From Russia With Love (1963)

Count_Lippe · Post by **Count_Lippe** » Thu Oct 15, 2015 2:26 pm

How many points do you give to FRWL?

I give the film 4 points.

ml94 · Post by **ml94** » Thu Oct 15, 2015 4:29 pm

Post by **Omega** » Thu Oct 15, 2015 5:04 pm

What is top score ? 5?

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Count_Lippe · Post by **Count_Lippe** » Thu Oct 15, 2015 5:09 pm

As I wrote in the Dr No thread I think that film improved on Fleming's original story.

FRWL I'm not sure about though. The book version is very serious and dark really, a good portion of the book deals with Smersh preparing the operation and killing of Bond. There is also a lot of background story about Grant.

All this wouldn't have worked on film of course, but the film version seems a bit too light compared with the book. It's also overall less tough than the previous film, even in the second Bond film they added more humour.

There are more of the classic Bond ingredients in this film, Dr No had most but not all. FRWL has a pre-credits scene, there is more action, and there is secret agent gadgetry.

Technically FRWL is a little sloppy, there are a lot of continuity mistakes in this film which makes it look a bit amateurish at times. Maybe the filming conditions were chaotic?

To me FRWL is not as flawless as Dr No was, it's a good Bond film but not a perfect follow up.

Count_Lippe · Post by **Count_Lippe** » Thu Oct 15, 2015 5:10 pm

Omega wrote:What is top score ? 5?

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Yes 5 is top score.

commander0077again · Post by **commander0077again** » Fri Oct 23, 2015 7:28 am

After Jamaica, Istanbul was somewhat of a letdown. One of the strengths of FRWL, however, is that it is probably the most 'serious' of the Bonds, so he should be in a less glamorous setting. Reading the novel, wasn't the Orient Express the stuff of legend, and not the real OE? Kerim Bey seemed more flamboyant in the novel. Rosa Klebb and Red Grant set the standard for more realistic baddies, two psychos with just the right touch. Maybe Cubby and Harry decided to ante Bond's more flamboyant side in the next film. They could have given Goldfinger the more muted FRWL treatment ... and we would never have Bond's "Shocking ..." and maybe not even the Oddjob fight in Fort Knox. Instead, OJ would be blown away through the airplane porthole, as in the book (btw, that wouldn't happen ... you can read all about it in some mythbusters sites).

Count_Lippe · Post by **Count_Lippe** » Sun Oct 25, 2015 5:41 pm

commander0077again wrote: Reading the novel, wasn't the Orient Express the stuff of legend, and not the real OE?

What do you mean? It did exist, it was a railway route between Istanbul and Paris where you could travel rather luxurious. It ended in 1977.

It's sometimes been depicted in books and films, like Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express, maybe this is what you mean?

Count_Lippe · Post by **Count_Lippe** » Sun Oct 25, 2015 6:19 pm

commander0077again wrote:After Jamaica, Istanbul was somewhat of a letdown. One of the strengths of FRWL, however, is that it is probably the most 'serious' of the Bonds, so he should be in a less glamorous setting. [...] Kerim Bey seemed more flamboyant in the novel. Rosa Klebb and Red Grant set the standard for more realistic baddies, two psychos with just the right touch.

Some say FRWL is out of step with the rest of the Bond film series, and maybe this was one of Fleming's novels that was not easy to adapt to the screen, a bit like Casino Royale?

However Terence Young said he really wanted to film this novel. They did many changes though, there are none of the background stories and of course they left out Smersh and the Soviet settings.

In the film M also says that Tatiana's story is obviously a trap, "but if there is a chance of getting their hands on the decoding machine they must take it", this wasn't quite how it was in the novel.

Of course in the novel there was no boat chase and no helicopter action, Bond and Tania got all the way to Paris on the Orient Express. Bond did kill Grant on the train though, he stabbed and killed him with the knife from the attache case.

Another change was that Rosa Klebb was much more revolting in the novel. And I agree about Kerim Bey being more flamboyant, as you say.

Veronica · Post by **Veronica** » Sun Oct 25, 2015 6:22 pm

IMO it's the best Bond movie. Score out of 5?10.
The sheer title is brilliant.

Count_Lippe · Post by **Count_Lippe** » Sun Oct 25, 2015 6:41 pm

The story about 007 having to travel to Istanbul to pick up this Russian girl is a bit far fetched, that's why they included M:s comment about the whole thing being obviously a trap. This was a good thing and made the plot a bit more believable.

But like I said this was a Fleming novel that was hard to adapt to film. That's why they cut all the background stuff in the story, and included all these chases at the end, to make it more an exciting film experience.

commander0077again · Post by **commander0077again** » Tue Oct 27, 2015 8:08 am

Count_Lippe wrote:
commander0077again wrote: Reading the novel, wasn't the Orient Express the stuff of legend, and not the real OE?
What do you mean? It did exist, it was a railway route between Istanbul and Paris where you could travel rather luxurious. It ended in 1977.

It's sometimes been depicted in books and films, like Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express, maybe this is what you mean?

Oh, I know the OE is real, and even runs now. I meant if the OE in the novel FRWL is a romanticized Fleming version or the real life OE? In other words, did Fleming spice up the OE? Well, I guess only way to find out is to re-read it!

commander0077again · Post by **commander0077again** » Tue Oct 27, 2015 8:16 am

Veronica wrote:IMO it's the best Bond movie. Score out of 5?10.
The sheer title is brilliant.

Yes, Fleming had a way with words, to say the least. Some people say he was not a great writer. I disagree. He didn't have the great volume of work of other writers, but what he wrote was wonderful stuff. The mark of a good book is that you like to reread it, and Fleming passes this acid test. He really had his own 'voice' as the editors say. He also made a tremendous travel writer, as we can see in YOLT. "My God, I want to go there and massage those kobe cows with beer!" and "I want to kiss that geisha and make her titter and blush!" (or maybe massage the geisha girl with beer, and, er... kiss the cow ...?")

Count_Lippe · Post by **Count_Lippe** » Tue Oct 27, 2015 10:52 am

Maybe the Orient Express has been romanticized in books and films (not only by Fleming) in such ways to make it seem it was an adventure to travel, and that a lot of stuff happened on it, while in real life it was a bit tedious to go by train for several days and nights.

Post by **The Saint 007** » Tue Oct 27, 2015 11:13 am

It's good, but I personally enjoy Dr. No and a few other Connery Bond films a little more than From Russia With Love.

commander0077again · Post by **commander0077again** » Mon Nov 02, 2015 6:20 am

Count_Lippe wrote:Maybe the Orient Express has been romanticized in books and films (not only by Fleming) in such ways to make it seem it was an adventure to travel, and that a lot of stuff happened on it, while in real life it was a bit tedious to go by train for several days and nights.

A friend just told me yesterday that her friends were honeymooning on a train west to east coast America, and it took eleven days! Was someone's calculations off, or do Honeymoon Specials stop in various cities. Anyway, I'm one that thinks trains are awfully romantic, especially if you're with a Solitaire.

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