YouTube. I added it to my play list.
Production/Filming of From Russia With Love
From Russia With Love was filmed in 1963, and released in theaters in 1964.
If you don’t know why I, a non Bond fan, am watching all 25 James Bond movies, you can find out here: Who Is The Next James Bond? A Non Bond Fan Makes Her Prediction. I’m watching the movies to see how James Bond evolves throughout the years….from the beginning to the most recent era.